Childminder in KentOfsted report card, 15 Sept 2026

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2848354 Registered with Ofsted: 06/08/2025 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 Needs attention

Children do not consistently benefit from regular exposure to high-quality interactions. Children's communication skills develop at a slower rate as there is a lack of explicit teaching. Inconsistency in the teaching approaches leads to children not making the progress they are capable of. Emerging concerns about children's language development are not addressed quickly enough, leading to delay in targeted support or interventions for children.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children enjoy their experiences and play well alongside each other. Children sometimes benefit from teaching moments, but these not embedded throughout the daily routine. Children enjoy books and toys that are well planned and appropriate for their age and stage. Children's progress through the curriculum is communicated regularly with parents and carers, who have opportunities to share their children's achievements and interests from home.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children develop physical skills through mark making, pouring and playing on bicycles and scooters in the garden. Children receive encouragement to be curious and active learners. For example, they explore different-sized objects and materials in treasure baskets. They develop their physical abilities, such as jumping and climbing. Children show a willingness to try new experiences, such as playing with natural objects in the water tray.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder does not give clear verbal instructions to initiate changes of activities during the day. As a result, it takes an extended amount of time to transition from one activity to another, for example when getting ready for the garden. During these times, not all children understand what needs to happen next and cannot prepare themselves for the next activity. The childminder has not considered how establishing regular routines will further develop independence skills for children and prepare them for their next stages in learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder has warm relationships with the children, who feel safe and happy. Children smile often and initiate interactions with the childminder. Children benefit from explicit praise, and this contributes to increasing confidence. For example, children clap and smile when receiving praise.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder monitors children's attendance within the setting. She works in partnership with parents and carers to ensure that consistent attendance is promoted. The childminder values children's emotional development and gives comfort when children are upset or need reassurance. Children are generally settled and demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning. They cooperate with one another and play alongside each other. Children of different ages play together well, and older children support younger children during play.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Children's hygiene routines are not consistently embedded. For example, all children do not wash their hands after coming inside from the garden. This does not help them to learn positive hygiene routines. The childminder manages nappy changing well and uses this time to develop key-person relationships with children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Children benefit from well-balanced and healthy meals, encouraging healthy food habits and independence, such as feeding themselves with a spoon. The childminder plans daily opportunities to play outside to encourage children's physical development. Children's social and emotional development is valued and supported through opportunities to play alongside each other, for example when exploring treasure baskets. Warm and respectful relationships role model positive relationships with their peers. Children choose where and what they want to play with. The childminder follows children's interests during this time and values children's individuality.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

There are robust arrangements for supporting children with medical needs, allergies and/or dietary requirements. Children's individual care needs are met well, and children benefit from a comforting sleep environment. For example, the childminder sits with children while they go to sleep.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder has not developed an environment rich in language with consistent opportunities for quality interactions. For example, she does not consistently make eye contact with children and get down to their level when speaking to them. Children do not have quality interactions remodelled to them throughout their day. The childminder has not developed practices to assess accurately what children can do and plan the next stages of their development. This means the childminder cannot accurately monitor children's progress through the curriculum, plan appropriate interventions and track their progress, to ensure there are no gaps in their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder encourages children's physical development with regular opportunities to play outside and move in a range of ways. Children can pull themselves up, crawl, run, and play on outside toys, such as bicycles and scooters. The childminder uses mathematical language through play and planned activities to support the development of early mathematical concepts, such as encouraging concepts of big and small. For example, the children explore quantity and measuring through water play in the garden.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Children benefit from creative opportunities to develop skills, such as mark making. The childminder has emerging understanding of the needs of disadvantaged children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder uses children's interests to plan activities. For example, when children show an interest in farmyards, she incorporates this into activities.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder has identified that some children in the setting have gaps in their learning and development, such as a delay in their verbal speech and communication. She has identified strategies that may support this. However, the childminder has not implemented these to reduce barriers to children's learning. For example, the use of Makaton is not embedded at key times of the day. Children are not exposed to high-quality interactions to support their development in this area.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder has an inclusive approach and has a general understanding of how to support children who may have barriers to learning and/or wellbeing. The childminder works alongside parents and carers to support children's development at home and communicates with them often. For example, she encourages parents to share what the children have been learning at home, and this is then replicated in the setting.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder has identified training needs to develop her understanding of how to effectively support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She obtains detailed information regarding each child's individual needs and stages of development, which supports positive settling in when children first attend the setting.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder does not consistently embed everyday routines, ensuring these are used to maximise children's language or independence skills. These weaknesses limit children's exposure to quality teaching and being prepared for the next stage in their learning, for example moving to pre-school.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Children do not yet benefit from learning opportunities that promote focused opportunities for language development. The quality of teaching is inconsistent due to variations in practice, resulting in inconsistent opportunities for engaging with children. The childminder demonstrates some understanding of the requirements of registration, but this is not consistent.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has positive, warm and open relationships with parents and carers. Parents feel that their children are well cared for, and ongoing communication benefits children's experiences within the setting. Ongoing dialogue between the childminder and any assistants she works with ensures that children's changing needs are well communicated and supported within the setting. Professional development is valued, and the childminder and any assistants she works with are proactive in seeking out training to further understand children's development. This is supported well by the childminder, who provides release time to support training hours alongside work responsibilities.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder is developing an awareness of the strengths and areas of development in her setting. For example, she has highlighted that she would benefit from engaging in further training around supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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 do not yet benefit from predictable routines and expectations. At times, children do not receive clear instructions about what is happening next, which can prevent them from being independent. For example, they do not understand to get their shoes and coats to go in the garden. Opportunities to experience high-quality teaching are not yet embedded in the setting. The teaching environment does not yet provide rich opportunities for children's language and communication development. For example, children initiate singing, but the childminder does not sing the nursery rhyme to them. Children arrive happy and experience warm relationships with the childminder. They seek comfort when they are upset or tired. For example, children are settled to sleep with hugs or by having their tummies rubbed. Children have daily access to playing outside in the fresh air. They benefit from having opportunities to use swings, kick balls, ride bicycles and play

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

Children show a positive attitude to learning and enthusiasm to engage in activities that are accessible for all children. For example, children are engaged during exploratory water play in the garden. Children demonstrate positive social skills and play alongside their peers, enjoying their company. For example, babies smile at each other while they explore treasure baskets. Throughout the day, the childminder responds positively to all children, offering praise, encouragement and gentle reassurance during daily tasks. Children are self-assured and clap, smile and squeal with delight when they receive praise, such as, 'Well done.'

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

Children are curious, confident and developing their resilience. This promotes readiness for the next stage in their learning, such as pre-school. Children's attendance is promoted effectively through secure partnerships with parents and carers and structured routines and procedures. They benefit from their individual care needs being adapted to suit their developmental age and stage. For example, the childminder adapts nap routines for younger children. Children benefit from healthy snacks, meals and access to fresh drinking water, promoting their health.

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Next steps

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

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Action Completion Date

ensure a more consistent approach to promoting the importance of healthy routines 05/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

review and improve the organisation of the day so that children understand what will happen next to promote children's emotional wellbeing 05/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that the intended curriculum promotes children's language development consistently 05/10/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistant, children and parents and carers 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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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. 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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