Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2744236 Registered with Ofsted: 27/02/2024 Registers: EYR

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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 benefit from the childminder knowing them well and using observations and assessment to identify what they can already do and what they need to learn next. This helps children to build progressively on their existing knowledge and skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children's progress is evident in their everyday play and routines. For example, they develop increasing physical confidence as they run, climb, balance and tackle challenges outdoors. Children develop their early mathematical knowledge as they count ducklings during visits to the local pond and use numbers naturally during their play. Their communication develops well. They confidently engage in conversations and use an increasing range of words as the childminder introduces new vocabulary during their play and everyday routines. They enthusiastically join in with familiar stories, songs and rhymes.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children become increasingly independent. They make choices about the toys and books they want to explore and manage more of their personal care routines for themselves, such as putting on their own shoes. Children persevere when they encounter difficulties, for example when attempting to connect pieces of a train track rather than immediately seeking adult help. They develop positive relationships and learn to cooperate with others as they play, including sharing resources and taking turns. Overall, children gain the knowledge, skills and confidence that prepare them well for the next stage of their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children develop warm and trusting relationships with the childminder and with each other. They are confident in her care and readily explore and make choices about their play. Children show positive attitudes to learning. They concentrate on activities that interest them, try things for themselves and persevere when they encounter difficulties.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has clear and consistent expectations that are appropriate for children's young age. She is a positive role model and calmly supports children as they begin to understand how their actions affect others. When disagreements occur over toys and resources, she sensitively helps children to share and take turns. Children respond well to her guidance and quickly return happily to their play. Children are developing an appropriate understanding of expected behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Familiar routines help children know what to expect throughout the day. The childminder uses simple language, songs and reassurance to support transitions and personal care routines. Children become increasingly independent and confidently move between indoor and outdoor experiences.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works closely with families to understand children's individual routines and circumstances. This consistency between home and the childminding provision helps children settle quickly, feel secure and develop the confidence and positive attitudes they need for future learning. Children attend regularly and benefit from continuity in their care and learning. The childminder understands the importance of good attendance. She follows up unexplained absences and works with parents when necessary to identify any barriers to children's regular attendance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children receive warm and attentive care from the childminder, who knows their individual needs and routines well. Personal care is sensitive and nurturing. The childminder talks reassuringly to children during nappy changes and uses familiar routines, such as a handwashing song. This helps children to become familiar with and increasingly participate in their own personal care routines. Children are emotionally secure and confidently seek the childminder for comfort, interaction and reassurance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's physical health. She provides nutritious snacks, such as fresh fruit. The childminder ensures that children have water and carefully follows individual dietary requirements. Children have plentiful opportunities to be physically active and spend time outdoors. The childminder has completed training in safer eating, safer sleeping and healthy eating. She uses this knowledge to support children's care. The childminder promotes good oral health through toothbrushing activities and books.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of establishing healthy habits from an early age. However, the childminder does not yet consistently use everyday routines to help children understand, at a level appropriate to their age, why healthy choices are important. Consequently, opportunities for children to develop an early understanding of how nutritious food, physical activity and healthy routines support their wellbeing are not yet fully embedded.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides a broad and inclusive curriculum that reflects children's interests and supports their learning. Communication and language are woven throughout children's experiences. The childminder talks with children as they play. She introduces new words and uses songs, rhymes and conversation to extend their developing language. She adapts activities and her interactions according to children's individual needs, helping all children to participate and make progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children gain knowledge and skills through meaningful everyday experiences. For example, they count ducklings during visits to the local duck pond and explore how things grow in the childminder's vegetable patch. Children pick rocket and incorporate it into their play. Experiences such as collecting brambles and then using them to paint help children make connections between the natural world and their creative learning. Visits to places such as the family hub and community activities provide children with a wide range of experiences beyond the childminder's home. The childminder knows what children need to learn next and generally uses this knowledge to build on their development. She follows children's interests and gives them opportunities to explore, persevere and develop increasing independence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children experience some activities that introduce them to different cultures, such as Chinese New Year. However, these opportunities do not yet consistently enable children to encounter and learn about the diversity of people, families and the wider world. Consequently, children's understanding of lives and experiences beyond those that are familiar to them is not consistently embedded into practice.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is committed to ensuring that every child is included and able to participate fully in her provision. She gets to know children and their families well and uses observations, assessment and regular communication with parents to identify any emerging barriers to children's learning or wellbeing. She understands that children may require additional help without having a formal diagnosis and recognises the importance of identifying needs and providing support at an early stage.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands how to adapt her practice according to children's individual needs. She considers how changes to activities, routines, resources, communication and the environment can help children participate and make progress. She understands the importance of working closely with parents and reviewing adaptations to establish whether they are making a positive difference. However, opportunities for children to extend their understanding of diversity and communities beyond their own experiences are not yet consistently embedded within the curriculum.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder knows how to access additional help for children and families when required. She has established links with local services and knows how to seek advice from health visitors, speech and language professionals, the local authority inclusion officer and other relevant professionals. The childminder understands how to seek appropriate support for children facing disadvantage, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children known to social care and those experiencing other barriers to their learning or wellbeing. Relevant professional development, including autism training, supports her knowledge. She is considering Makaton training to further strengthen her communication approaches.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a clear vision for her provision. She prioritises developing secure relationships with children and families and providing experiences that extend beyond her home. She reflects on the quality of her practice and is receptive to professional challenge. The childminder demonstrates a clear understanding about children's learning. She accurately identifies and builds on what children need to learn next.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is committed to developing her professional knowledge. She has completed appropriate training relevant to her role. The childminder has identified further areas she would like to explore to strengthen her communication approaches. She makes effective use of local support and has developed positive relationships with other childminders. The childminder accesses community resources and understands how to seek advice from relevant professionals when needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnership with parents is positive. Parents receive regular information about their children's experiences and development and feel able to share information about individual needs. Parents express confidence in the childminder and value the care she provides. The childminder accurately identifies strengths and areas for further development. She understands the priorities identified through inspection and is motivated to continue improving the experiences she provides for children.

