Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2839228 Registered with Ofsted: 19/06/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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 knows each child extremely well and works closely with parents and carers from the moment children join the setting. She gains a detailed understanding of children's routines, care needs and starting points, including for those who may face barriers to learning. This enables her to adapt her practice thoughtfully so that every child feels secure, understood and able to build on what they already know and can do. Children experience a warm, nurturing, home-from-home environment, where their welfare and emotional wellbeing are prioritised.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop a confident understanding of the importance of hygiene routines. Even the youngest children know they must wash their hands before eating, and they begin to manage their own physical needs, such as wiping their noses. The childminder respects children's privacy during toileting and nappy changing. This helps them feel comfortable and secure during personal-care routines. She provides nutritional information for the families and follows nutritional guidance carefully to support children's health and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder monitors allergies and intolerances closely. She ensures that mealtimes are safe and appropriately adapted for each child. She demonstrates a clear understanding of safe-sleep procedures. Children benefit from rich, outdoor learning experiences, with daily visits to local parks, playgroups and community spaces that support their physical and emotional wellbeing.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a consistent and well-embedded approach to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She stays well informed through a range of relevant professional development opportunities. This enables her to respond confidently and effectively to children's emerging needs. The childminder shows professional curiosity, recognising concerns quickly and implementing targeted strategies without delay. For example, she uses visual timetables consistently when planning activities. This helps children, including those who may face barriers to learning, to understand routines and feel secure.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of each child. She makes careful observations and assessments. This allows her to identify individual needs at an early stage. The childminder adapts routines and activities so all children can access learning at their own pace. Targeted support is applied, helping all children to make meaningful progress. The childminder uses repetition, visual cues, gestures and familiar routines to support all children. This helps them feel understood and emotionally secure. She provides access to a sensory resource to support communication and emotional regulation. As a result, children develop confidence, feel included and engage positively in play and learning alongside others.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder forms secure partnerships with parents and carers. This contributes significantly to children's development. Daily discussions, developmental updates and open communication support parents to be involved in their children's learning. The childminder

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Expected standard

works effectively with external professionals to secure continuity for children with emerging or identified SEND.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children make appropriate progress in their learning and development from their individual starting points. Children develop confidence in their play choices, and they self- select toys and where they would like to play. This is helped by a range of resources stored at their level, to appropriately support their play.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children enjoy the company of others and begin to form friendships. They initiate conversations and express their needs and preferences. They enjoy role play. For example, during play, children describe their action, such as pretending that farm animals are drinking water. They use their communication and language skills to begin to use familiar words as they play.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children progress alongside their peers and develop the knowledge and skills they need for their next stage of learning. All children benefit from a broad range of experiences that prepare them well for the next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a positive role model for the children in her care. She promotes good manners and encourages children to use polite language such as 'please' and 'thank you'. Children form warm relationships with the childminder and begin to build friendships with one another. They play alongside each other and often engage in similar play. The childminder builds close relationships with children. They show that they are very settled and content in her care. Children have positive attitudes to learning and show engagement in learning through planned activities and during free play. They enjoy using the role-play kitchen and taking turns when sharing the sensory bag.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, the childminder has well-developed routines to support children's independence. For instance, children are encouraged to wash their hands and use the toilet independently. This helps them develop confidence in managing their personal needs. However, some daily routines are not consistently used to help children understand what will happen next. For example, children are not always supported to tidy away resources after play. This means they do not consistently build on these skills to support their learning further.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes positive attendance in her setting. Parents and carers inform her of any changes to their usual routines, so that she can plan effectively for all children. This helps children to establish positive routines and experiences in their early learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder takes account of children's individual starting points, interests and stages of development. She uses outings and everyday experiences to support children's learning and prepare them for their next stage. Communication and language are given appropriate priority. Children hear stories, sing songs, learn new words and take part in regular conversations. For example, during activities, she asks open-ended questions such as 'What do we need next?' This enables children to listen carefully and predict what may happen. Mathematics is woven appropriately into daily routines. Children count, recognise colours and shapes and explore concepts such as 'under' and 'on top'.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder has a clear understanding of what she wants children to learn. This helps her to provide learning experiences that cover all 7 areas of learning. At times, some sequencing of the childminder's planning is less clear on how she builds children's skills further over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder includes stories as part of the children's day. Younger children enjoy sensory books and touch the varying textures. Older children show knowledge of how to carefully handle books as they turn the pages and look at them with interest. The childminder reviews children's development regularly and keeps parents up to date with their development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective, organised and dedicated to continuous improvement. She understands the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage and has appropriate policies and procedures in place to support the safe and effective running of her setting. These are reviewed regularly and shared with parents and carers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder keeps her knowledge up to date and makes suitable changes to her practice as a result. For example, she is adapting children's sleep routines to reflect recent updates to sleep guidance in early years settings. This demonstrates her commitment to progress and ensures that children remain safe. The childminder attends training, seeks advice from the local authority and uses this learning to evaluate her practice. However, the childminder has not fully enhanced her curriculum to make more consistent use of routines to support children's understanding of what happens next in order to deepen and secure their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parental engagement is highly positive. They speak positively about communication and the support they receive. Families describe her as caring, organised and invaluable to their children's wellbeing. They appreciate her communication and the progress their children make.

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

Children experience a calm, nurturing and welcoming environment. They feel safe, valued and emotionally secure. Warm and responsive relationships help children form strong attachments with the childminder. They settle quickly, seek reassurance when needed and develop confidence in their surroundings. As a result, children are happy and ready to learn.

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

Children engage positively in a wide range of learning experiences that reflect what they already know and what they need to learn next. They enjoy learning and explore with curiosity while playing with building blocks or engaging in sensory play. Children show pride in their achievements. They respond positively to praise, such as 'high five', when they complete tasks. Children build essential skills through experiences that prepare them for their next steps. Children who face barriers to learning are supported through thoughtful adaptations, for example, supporting the creation of visual timetables. Children are encouraged to 'have a go', and use what they have learned in new situations. As a result, children make secure progress from their individual starting points.

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

Overall, children behave well. They use good manners and learn to take turns and share. Older children often support younger children in their play. This supports a sense of belonging within the mixed-age group. Babies smile at the childminder, demonstrating emotional safety and trust. Older children show confidence to explore independently. Children seek reassurance when needed and participate in shared play. They learn alongside their peers through turn-taking games. Parents describe the childminder as caring, organised and highly supportive. They speak about the progress in their children's

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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

communication and language since joining the setting. This contributes to children's sense of belonging and supports continuity in their learning and wellbeing.

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Next steps

The childminder should enhance her curriculum planning to refine the sequencing of activities to promote children's learning and development further. The childminder should ensure that she consistently supports children through daily routines to help them understand what is expected of them at all times.

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About this inspection

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

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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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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