Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2846575 Registered with Ofsted: 19/08/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder maintains a calm and positive environment and, as a result, children are happy, relaxed and focused on their learning. Relationships between the childminder and children are warm, which helps children who are new to settle, feel secure and become confident.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children are supported effectively to be respectful and get along with others. They naturally share with each other and are thoughtful and considerate in their play. When minor disputes emerge, the childminder calmly helps children understand what happened and what they could do differently next time. She teaches children to recognise and name their emotions and helps them develop strategies to manage big emotions, such as using kind hands and talking through their frustrations. As a result, behaviour is consistently positive and children show growing self-control and respect towards others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children have positive attitudes to learning. They are curious, ask questions and are engaged in their play. The childminder develops children's resilience and perseverance by encouraging them not to give up when difficulties arise. She praises their efforts and celebrates their achievements, such as with a high five when they achieve what they set out to do.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder understands the importance of regular attendance. She follows up absences promptly and discusses the reasons for these with parents. This helps children to attend consistently, benefit from familiar routines and maintain continuity in their learning and development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children benefit from warm and secure relationships with the childminder. All children, including those who are newer to the setting, seek comfort from the childminder, showing that they feel safe and secure in her care. The childminder spends time getting to know children and their families before they start and throughout their time with her. She has detailed knowledge of the children and their families and uses this to provide care that reflects their individual needs. She is in tune with children's changing needs and responds to these sensitively.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's physical and emotional health is promoted throughout their day. Children enjoy spending time outdoors and the childminder talks to them about how being outside benefits their wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children enjoy a home-cooked lunch of tomato pasta with salad. Food is prepared safely in line with safer-eating practices and the childminder uses mealtimes as an opportunity to extend learning and enjoy conversations with the children. Children are encouraged to make healthy choices, serve themselves and pour their own drinks. The childminder talks to children about healthy food and extends these conversations to vitamins and how healthy food benefits their bodies. This helps children to understand the importance of making healthy choices.

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Expected standard

The childminder is respectful during personal care and maintains children's privacy. She explains what she is doing and involves children in decisions about their care. For example, when children's clothes became wet during water play, she asked their permission before changing them and explained why they needed to be changed. Good hygiene is promoted and children develop independence in routines such as washing their hands and using the toilet.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make good progress in their learning and development from their individual starting points. The childminder knows what children could do when they first started with her and can explain how their skills have developed over time. This is particularly evident in children's communication and language. Children who initially use only a small number of words become more confident communicators and develop a much wider vocabulary.

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Achievement Expected standard

Older children are well prepared for their next stage of learning. They become increasingly independent through everyday routines, such as washing their hands, pouring their own drinks and serving their own food. The childminder works closely with other settings that children move on to and shares what she knows about their individual needs. This supports smooth transitions and helps to provide continuity in children's learning and development as they move on to their next setting.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder builds her curriculum around children's interests and what they already know and can do. She has a clear understanding of what she wants children to learn and the skills they need for their future learning. She uses a child-led approach to learning and skilfully weaves learning opportunities into activities. For example, when children who are interested in farm vehicles need to develop their fine-motor skills, she adds scoops and tongs to the sand to support this development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children show a love of books and excitedly bring books to share with the childminder. She introduces non-fiction books that link to children's interests. Children match the animals they are playing with to those in a book and together they read facts about them. The childminder broadens children's vocabulary and introduces mathematical language, such as 'long' and 'between', as they talk about the animals. During water play, she builds on children's counting skills as they count ducks travelling down the water tubing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children learn about the wider world through first-hand experiences in the local community, including visits to the library and travelling by train.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder knows the children well and understands their individual needs. She works closely with families to understand children's starting points and builds on what children already know and can do. She reflects on her practice and makes changes to meet the needs of the children. For example, following communication and language training, she uses visual prompts and choices to support children's developing language and communication skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has positive relationships with parents and other settings that children attend. She works with other settings to understand any differences in children's learning and development and follows these up when needed. She also shares ideas and activities with families to help them continue children's learning at home. This helps children to make progress and grow in confidence.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although the childminder identifies and supports children who may have barriers to their learning, advice from external professionals is not always sought at the earliest opportunity when concerns arise. This means that children may not access any additional support they need as early as possible.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective about her provision and recognises when she needs to develop her knowledge further. She actively seeks out professional development and uses what she learns to improve her practice. For example, after identifying that she wanted to develop her knowledge of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, she completed a level 3 qualification in this area. She uses what she learns from training in her everyday practice, adapting the support she provides to reflect the individual needs of the children in her care.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands the strengths and areas for development within her setting and strives for continuous improvement. She meets with other childminders to share skills and ideas, which she uses to develop routines and activities. She has built a relationship with the local authority and uses the advice and updates shared with her to inform her practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder keeps her knowledge up to date through training and regular reading of educational information. She works in partnership with parents and provides them with ideas to support children's learning at home, particularly when children need extra support.

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

Children are happy, calm and engaged in their learning. They settle quickly and develop warm and trusting relationships with the childminder. She takes time to get to know every child and their family before they start, helping children to settle smoothly into her care. Her detailed knowledge of children means that the care and learning they receive is personalised to their individual needs.

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

Children choose what they want to play with while the childminder skilfully extends their play and introduces further learning based on their interests and what they need to learn next. Children are curious and confident communicators. They show a love of books and excitedly bring books to share with the childminder. Meaningful conversations happen naturally during children's play and everyday routines.

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

Children behave well and are respectful, well mannered and considerate towards each other. They naturally share during their play. When minor issues arise, the childminder calmly talks these through with children, helping them to understand what happened and what they could do differently next time. Children are encouraged to persevere when things are difficult and their efforts and achievements are celebrated.

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

Children are increasingly independent and well prepared for the next stage of their learning. They are encouraged to do things for themselves during everyday routines, such as washing their hands, pouring their own drinks and serving their own food. Children also enjoy experiences in their local community. Visits to the library and travelling on trains help them to build their confidence and learn about the wider world.

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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

Children learn about looking after their bodies and wellbeing. They enjoy spending time outdoors and talk about the benefits of being outside. At lunchtime, children enjoy home- cooked tomato pasta and personalise their meal by choosing additional ingredients, such as salad, tomatoes and cheese. Conversations about healthy food and vitamins help children to understand why making healthy choices is important for their bodies.

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Next steps

The childminder should seek advice from external professionals at the earliest opportunity when concerns about children's development arise, so that children can access any additional support they may need promptly.

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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. 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. 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

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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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