Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2785267 Registered with Ofsted: 15/07/2024 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 are making good overall progress in their learning and development. They benefit from experiences and activities that promote all 7 areas of learning. Children show confidence, curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. They concentrate on their chosen play and show great perseverance, for instance, as they attempt to pick up seeds with tongs. They show pride as the childminder praises them for their achievements.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children grow increasingly confident in expressing themselves, asking questions and taking part in meaningful interactions. They are continuing to develop their independence skills, such as putting on their own shoes and washing their hands after using the toilet without support. Children are confident to welcome visitors to the home and invite them into their play. They show good imagination as they fly their toy dinosaurs and lead the play. Children show interest in the games, outings and activities that the childminder plans for them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder builds warm and trusting relationships with children and responds sensitively to their needs. Children respond positively to the childminder's praise and encouragement, which helps them to feel secure. They benefit from the childminder's positive role modelling and the caring atmosphere that she creates. Children are relaxed and confident as they move around the childminder's home, selecting toys and play equipment that interests and engages them. They typically have a positive attitude to their learning. Children understand the routine and know that they need to help tidy up before they go outside to play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder reinforces children's positive behaviour and achievements through praise. This helps children to feel valued and confident. The childminder encourages good manners and helps children to learn about their emotions and feelings. For example, as the childminder notices children's reflections in a shiny metal dish, she encourages children to imitate expressions, such as 'happy', 'sad' and 'angry'. Children are typically well behaved but the childminder recognises when children become tired and need more calming activities.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder ensures that children's attendance is monitored so they do not miss out on key learning. The childminder helps parents to understand the value of this, which helps to support children's care and development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder ensures that her home is safe and closely supervises children to ensure they remain safe during play, meals and sleep. She sits opposite children as they eat and talks to children about safe eating so that they do not choke. The childminder often reads stories to the children, while also supervising them closely, which helps them to sit still during mealtimes. The childminder strives to get to know the children well and build a close bond with them. This helps children to feel safe and secure. The childminder works closely with parents to help settle new children in. She gathers information about children's likes, dislikes and home routines, and this helps the childminder to support children to settle quickly and feel included at her setting. She uses children's play and routines to help children express and manage their emotions effectively. Overall, children are well behaved.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder enables children to learn about healthy lifestyles. She does not promote the use of screens and encourages children to rest when needed. The childminder provides parents with useful information about healthy foods to provide for snack and packed lunches. She ensures that children receive daily opportunities to benefit from the fresh air as they play in the garden, go for walks and visit local parks.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides a curriculum that typically helps children to learn well and develop new skills. She is clear about what she wants children to learn and monitors children's progress so that she can build on what they already know and can do. The childminder designs her curriculum around children's interests. However, at times, she does not follow up on children's emerging interests as they play, to enable them to fully explore their ideas and use these opportunities to extend their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children have many opportunities to play outside and develop their physical skills. The childminder skilfully plans other activities outdoors, which benefits children who prefer to play and learn outside. For example, children enjoy building with toy construction flowers and work out how to add more to their 'tower' as it gets higher. Children spend a considerable amount of time engrossed in sensory play. They scoop and pour seeds and develop fine-motor skills as they use tongs to transfer the seeds to pots and tubes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder's weekly routine includes visits to local toddler groups to give children opportunities to further develop their social skills with others. The childminder supports children's language development well by modelling vocabulary. She introduces mathematical language, such as 'bigger' and 'smaller', as well as counting and discussing colours and shapes.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Inclusive practice is typically seen at this setting because the childminder understands each child's level of need and developmental stage. She monitors children's progress and needs and adjusts her support accordingly. The childminder is not currently caring for any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children known to social care or children eligible for additional funding. However, she understands the importance of identifying and planning for children's individual needs and evaluating the effectiveness of what she has provided. The childminder is confident in seeking external support for children where necessary.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides children with experiences outside of the home setting which they may not otherwise have. She focuses on celebrations and festivals that are important to children and their families, which supports diversity and multiculturalism. However, the childminder has not fully considered how to support parents who are beginning to introduce other languages at home and how she can incorporate this into children's play and learning in her setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has kept abreast of recent changes to the 'statutory framework for the early years foundation stage' and has created a wealth of policies and procedures to inform her practice, which she shares with parents. The childminder has a sound understanding of her strengths and areas for development. She recognises the importance of attending training to continue her professional development and has plans to attend a number of courses to build on her knowledge.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder shows a commitment to creating an inclusive environment, and is keen to improve the support given to children who are beginning to speak and/or hear other languages at home to enhance children's learning experiences even further. She typically organises her provision well and has robust systems in place for identifying and reducing risks within the home, which help to keep children safe.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder offers guidance to parents to support children's learning at home and offers advice on matters, such as potty training and sleep routines. Parents speak positively about the childminder. They value her support and guidance and comment that their children are making progress.

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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

Children are valued and well cared for at this childminder's provision. The childminder is conscientious, placing a focus on the importance of routine and ensuring that children's needs are met. The childminder knows the children well. For example, she recognises when children are becoming tired and how this can impact on their engagement and behaviour. Children also benefit from the childminder working in partnership with parents. For example, they share achievements and work together to decide how best to help children with next steps in their learning, such as potty training. This collaborative approach also helps to promote good attendance.

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

Children form close relationships with the childminder. They are happy, confident and show that they feel safe. Children thoroughly enjoy exploring sensory activities and strengthen the small muscles in their hands as they use different tools. They develop their larger muscles, balance and coordination as they use the equipment in the childminder's garden, such as the rocker and slide. Children are supported by the childminder to develop confident social skills, and understand the wider world and the community in which they live.

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

The childminder monitors children's development closely and knows their individual needs, likes and dislikes. Children are making positive progress towards their next steps in learning as the childminder focuses on providing an interesting, child-led curriculum. The childminder understands her responsibilities to welcome all children to her setting and support all those in her care, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who face any other barriers to their learning. Although the childminder is not currently caring for any children with SEND, she takes into account the backgrounds and family makeup of each child and recognises the importance of early identification of any learning needs.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:30 - 16:15

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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 work further in partnership with parents as they begin to introduce other languages at home, and establish how she can support children with more opportunities to develop and use these languages in their play and learning. The childminder should make the most of opportunities as they arise, to follow children's interests and enable them to explore their ideas and extend their learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children 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 is from 7 September 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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