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

Children are happy, settled and secure in the childminder's care. They develop warm relationships with her and confidently explore the environment, returning to her for reassurance and interaction when needed. Children are treated with kindness and respect. When minor disagreements occur, the childminder sensitively helps them to share and take turns. Children respond positively and are beginning to develop an understanding of the needs of others.

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

Children enjoy their learning and confidently follow their interests. They independently choose toys and books, and become absorbed in their play. For example, children decide to move from a planned picnic activity to building a train track. They persevere as they try to connect the pieces. Children particularly enjoy books, songs and rhymes. They eagerly select favourite stories and delight in discovering pictures beneath flaps. The childminder talks to children throughout their play and models new words. This helps to support their developing communication and language.

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

Children benefit from frequent opportunities to be physically active and explore the world around them. In the garden, they climb, balance and negotiate an obstacle course. Children kick and throw balls. They show creativity as they investigate water, soil and the mud kitchen. Children also experience the wider community through regular visits to the woods, beach, parks, duck pond and library. These experiences encourage their curiosity and help them develop confidence in different environments. Children develop increasing independence through familiar daily routines. They wash their hands before eating and enjoy nutritious foods. They learn about caring for their teeth through books and toothbrushing activities. Personal care routines are calm and nurturing.

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

Children make appropriate progress from their starting points. They develop increasing confidence in their communication, physical skills, relationships and independence. Their families are valued as important partners. Information about children's development and achievements is regularly shared between home and the childminder. Children attend regularly. This promotes routines and familiarity for children. Overall, children are well prepared for their next stage of learning. They develop independence, confidence and positive attitudes that provide them with a secure foundation for school.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:00

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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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Next steps

The childminder should broaden children's experiences so that, in age-appropriate ways, they learn more about people, families and communities that may be different from their own. The childminder should build on the healthy routines already in place to help children understand why healthy food, physical activity, rest and good oral health are important.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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. This data is from 19 August 2026

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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. 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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