Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2812599 Registered with Ofsted: 07/01/2025 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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places children's welfare and wellbeing at the centre of daily practice. Children show they feel safe, secure and valued. They arrive happily, separate from parents confidently and are welcomed with warmth and reassurance. The childminder knows children very well and uses this knowledge to respond sensitively to their individual routines, needs and preferences. This helps all children feel understood, included and emotionally secure.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder's practice has a consistently positive impact on children's wellbeing. Babies' routines are followed carefully, while they also remain part of the wider group through singing, movement and shared experiences. This helps them develop secure attachments and a sense of belonging. Children benefit from nutritious meals and positive mealtimes, where they talk, build relationships and practise independence. Parents receive helpful guidance about healthy choices, which supports consistency between home and the setting. Close partnership with families helps the childminder understand and meet children's individual dietary needs, including allergies and intolerances. This ensures meals and snacks are prepared safely and reflect children's individual needs and healthy eating guidance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder helps children manage personal care routines and take appropriate risks. She works effectively with families and external agencies so support is well matched. As a result, children are safe, confident and develop healthy habits, independence and emotional resilience.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder places inclusion at the heart of the setting. She gets to know children well from the start by gathering information from parents about their interests, routines, needs and starting points. She uses this knowledge to plan carefully, track progress and identify where a child may need extra help. Children learn as individuals and as part of the wider group. Mixed-age play helps them share, build friendships, care for younger children and learn from one another. When children face barriers to learning, communication or wellbeing, the childminder adapts practice quickly. She uses clear language, visual prompts, modelling, repetition, extra time and small steps so that children can join in and succeed. Her approach is clear and practical.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder identifies where children may need additional support, adapts her approach and reviews the impact. Where needed, she works with parents and other professionals to seek further advice and strengthen the support provided. This means concerns are not left to drift. Support is reviewed and strengthened so that children receive the right help at the right time. As a result, children, including those with emerging or identified needs, feel included, develop confidence and make progress from their own starting points.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children achieve well from their individual starting points. They gain the knowledge and skills they need for what comes next, particularly in communication, independence and managing familiar routines. Children, including those who may need extra support, know many of the daily expectations. They make choices, follow routines with growing confidence and are beginning to do more for themselves.

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Achievement Expected standard

This is seen in ordinary routines, such as changing shoes. Children keep going when something is not easy and respond well to calm encouragement. They also notice when another child is finding something difficult and try to help. This shows that they are not only becoming more independent, but are also developing persistence, confidence and care for others.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children's achievements are evident in how they play, communicate and respond to one another. They share resources, play near and alongside others and are beginning to recognise when someone may need comfort or help. These skills support their confidence and readiness to learn. Parents describe their children as settled and progressing well, and they value the feedback they receive. However, assistants do not always use interactions well enough to build on what children know and can do. For example, at circle time, quieter children can wait while more confident children take the lead, and some questions, requests and achievements are not picked up. Children achieve well overall. However, opportunities to extend their language, deepen their thinking and build further on their learning are not always taken.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder sets clear expectations for behaviour and establishes routines that help children feel secure and understand what to do. Children arrive calmly, say goodbye to parents, change into indoor shoes, wash their hands and join breakfast. These familiar routines help children develop independence, communication and readiness to learn. Key persons know children well and build warm, trusting relationships. As a result, children settle, express their feelings and grow in confidence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder models kind and respectful behaviour and helps children learn how to share, take turns and work with others. Children respond positively. For example, when a child notices another child struggling with their shoes, they try to help. Children play cooperatively, build together, pass resources to one another and show interest in what others are doing. Calm reminders and clear guidance help children manage minor disagreements, such as when sharing toys. The childminder and assistants understand that some children may face barriers to learning, communication or wellbeing. Overall, they make reasonable adjustments so that children can take part in routines and play. Parents inform the setting when children are absent, and staff follow up unexplained absence. This helps the childminder identify any concerns and supports children's safety and wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear and ambitious curriculum that reflects what she wants children to learn and be able to do. It is broad, inclusive and rooted in children's interests, routines and first-hand experiences. Communication, independence and personal, social and emotional development are threaded through daily practice. Children learn through books, songs, outdoor exploration and purposeful play. Learning is sequenced so that children build knowledge and skills over time, revisit key words and use new vocabulary in meaningful contexts. For example, after older children explored senses and textures, one child talked about the smells in a shop selling soaps and candles. Another picked up a small stick in the park and described it as 'rough'. These examples demonstrate the impact of the curriculum on children's learning. Children remember what has been taught, make links between experiences and use their knowledge in familiar situations. The childminder adapts activities

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

well so that children at different stages of development can join in, make choices and build confidence from their own starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

However, not all assistants consistently deliver the same quality of interaction. They sometimes miss opportunities to build on children's comments, ask purposeful questions or encourage children to think more deeply and explore further. As a result, children do not always benefit from teaching that consistently deepens their learning, extends their language and helps them explore ideas further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder leads the setting with warmth, clear purpose and a good understanding of the children in her care. She uses what she knows about children's routines, interests and needs to organise the day in a way that helps them feel secure and ready to join in. This can be seen in the calm arrival routines, clear expectations for behaviour and relaxed mealtimes. These are not left to chance. They are planned and modelled by the childminder, and they help children settle quickly, manage small tasks for themselves and behave kindly towards one another.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder also works closely with parents from the start. She gathers useful information about each child and uses this to adapt care and learning. For example, she supports children with settling, communication, weaning, toilet training and individual routines. This helps children, including those who need extra support, to feel included and make steady progress from their starting points. Parents say they value the regular feedback they receive and know how to support learning at home.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Assistants are well supported with the essentials of day-to-day practice. They understand safe routines, supervision, children's care needs and what to do if they have a safeguarding concern. This helps children remain safe and well cared for. The childminder typically reinforces these expectations through discussion, coaching and modelling best practice. The childminder is reflective and recognises that assistants need more focused coaching to strengthen the quality of their interactions with children.

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

Children are welcomed into a warm, secure and inclusive setting where they are helped to feel known and ready to take part. The childminder greets them warmly, gets down to their level and uses children's home languages so they understand what is happening and feel reassured. This helps children feel accepted and settled. Familiar routines, such as finding their named stone, saying goodbye to parents, changing into indoor shoes and washing their hands, give children a clear start to the day. They know what to do and what comes next. As a result, children settle quickly, grow in confidence and begin to manage simple routines for themselves.

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

Everyday routines and play are used well to support children's confidence, communication and social skills. At breakfast, children chat together, pass items, pour cereal and practise waiting, sharing and taking turns. These small moments help children to learn how to manage tasks, express what they need and enjoy being with others. Children benefit from a calm environment where adults encourage them to make choices and follow their interests. During indoor and outdoor provision, children explore books, nature and a good range of play resources. They notice living things in the garden and use toys, such as dinosaurs, to talk about size, colour, shape and number. Older children start to compare objects and explain what they see. This shows that children are building vocabulary, confidence and early mathematical understanding through experiences that make sense to them. Children join in, keep trying and are pleased with what they can do. They feel secure enough to talk,

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

share ideas and practise new skills. However, children do not always benefit from interactions that extend their thinking further.

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

Parents say their children are making progress and value the regular feedback they receive. Overall, children benefit from close relationships, familiar routines and well-chosen experiences that help them feel included, become more independent and develop the skills they need for their next stage.

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Next steps

The childminder should improve the consistency of assistants' interactions to help children think more deeply and extend their learning.

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About this inspection

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

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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

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

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18

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.

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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.

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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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