Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2846804 Registered with Ofsted: 11/09/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop the typical range of skills and knowledge they need to be ready to start school. They make steady progress across the areas of learning and reach expected levels of development for their age. Children show increasing levels of independence. From a young age, they are keen to make their own choices and choose where they want to play. They generally move around the childminder's garden, comfortably choosing the toys and resources they would like to play with. They remember where things are kept and find them easily. For instance, when children want to look at picture books with the childminder, they know where to find them in the outside playroom.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children start to learn to take care of their own needs. For instance, before going outside, children find their shoes and attempt to put them on, showing real determination to manage by themselves. The childminder actively encourages this determined 'can-do' attitude, knowing it will support them well in their future learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children, including those who face barriers to their learning, achieve well. Activities are inclusive and support all children's interests and different learning needs.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children demonstrate generally positive attitudes towards learning. They are naturally inquisitive and keen to find out more. They typically follow consistent routines with the childminder, and this helps them to feel safe and secure.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is an effective role model. She role models kindness and encourages positive and cooperative behaviour. She recognises when younger children become frustrated when they cannot do something themselves and offers some sensitive support. Children help with simple tidy-up routines and understand the importance of looking after the resources they play with.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children develop their social skills. They learn to share, take turns and wait for short periods. These skills help children to form positive relationships with others and to learn simple boundaries. Children learn the importance of using good manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you', and they respond well to the childminder's calm and respectful approach. This encourages younger children to understand how to behave considerately.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents to encourage children's regular attendance. The childminder helps parents to understand and recognise the importance of consistency and routine to support children's learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder consistently prioritises the care and wellbeing of children. She ensures daily routines around eating, sleeping and toileting are safe and tailored to meet children's individual needs. The childminder considers children's ages and stages of development when adapting routines and expectations, including for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Close communication with parents ensures that routines are consistent and personalised for each child.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's healthy development well. She organises her daily routine to ensure that children get a balance between rest, sleep and physical activities. For instance, younger children enjoy active play in the garden pushing a doll's pram before having a quieter period looking at a picture book before nap time.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children typically demonstrate how happy and settled they are. They show a real sense of belonging as they play with the childminder's family and approach the childminder easily when they need some extra comfort and support.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

From a young age, children begin to learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. For instance, the childminder helps them to wash their hands after they have been near the animals, and she teaches them how to pet the childminder's dogs safely.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has developed a curriculum that offers children a broad range of experiences across all areas of learning. She knows how to adapt this to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make it accessible to all children. The childminder uses ongoing assessment to check what children know and can already do, so she knows what to plan next.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's language development well. She introduces new vocabulary as children play and enables children still developing their language to hear and practise a range of words.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Mathematical knowledge is promoted naturally through play. Children explore number, shapes, counting and size through everyday experiences. They engage in simple problem- solving and learn to work things out for themselves. For example, the childminder shows children how to join pieces of track together. After showing them once, the children copy her actions and do it successfully by themselves.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is keen to develop her provision for outside learning. Her garden provides an interesting space for children to play and explore. Children use their imagination as they make 'recipes' in the mud kitchen and practise a range of physical skills as they negotiate the slide and use wheeled resources. However, the childminder has not yet explored fully how she can plan for children's learning outside to support their learning even further.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides a warm, inclusive and welcoming environment where every child is valued as an individual. She takes time to get to know each child and their family, ensuring that she understands their routines, interests and backgrounds so she can meet their needs effectively. The childminder's secure knowledge of child development enables her to identify what children need at different stages, and she plans experiences that support their progress. The childminder uses the information she gains from assessment to quickly identify where some children need more support. This means she can adapt her teaching and the activities she plans to target these areas. Although the childminder currently has no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) on roll, she understands the importance of providing high-quality, inclusive childcare for all children. The childminder demonstrates an understanding of how to assess children's development, track their

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder completes some aspects of training and other forms of professional development. The childminder recognises that developing her experience in supporting and assessing the needs of children with SEND is an area she can develop further. However, she has not yet explored this further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder organises her service well. She keeps herself up to date with changes in legislation and adapts her provision accordingly. For instance, she is fully aware of the new guidance on sleeping and has thoroughly reviewed her nap-time arrangements to ensure they meet the new requirements.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice. She knows what is working well and recognises where some aspects of practice can be developed further. She has an accurate view of what she offers and is keen to provide children and families with a high-quality service.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder supervises the work of any other adults who work with children well. She makes sure they have the relevant skills, knowledge and training to complete the role effectively and regularly checks on their knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures and their wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is keen to continually update her own skills and knowledge. She completes a programme of professional development, but this has not always been focused on supporting the delivery of her curriculum, particularly for outside learning and how to enhance her provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder ensures she engages with parents regularly. She uses daily conversations to discuss children's care routines and shares photos of children's learning. This helps to strengthen the partnerships between the childminder and parents.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

The childminder has created a welcoming, home-from-home environment for children. Children demonstrate they feel safe and secure as they confidently explore the environment. They interact with the childminder's family and are keen to observe the chickens in the childminder's garden, which they help to look after. Children have observed the process of chicks hatching, and these unique experiences have a significant impact on what children learn and remember. Children benefit from an interesting range of trips and outings to broaden their experiences. For instance, they regularly visit the zoo, beach and farm. Children show high levels of focus and engagement in their learning as the childminder plans activities she knows will interest them. Children settle very quickly when they first start as the childminder ensures she takes time to get to know each child and their family. This helps to build positive, nurturing relationships from the start. Children demonstrate how safe

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

and secure they feel. They move around the childminder's home and garden with ease. They know where their favourite books and toys are stored and find them independently.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children show that they are familiar with daily routines and participate in these confidently. For example, children sit on the mat when the childminder explains it is time to change nappies. They follow consistent routines every day and anticipate changes in routines. As a result, children know that nap time follows nappy changes.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

All children, including those who face barriers to their learning, achieve well because the childminder has high expectations for every child and wants them to reach their full potential. She assesses their learning needs accurately and plans a programme of personalised support with relevant next steps. Targeted teaching and close monitoring ensure children make progress from their starting points. This helps to ensure that children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children attend regularly because the childminder works closely with parents to identify any barriers to attendance.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

The childminder supports all children, including those who face barriers to their learning, to build on what they already know and can do. This helps children to make meaningful, sustained progress over time.

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Next steps

The childminder should use professional development opportunities more precisely to strengthen knowledge of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and deliver the curriculum in the outside environment. The childminder should focus more precisely on the delivery of the curriculum in the outside area to raise children's achievement even further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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