Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2831835 Registered with Ofsted: 23/04/2025 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well and respond positively to the childminder's expectations. They listen to her instructions and engage cooperatively in activities and routines. The childminder praises children, thanks them and models positive language, helping children understand how to behave respectfully towards others. Children develop positive relationships and show consideration for one another. They play alongside each other, share toys and learn to take turns. Older children wait for younger children and help them during play, such as when completing puzzles together. Children also share the large net swing outdoors and cooperate during their play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children respond well when expectations are reinforced. When minor disagreements occur, the childminder responds promptly and children settle quickly. Children show enjoyment in playing together and develop positive attitudes towards others. The childminder establishes familiar routines throughout the day. Children understand what is expected and respond positively to the consistent approach. She monitors attendance and punctuality by recording children's arrival and departure times, and she follows up promptly when a child has not arrived and she has not been notified. Children are happy to participate in shared experiences and respond well to praise, encouragement and positive interactions. This supports their confidence, cooperation and ability to develop respectful relationships with others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children generally receive warm and responsive care that supports their individual needs. The childminder responds sensitively when children need reassurance and provides support with their personal care. Children are comfortable approaching her when they need help and develop confidence in managing familiar routines. Children develop healthy habits through everyday experiences. For example, they peel and cut their own fruit and put the peel in the bin. They ask for tissues when needed, use them to clean their noses and dispose of them appropriately. Older children use the toilet and wash their hands afterwards. The childminder talks to them about germs and counts as they wash their hands, helping them understand the importance of good hygiene. Children learn about oral health through the daily routine of brushing their teeth after lunch. The childminder explains why this is important and supports

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are encouraged to take responsibility for their personal belongings. They learn to hang up their bags and access their own belongings when needed. Children show growing confidence in recognising what they need and independently retrieving their belongings. The childminder provides support for children's physical and emotional wellbeing. She responds to their individual care needs and encourages them to develop self-care skills. She sits close to children while they eat, to support safe eating practices, and reminds them to remain seated. These everyday experiences help children develop healthy habits, confidence and increasing independence.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder takes account of children's individual backgrounds, family experiences and circumstances. She gathers information from parents and uses this to help children feel that their experiences are recognised within the provision. For example, she uses photographs from home to encourage children to talk about familiar people and experiences. Children have opportunities to see themselves and others represented through posters, books and pictures displaying diversity. Resources and activities reflect different cultures, religions and family experiences. The childminder supports children's home language alongside English and uses familiar words and experiences to help children communicate and feel included.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's development through two-year-old progress checks and age-related milestones. She has completed training in home-based childminding and special educational needs and/or disabilities, which supports her understanding of individual developmental needs and how these may affect children's experiences. Children also have opportunities to experience their local community through visits to local parks, the library and supermarket. This broadens their experiences and helps them develop an understanding of different people, places and their wider community. The childminder works with families and seeks advice from the local authority early years team when appropriate. She adapts experiences to reflect children's individual circumstances and provides an environment where children are respected, included and supported to participate.

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Achievement Needs attention

The childminder does not consistently use what she knows about children's individual next steps to inform her planning. As a result, planned experiences do not always build on children's existing knowledge and skills or address identified areas for development. For example, identified next steps include counting objects, jumping forward, expressing feelings and developing toileting skills. These are not consistently reflected in the experiences planned for children. Consequently, children do not always have opportunities to develop these skills further or make the progress they are capable of.

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Achievement Needs attention

The childminder uses age-related milestones and two-year-old progress checks to monitor children's development and identifies individual next steps from her assessment of children's learning. Children make progress from their starting points and develop knowledge and skills through their experiences. Older children confidently name familiar animals and objects and show developing communication skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder does not consistently use what she knows about children's development and individual next steps when planning activities. As a result, activities do not always provide sufficient challenge or build on what children already know and can do. Children have limited opportunities to explore, create and make choices for themselves. The childminder plans a range of activities that interest children, and they engage positively in the experiences provided. She introduces new vocabulary and talks with children about what they are doing, supporting their developing understanding. For example, during a creative activity, children listened as the childminder talked about chickens and chicks hatching from eggs.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Children were keen to decorate a chicken template by sticking white feathers onto it. The activity introduced new vocabulary and children were eager to take part. However, the activity was largely adult-led, with the childminder applying the glue and providing the feathers for children to use. Children had limited opportunities to choose from a range of materials, explore different ways to create their own designs or use their imagination. The childminder uses her observations of children's play and age-related milestones to understand their development and identifies individual next steps. However, these are not consistently reflected in the activities she plans.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder's evaluation of the quality of provision is not sufficiently precise. She is unable to identify a specific area for development. As a result, weaknesses in practice are not consistently recognised or addressed. This means that areas for improvement are not always clearly identified or followed through. The childminder is committed to developing her professional knowledge and practice. She completes online training and refresher courses and keeps her safeguarding knowledge up to date. She works with the local authority early years team and shares ideas with other childminders. She is also considering further training to develop her knowledge and practice and has considered undertaking further qualifications to strengthen her professional skills.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder values parents' views and asks them regularly about their experiences of the setting. She provides weekly newsletters with photographs of children's experiences and communicates with families about children's routines. Parents' written feedback is positive and reflects their satisfaction with the care provided. The childminder buys new toys and resources and tries new ideas to support children's experiences. She considers different ways of developing the provision and is receptive to advice and ideas from others.

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

Children do not always have enough opportunities to lead their own play, explore their ideas or extend their learning. Activities are mainly adult-led and some provide limited challenge for children's stage of development. For example, children complete matching two-piece animal puzzles confidently, with limited opportunity to develop their skills further. At times, the childminder provides answers rather than allowing children to work things out, and does not always give them sufficient time to think and respond. The wider range of toys and resources is also not independently accessible. Consequently, children have fewer opportunities to choose what they want to explore, solve problems and develop their play independently. Despite this, children are happy and enjoy spending time with the childminder. They leave their parents happily on arrival and quickly become involved in the day's experiences. Children develop warm relationships with the childminder and are

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

comfortable approaching her for reassurance and support when needed. They respond positively to her praise and encouragement and enjoy spending time with other children.

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

Children are interested and engaged in their experiences. They enjoy singing, looking through books and exploring animals. During play, children create an enclosure for a farm animal and talk about what they are doing. They enjoy exploring water as they catch toy fish with a net and develop their physical skills as they use wheeled toys outdoors. Children develop positive relationships with each other and learn to share and take turns during play. They enjoy shared experiences, respond well to familiar routines and show curiosity and enthusiasm as they explore activities and play alongside their friends.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

improve the use of children's individual next steps in planning and daily teaching, so that learning builds on what each child already knows and can do 27/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve the curriculum by adapting activities to children's different stages of development and rates of learning, providing appropriate challenge and supporting progress 27/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

strengthen self-evaluation to identify clear priorities for improvement and take effective action to address weaknesses in the quality of provision 27/11/2026

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About this inspection

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

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 09:30 - 15:30,Friday : 09:30 - 13:00

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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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3

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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