Childminder in CumberlandOfsted report card, 23 Sept 2026

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2855656 Registered with Ofsted: 15/01/2026 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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder consistently prioritises children's welfare and wellbeing. She knows children well and responds sensitively to their emotional and physical needs. She offers warmth through gentle touches, cuddles and close interactions. Children seek her out for comfort, respond with smiles and confidently explore, make choices and enthusiastically join activities. She provides a strong foundation for healthy living, self-care and independence. For example, she uses snack time to help children make healthy choices, talking with them about the foods they eat and extending this through books and conversations about foods they have tried and enjoyed. She works closely with families to help less confident eaters try new textures and build confidence at mealtimes. Children enjoy daily physical activity and rich experiences beyond the setting, supporting their physical and emotional wellbeing. During toileting and nappy changes, the childminder protects children's dignity and

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

encourages them to take part in personal care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder proactively uses training and ongoing reflection to deliver highly effective practice that meets children's individual welfare and wellbeing needs, including dietary, sleep and safety needs. The childminder maintains safety through highly effective supervision. She responds to children's changing needs and experiences. For example, she teaches children to use 'kind hands' and gentle touches with pets, explaining why this matters. Children begin to understand how to behave safely around animals.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder strengthens children's sense of belonging by celebrating their interests, achievements, families and cultures. This inclusive approach helps children feel valued, secure and proud of who they are, strengthening their emotional wellbeing and confidence to engage positively with the wider world. For example, children confidently and enthusiastically welcome visitors, share their ideas and proudly celebrate their achievements.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, children make steady progress from their starting points and achieve the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for their next stage. Children needing additional support participate fully and make progress. The childminder typically builds on what children know and provides effective support where gaps emerge, helping children achieve well. Children communicate with increasing confidence and clarity. After seeing a plane, they excitedly talk about going on an aeroplane for the first time soon. Babies eagerly communicate through sounds and actions, joining in with familiar songs. Children enjoy sharing books, studying pictures, turning pages and joining in with familiar stories and rhymes, building early literacy skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop mathematical understanding through play. They use number names, use mathematical language such as 'big' and 'little' and count objects with increasing accuracy. Babies use both hands to manipulate resources and show excitement as they master physical skills. Children strengthen manipulative skills through dressing and caring for dolls. Children who are ready increasingly manage dressing and toileting, showing independence.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show a keen interest in people and the world around them, asking questions and exploring. They smile and giggle as they learn to play cooperatively, joining in with, 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat' and rolling a ball to each other. They develop confidence, positive social skills and confident attitudes, supporting future learning and their eventual move to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children develop lovely, secure relationships with the childminder and each other. They confidently explore, make choices and engage in activities that interest them. Children show positive attitudes to learning and delight in their achievements through cheers and proud smiles. They eagerly explore new experiences, show curiosity and try new things.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder maintains a calm, consistent approach to behaviour and routines, with clear, age-appropriate expectations. She models respectful behaviour and considers children's individual needs when supporting them. Children respond well to her guidance and develop skills to manage their emotions and behaviour. For example, children enjoy magnetic fishing, taking turns, sharing rods and cheering when they catch a fish. When a fish proves tricky to catch, the childminder encourages them to keep trying and supports them to manage frustration. She uses praise and encouragement to recognise their efforts. This supports children to persevere, develop positive attitudes towards challenges and grow in confidence. The childminder uses familiar routines, explanations, songs and objects of reference to help children understand changes. For instance, during nappy changes, babies positively respond to familiar cues, babble happily and enjoy warm, nurturing interactions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

This consistent approach helps children know what to expect and feel secure throughout the day.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes regular attendance and punctuality. She works effectively with families through two-way communication. Parents share information about routines, behaviour and changing needs, enabling her to adapt care. She shares achievements with parents, supporting consistent expectations. However, she does not yet proactively communicate with other settings children attend. As a result, she does not always build on children's routines, behaviour and learning across settings, limiting continuity in their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder provides a broad, inclusive curriculum that builds on children's interests and stages of development. She prioritises speech, language and communication, using modelling, repetition and questioning to develop understanding and expression. For example, when sharing a book about space, she follows children's curiosity, talking about rockets and linking them to planes they see. With babies, she responds sensitively to their sounds and gestures. When they notice stars, she sings 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,' making learning meaningful. The childminder typically uses the curriculum and teaching to embed personal, social and emotional development through praise, modelling and sensitive interactions, encouraging children to express feelings, make choices and develop independence. Wider community experiences are a strength. Visits to parks, the local bookshop and a playgroup help

