Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2808931 Registered with Ofsted: 07/11/2024 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:

p.1

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.

p.1

Achievement Expected standard

Children typically make progress through the curriculum and achieve well from their starting points. They develop communication and language confidently, with all children babbling, using single words or holding simple conversations. Babies copy words, while toddlers talk about home experiences or invite others into their play. Children show early mathematical understanding as they count during activities, name colours and explore shapes. They move with increasing control and walk confidently around the setting.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children who need additional encouragement or reassurance are typically supported effectively, helping them take part in activities and build confidence. Adaptations ensure all children participate fully. For example, younger children use a smaller slide to build independence safely, while older children use a taller slide with an adult nearby. Babies enjoy supported movement on the see-saw, and toddlers use it independently, strengthening physical skills.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children are well prepared for their next stage of learning. They develop independence, follow simple routines and show curiosity about books, numbers and the world around them. These early skills help them become ready for nursery or school when the time comes.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder establishes a positive and welcoming environment where children understand what is expected of them. She explains what is happening next and children respond well, moving calmly between routines, such as tidy-up time, snack time and nappy changing. These routines help children feel secure and ready to learn.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Relationships between the childminder and children are warm and respectful. Children approach adults confidently, knowing they will be listened to and supported. They learn to work together, share and take turns, often helping one another during play. For example, children choose colours for their peers during a game where they find the colour of the stepping stones, and wait patiently for their turn.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes positive attendance and follows up on absences promptly to ensure children benefit from the full routine of the day. She considers children's ages and stages when supporting behaviour, adapting expectations so all children can participate. Younger children receive gentle reminders and reassurance, while older children are encouraged to show independence.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are taught kindness and respect and typically demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They focus well, filter out distractions and enjoy spending time with each other. Children typically respond well to the childminder's expectations and routines. When they need help remembering expectations, the childminder provides gentle prompts that support their understanding and confidence.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder knows children well and responds sensitively to their personalities, ages and stages of development. Care practices meet children's individual needs effectively. The childminder notices when children need comfort, rest or reassurance and responds promptly, helping them feel secure throughout the day. Predictable care routines, such as arrival setting and nappy changes, are calm and unhurried, supporting children's emotional stability and sense of safety.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children form warm, trusting relationships with the childminder. They approach her confidently, knowing she will listen and respond with care. Familiar resources, such as favourite books or comfort toys, are used thoughtfully to help children settle on arrival or during moments of tiredness. Children show confidence in exploring the environment, returning to the childminder when they need reassurance before continuing to play.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children's physical wellbeing and personal safety effectively. She adapts care routines and activities so all children can participate safely, offering close supervision when needed, and ensuring younger children have appropriate equipment. Children learn to recognise and express their emotions, and the childminder provides calm, sensitive guidance to help them manage feelings, such as frustration or tiredness. She demonstrates secure knowledge of how to work with external agencies and makes reasonable adjustments when required, ensuring children's welfare needs are consistently met.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

She uses familiar resources, such as favourite books or comfort toys, to help children settle on arrival. Children show confidence in exploring the environment, returning to the childminder for reassurance when required. They play cooperatively, take turns and show kindness to one another, demonstrating emotional security and positive social development.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically has a secure understanding of the quality of her curriculum and teaching. She reflects on children's progress and makes decisions that improve learning, such as introducing new resources, adjusting activities and responding to children's interests. The curriculum is broad, balanced and covers all areas of learning and development. Children learn through purposeful play that flows naturally throughout the day, and they remain highly engaged.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching typically promotes children's communication and language. The childminder models new vocabulary, asks meaningful questions and encourages children to talk about what they are doing. Children enjoy stories, repeat familiar phrases and answer questions about characters and events. Mathematical language is woven into play. Children count, name colours and describe shapes during activities, such as threading beads, drawing with chalk or moving across coloured stepping stones. Children's physical, personal, social and emotional development is prioritised. Activities are adapted so all children can participate, with younger children being supported to use smaller equipment and older children being encouraged to take safe risks. Praise is used effectively, helping children feel confident and proud of their achievements. The childminder assesses what children know and can do and generally uses this to plan

