Childminder in CambridgeshireOfsted report card, 14 Sept 2026

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY396952 Registered with Ofsted: 17/11/2009 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 typically achieve well. They gain the skills and knowledge they need to support the next stage in their education. Through children's interactions, they show that they feel valued and included because they are well supported by the childminder. Children develop their independence and show confidence to talk about their ideas. They use words that they learn as they interact with adults. Children confidently count a range of items and identify colours they see in the environment.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show positive engagement skills during imaginative free play. All children typically make steady progress from their individual starting points. They use a variety of suitable utensils and equipment that help to develop fine motor skills and coordination. For example, they carefully pick and sort different-coloured leaves in relation to their topic. Children develop their independence and demonstrate age-appropriate self-help skills, such as washing their hands before mealtimes.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder fosters a warm and inclusive environment where children show through their body language that they feel safe and valued. The childminder builds positive and trusting relationships with children and their families. Children are kind towards their peers and interact positively with each other during a range of different activities. For example, they explore different resources, such as flowers and pine cones, relating to themes during an exploration table activity. The childminder is a positive role model. Children follow her example by showing kindness, social skills and turn-taking with each other, demonstrating positive attitudes to learning. The childminder has not continued to develop embedding a harmonious culture. This does not yet consistently enable children's positive behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Planned routines and clear boundaries typically meet the needs of all children, who show their understanding of these through their behaviour and body language. For example, children help to tidy up before mealtimes and join in singing a well-established tidying-up song with the childminder. As a result of embedded routines and expectations, children show that they feel emotionally secure, interact positively with others and are confident in their approach to learning. The childminder works closely with families to promote attendance. As a result, this has a positive impact on children's learning and progress.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder builds positive and secure relationships with children and knows them well, including their next steps in learning. She is respectful towards children and has embedded clear routines. The childminder is a positive role model to support children in being kind and respectful towards each other. She encourages children to talk about their feelings and recognise the impact of their behaviour on others. As a result, children are confident and settled and have a sense of belonging. The childminder provides parents and carers with relevant guidance to help support them in supplying a healthy and balanced packed lunch for children. Mealtimes are well supervised, and staff model positive social interactions during these times. While children eat, the childminder sits alongside them and ensures that food is cut appropriately. Children receive encouragement to manage their own personal care routines with increasing independence,

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

such as washing their hands before eating. These opportunities contribute to children building confidence and developing their self-care skills. As a result, children generally adopt positive hygiene practices. Sleeping arrangements are effective and well monitored.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has developed a broad and inclusive curriculum that typically prepares children for their next stage of learning in all areas of development. She makes effective teaching adjustments during play so that all children can access the curriculum well. As a result, this helps children to develop their independence and confidence. Children access a range of rich learning opportunities. The childminder teaches children new language through meaningful interactions, such as during story times or mealtimes. This helps children to develop their vocabulary and improve their confidence in talking. However, the childminder does not develop the curriculum further so that it is of consistently high quality. This does not yet ensure breadth and depth of knowledge in children's skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder embeds early mathematical language and concepts in daily routines and play from the earliest age. For example, some children count the number of different- coloured plastic balls in a large container, and toddlers learn about concepts such as 'more' and 'less'.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children develop appropriate fine motor skills as they explore play dough and sand activities, using a range of tools to cut and manipulate the dough and sand into different basic shapes. The childminder and any assistants she works with engage and interact purposefully with children, taking opportunities to extend their learning where possible.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children receive encouragement to explore and problem-solve, with the childminder sensitively responding to their ideas and introducing new concepts. For example, when children are at the exploration table, they develop their interest in why some leaves are green and some are orange.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has a solid understanding of how to identify, assess and understand the individual needs of children. She has a robust system in place to monitor and support children's individual needs. This ensures that all children generally achieve well, in readiness for their next stage of learning or school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder shares observations and information about children's progress with parents and carers. She offers them guidance and support if required. Parents value these positive relationships, noting that their children are happy and safe, feel included and receive attentive care. The childminder is aware of how to support children who are disadvantaged and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She typically knows how to access external support and guidance, if required, to support any gaps in children's learning. The childminder has a sound understanding of the importance of additional funding and how this should be allocated, based on the individual needs of children. For example, she has purchased additional resources that are tailored to children's interests.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a suitable understanding of her setting. She implements suitable plans for improvement, ensuring that the best interests of children and families are at the heart. The childminder is aware of her responsibilities. She has completed a range of relevant training courses to develop her knowledge and understanding to have a positive impact on children. For example, the childminder has implemented ideas relating to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities in order to develop her teaching. This supports all children's learning. The childminder has relevant plans to attend additional training in the future to strengthen the setting further, identifying areas for improvement and implementing action.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is mindful of the workload of any assistants she works with, who express the joy of working at the setting. Although there are currently no children in receipt of additional funding on roll, the childminder has a clear understanding of how such funding could be used to support children's individual needs. For example, she explains that she would use funding to provide enhanced resources.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

As a result of attending the setting, children have the relevant skills and knowledge they need for their next stage of learning, including school. Children transition to new settings well because of the relevant information the childminder shares with the settings that children are transitioning to. This enables the new setting to have the best chance of supporting each child effectively to enable a smooth transition. Parents and carers value this and work collaboratively with the childminder to support children's attendance.

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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 enjoy their time at the setting. They show a positive attitude to their learning as they explore different resources. This includes children who have only attended for one week and are very settled. The atmosphere is warm, homely and respectful. The childminder knows children's needs well and plans activities based on their needs and interests. Children receive encouragement to talk about their feelings and are well supported by the childminder.

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

Children and their families benefit from the respectful and positive relationships they build with the childminder to support attendance. The childminder shares children's progress and achievements daily, which helps to support children's sense of belonging and confidence. Children show an understanding of the daily routines and respond positively to the childminder's guidance. For example, children know they need to tidy up after an activity and wash their hands before lunch.

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

Children make steady progress across the curriculum and in their independence skills, such as being able to feed themselves when appropriate. Children receive support to develop their communication, language and early mathematical concepts, such as size and space. This helps to prepare them for their next stage of learning. The childminder carefully assesses and tracks children's progress, helping her to identify any gaps in learning. As a result, children typically make progress over time from their starting points.

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

Children benefit from an environment that allows them to explore a range of resources independently. They have rich opportunities that build on their existing skills and knowledge. Children have access to outdoor play and visits to the nature reserve in the local community that help them to learn about the world around them. The childminder supports children's

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Friday : 06:00 - 16:30,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 06:00 - 17:30

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About this setting

Local authority: Cambridgeshire emotional wellbeing sensitively and responds carefully to their individual needs. As a result, children develop the skills and knowledge they need for their future learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to develop the curriculum further so that it is of consistently high quality, to ensure breadth and depth of knowledge in children's skills. The childminder should continue to develop embedding a harmonious culture so that it enables children's positive behaviour more consistently.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and her assistant and sought feedback from 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.

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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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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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