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Early years · Report card

Childminder

Inspected 20 Aug 2026 · URN 2821823

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Michelle Lorains

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Achievement verified

    Expected standard

  • Behaviour, attitudes and routines verified

    Strong standard

  • Children's welfare and wellbeing verified

    Strong standard

  • Curriculum and teaching verified

    Expected standard

  • Inclusion verified

    Expected standard

  • Leadership and governance verified

    Expected standard

  • Framework verified

    Report card

  • Inspection datesingle source

    20 Aug 2026

  • Inspectors verified

    Michelle Lorains

  • Name on report verified

    Childminder

  • Safeguarding verified

    Met

  • URN verified

    2821823

Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of the report with the evidence highlighted

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

  • AchievementExpected
  • Behaviour, attitudes and routinesStrong
  • Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong
  • Curriculum and teachingExpected
  • InclusionExpected
  • Leadership and governanceExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+71Very positivemore positive than 46% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praisepositiveenjoyfeel safehighly effectivethriveconsistentlyeffectivelyvery well
Criticismconcernsnot consistentlystrugglegapsslowly

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings1200w+82
  • Leadership236w+47
  • Safeguarding51w−11
  • What needs to improve114w−33

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

No strong criticism found.

Next steps

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
9
Words of findings
1,600
about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 47, typical 43
Average sentence
15 words
Next steps
4
typical 3
Hedged sentences
1%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 55%Leadership 11%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 5%About the inspection 27%

Full report text

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2821823 Registered with Ofsted: 25/02/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

p.1

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.

p.1

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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children thrive in the childminder's care. They are consistently supported to manage their feelings and behaviours. Children are extremely polite, know how to take turns and speak to each other with respect and kindness. They benefit from the calm, gentle discussions they have with the childminder when they are feeling emotional. She offers them quiet spaces and works seamlessly with her co-childminder to provide them with alternative support. For instance, the childminder recognises when children feel upset and they struggle to regulate their emotions. They benefit from the move to the other area in the setting and begin to read with her co-childminder. Children benefit from the consistent praise from the childminder and have high levels of self-esteem and confidence. They attend regularly, and this helps to build positive habits for the future, such as attending school.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children benefit from the impeccable routines that help them to feel safe and secure with the childminder. The childminder knows how to adapt routines to meet children's individual needs. For example, older children are deeply engrossed in their activity and are not ready to leave for their snack. The childminder ensures play is uninterrupted and younger children leave to go and wash their hands. This helps children to maintain highly positive attitudes to learning, and this has a positive impact on their emotional wellbeing. In addition, waiting times are more suitable for younger children, which enables them to participate in daily routines and promotes their independence.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children have secure relationships with the childminder and show they feel safe with her. They benefit from thorough and effective settling-in procedures. There is highly effective partnership working with families in place. The childminder gathers detailed information about children and shares this with her co-childminder. This effectively promotes continuity for children and ensures the childminder can make any necessary adaptations. For example, some children are beginning to try and spend more time without their dummy. The childminder is aware that this may affect their sleep and wellbeing, so ensures there are opportunities to have quiet, restful activities. This helps to overcome any potential barriers to participation and learning. The childminder prioritises children's safety. Children develop an awareness of how to play and explore safely. For example, the childminder gently reminds young children not to throw inside and provides age-appropriate explanations for this. She

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

adapts her language to ensure young children can understand this clearly. Children respond very well to her calm, nurturing approach and copy her behaviours.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Young children thoroughly enjoy playing and exploring outdoors in the fresh air. The childminder ensures they can access the full curriculum here, and this has a positive impact on their levels of engagement and their physical skills. Children learn about healthy lifestyles and are consistently encouraged to make healthy choices. For instance, young children are keen and enthusiastic to brush their teeth and enjoy a range of healthy food at snack and lunch. Older children enjoy the watermelon and talk to the childminder. This helps to enrich

p.2

Expected standard

children's developing social skills and promotes all children's good health. Children are supported to build positive habits for the future.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children achieve in all areas of their learning and make suitable progress in relation to what they know and can already do. They are prepared for the next stages in their learning and their eventual move to school. For example, children begin to show positive levels of independence and take part in their own self-care routines. They learn how to put on their own shoes and coats to go outdoors.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