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

next steps. However, these next steps are sometimes too generic and not precise enough to target the specific skills children need now, to support them to build knowledge progressively and narrow emerging gaps.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's individual needs through close observation, regular check-ins and ongoing discussions with families. She assesses what each child requires and adapts routines, expectations and interactions to reduce barriers to their learning and wellbeing. Quieter children are encouraged to join play and develop early communication skills, while children who find it harder to manage their emotions receive calm, consistent guidance that helps them regulate and become more independent.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's progress throughout the day and adjusts support when needed. She follows specialist training to meet children's health needs, confidently using monitoring equipment and maintaining communication with parents and carers to ensure children remain safe. Although there are currently no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities attending, the childminder demonstrates secure knowledge of how to work with external professionals and how to implement an approach of assessing, planning and action, should this be required.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

All children are included in shared activities and the childminder explains expectations clearly, such as taking turns and sharing. These adaptations are typically effective. The childminder understands how to use additional funding to support disadvantaged children to ensure approaches are tailored to their needs.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder typically understands the strengths of her provision and identifies areas for development. She provides high-quality education and care for all children and makes decisions that are in their best interests. She demonstrates secure knowledge of how to work with external agencies and how to make reasonable adjustments when required.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Relationships with parents are positive. The childminder communicates openly with families and responds to their requests, such as supporting toilet training or adapting routines to help children settle. She shares general information about children's experiences. However, communication about children's progress and next steps is not yet detailed enough to help parents understand how their children are learning or how to support home learning.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder manages her workload effectively. Having a dedicated childminding space helps her maintain clear separation between work and home life, supporting her wellbeing. She works closely with her assistant, providing clear guidance, modelling expectations and offering training opportunities. This support helps the assistant develop confidence and consistency in practice.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Professional development has a positive impact. The childminder maintains up-to-date safeguarding training and implements procedures well. She engages with professional networks to stay informed about current guidance and uses this to refine her provision. However, she does not yet identify precise next steps for children's learning or review her practice in a detailed, reflective way. As a result, improvements are not always sharply focused on strengthening teaching or narrowing emerging gaps.

p.4

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:

p.5

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

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

p.5

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 are warmly welcomed into the setting by the childminder. They feel valued from the moment they arrive, placing their belongings on their peg in the hallway before entering the playroom. Children feel safe here and confidently ask questions that support their learning and development. They form secure attachments to the childminder, receiving comfort and reassurance whenever needed. Warm, positive interactions continually support children's emotional wellbeing.

p.5

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

Children enjoy playing with a wide range of toys. They settle quickly and become immersed in stories being read to them or in their chosen play. They are happy and confident, freely talking about their experiences at home. Children are listened to and asked purposeful questions, which promotes communication and language skills alongside their emotional development.

p.6

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

Children typically thrive in their development. Babies watch toddlers closely and begin to try new activities, such as looking at books or threading characters onto string. Toddlers hold age-appropriate conversations with their peers and adults. They ask questions, share information about the world around them and count blocks independently, seeking support when needed. Children enjoy visits outside of the setting, to local museums, parks, the beach and playgroups. Children enjoy watching the ducks and chickens. They also enjoy spontaneous discussions, for example, about aeroplanes flying overhead and about horses or tractors in nearby fields.

p.6

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

Children learn through play and enjoyment. Laughter is frequent and nursery rhymes and conversations flow naturally throughout the day. Children access indoor and outdoor areas that have been thoughtfully designed with their learning and safety in mind. All children are welcomed and included and approaches are adapted to meet each child's individual needs.

p.6

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

Families are warmly welcomed into the setting, and their contributions are actively valued. The childminder gathers parents' views through daily conversations and regular check-ins, using this feedback to refine routines and support children's individual needs.

p.6

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

Attendance is promoted effectively. The childminder monitors patterns closely and follows up promptly with families, ensuring children attend regularly and benefit from consistent learning experiences.

p.6

Next steps

The childminder should identify clear next steps for children's learning and focus teaching to build on these key areas and narrow any gaps. The childminder should enhance communication with parents and carers, helping them to understand how their children are progressing and support home learning. The childminder should enhance how she reviews her practice and provision to inform clear, purposeful improvements to benefit children's experiences.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants and children during the inspection.

p.6

About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

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

p.7

6

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.

p.7

Exceptional

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

p.8

Strong standard

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

p.8

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.

p.8

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

p.8

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 .

p.9

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 .

p.9

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Urgent improvement

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

p.9