Children develop solid foundations for future learning. They are confident to communicate their needs, preferences and interests. Children typically develop positive social skills. Older children excel in their mathematical development. They confidently identify numerals and accurately count past 10. Children recognise a wide range of shapes and sizes and use this language in context during their play.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides children with a broad curriculum that generally extends their interests, knowledge and skills. For example, older children show high levels of interest in mathematical play as they use dough. The childminder extends this and challenges children. She asks them to count how many sausages they can roll. This helps them to develop strength in their fingers in preparation for early writing. Children thoroughly enjoy this interaction with her and show pride in their skills. They accurately recognise numerals and identify shapes as they continue to explore. Older children show extended levels of concentration during activities of their choosing. They benefit from the child-led approach followed by the childminder.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses children's interests to extend other aspects of their development. For instance, children develop problem-solving skills as they fit jigsaw pieces together. The childminder then links this to a familiar story. Children recognise the faces on the bears and begin to label the emotions. This helps to develop their emotional literacy and awareness of feelings. Young children show excitement as they sit with the childminder to sing songs and copy actions. They develop a love of stories and enjoy looking at books. Young children know how to carefully turn the pages and point to the pictures. Overall, the childminder adapts her teaching to support children's communication skills. For example, she speaks slowly to ensure young children have time to listen and respond to her. However, she does not consistently support them to make progress towards their individual learning goals, such as increasing their vocabulary during play and daily routines.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Children benefit from being in the inclusive environment. The childminder generally adapts her practice, routines and curriculum to meet their individual needs. For example, the childminder alters the times of daily routines to support children with transitions. She is aware of changes in their individual routines at home, which enables her to adapt her care practice in the setting. The childminder completes the progress check when children are aged between 2 and 3 years. She shares this with parents to help them to continue to focus on areas of children's learning at home. For example, she provides families with suggestions for how to support children's personal, emotional and language skills. This enables her to work in partnership with them and promote continuity.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Although there are currently no children on roll with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities, and no children known or previously known to social care, the childminder is aware of how to work in partnership with other professionals. The childminder has experience of identifying and supporting school-age children with inclusion needs. She plans to access specific training to help her refine and implement strategies specifically for children in the early years age range.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder regularly gathers feedback from her co-childminder, children and families. This helps her to make changes that reflect children's needs and best interests. For example, the childminder has regular meetings with her co-childminder where they reflect on the environment and activities they provide for children. This helps her to ensure she has a clear picture of the strengths and areas to enhance in the provision. The childminder regularly enhances the curriculum. She provides children with experiences that help them to learn about their own community and wider world. Positive partnership working enables the childminder to communicate effectively and promote continuity for children. Parents speak positively about their children's experiences. They say their children are meeting their developmental milestones as a result of attending. Parents comment that they enjoy receiving the reports about their children's learning.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is proactive in developing her skills and knowledge to work with children and meet their needs. For example, she regularly attends network meetings with the local authority early years team. This helps to ensure she is up to date with the latest information. For instance, the childminder has updated her safeguarding procedures to reflect the recent changes to the procedures for reporting concerns about children's welfare. This helps her to keep children safe. The childminder recognises the need to focus her professional development to maximise children's achievements and build specific strategies to support younger children with inclusion needs.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

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

p.5

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:

p.5

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

Children show enjoyment in the activities and experiences at the childminder's home. They have quiet spaces to read and rest in the well-thought-out environments. Children develop a love of books and songs from an early age. Young children benefit from free-flow access to the outdoors, as this is where they prefer to learn. They show excitement as they explore the water area and fill the sink and jugs, learning about full and empty. Children develop a range of small and large physical skills. They use brushes to paint and develop finger strength as they make pretend sausages with the dough. Young children learn how to play

p.5

About this setting

safely with the ball. They benefit from the clear instructions on kicking outdoors and rolling indoors. This helps them to thrive in the setting, and they understand the expectations. Children make positive progress. They are prepared for the next stages in their learning, including their eventual move to school.

p.6

About this setting

Children show they feel safe and secure with the childminder. They attend regularly and have positive relationships with her. Children benefit from her nurturing and caring approach. The childminder knows children very well, and parents are particularly pleased with how she treats them all as individuals, including those who are siblings. All children benefit from tailored settling-in approaches. For instance, the length and number of visits needed are adapted for each child. This helps children to feel secure and promotes their emotional wellbeing. Children show high levels of self-confidence. They develop positive personal, social and emotional skills. Children learn how to share, take turns and be kind to others. For example, older children are supported to welcome younger children to the table to explore the dough. Children learn how to be respectful and inclusive. This is due to the positive praise they receive. All children show that they feel welcomed, and they develop a

p.6

Next steps

The childminder should focus her programme of professional development to help her promote children's individual learning goals and maximise their achievement, particularly in their communication and language development. The childminder should develop her knowledge and skills to support young children with potential gaps in their learning and develop strategies to support them further.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, co-childminder, children and parents during the inspection.

p.6

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. Unique reference number (URN): 2821823

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 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.

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8

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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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