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

children learn about their community, people, similarities, differences and the natural world. Outdoor play develops strength and coordination. At the park, she encourages children to collect leaves, count and compare their size, shape and colour, developing early mathematical skills. She talks with children about squirrels, where they live and what they eat, building understanding of the natural world. Back at the setting, she extends this through collage and noticing seasonal colour changes, linking experiences to creative learning. However, on occasion, planned learning is not sufficiently matched to children's age and stage of development. Activities can contain too many elements or introduce learning some children are not ready for. The childminder does not consistently build precisely on what children are ready to learn next or introduce skills gradually in order for them to excel even further in their learning. Despite this, she knows children well and

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

provides meaningful experiences that support learning, confidence and independence.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates a warm, inclusive and nurturing environment where children feel valued and welcome. She has developed extremely positive relationships with children and families and takes time to know each child well. She uses information gathered from families to establish children's starting points, plan learning and proactively identify emerging gaps. She monitors development against statutory guidance and completes the required 2-year progress check, using this information to identify further areas for development and put appropriate strategies and adaptations in place.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder recognises that some children may experience barriers that affect their learning and wellbeing and adapts her practice accordingly. For example, she puts appropriate strategies in place to support children's speech, language and communication, monitors their progress and responds promptly where further support may be needed. She also provides opportunities for children to access wider learning experiences beyond the setting, including exploring their local community. She knows when to seek advice from health visitors, speech and language professionals and the local authority inclusion officer and acts on their guidance.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although there are currently no children attending with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities, she has previous experience of supporting children with additional needs. This experience has strengthened her understanding and influenced how she adapts her practice to meet individual needs. Relevant professional development has further developed her understanding of children's behaviour and its impact on learning. She uses this knowledge to adapt her teaching and interactions and is well prepared to respond if children require additional support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder leads her setting with passion and commitment, placing children's welfare and wellbeing firmly at the heart of her practice. She has high aspirations for all children, understands the setting's strengths and areas for development, and uses this to shape priorities. She uses professional learning to develop her practice. For example, training on secure attachments, understanding behaviour and responding to individual needs helps her reflect and adapt her approach. As a result, children display that they feel secure, understood, valued and eager to learn.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The exciting, inclusive curriculum provides a broad range of experiences across all areas of learning, including rich experiences beyond the setting that reflect children's interests and ignite curiosity. For instance, children explore their community, broaden their knowledge, apply developing skills and connect knowledge. She accurately identifies children's next steps and understands the importance of adapting teaching to their age and stage. However, she has not yet identified opportunities to develop her knowledge and skills further in this area. Consequently, she does not yet consistently match planned learning to children's age and stage of development or introduce new skills progressively, building on what they are ready to learn next.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

She generally evaluates her provision effectively, using reflection, feedback and information from a range of sources to recognise strengths, identify areas for development and inform improvement. She works with local authority advisers and is beginning to build community links and a network with other childminders. However, she has not yet established fully effective two-way communication with the settings that children transition to and attend, so children do not yet benefit from the fullest possible continuity in their learning and experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents speak very positively about the care and experiences she provides and appreciate the ongoing effective communication they receive. This positive partnership has a positive impact on children's learning, development and experiences, as parents are well informed and able to support and extend learning at home.

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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's welfare and wellbeing are at the heart of this warm, nurturing and inclusive setting. Children feel safe, cared for and secure in the childminder's responsive care. They settle happily into play, choose resources and explore with confidence. Babies toddle over for cuddles and reassurance and reverse onto her knee to share a book. Older children seek a group hug or excitedly share news from home, such as their new 'Spider-Man' bedroom. Children know they belong and that their interests and needs matter. They make secure progress from their starting points.

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

Children eagerly explore experiences that spark curiosity. They confidently share their thoughts, feelings and ideas. During a magnet fishing game, children say, 'It's stuck' and 'Not now', developing curiosity and problem-solving skills. Babies babble purposefully at snack time and while cuddling and bottle-feeding dolls, building communication skills. Children avidly request stories, delighting in pictures beneath flaps, and they join in with favourite songs and actions. They build independence through familiar routines, proudly washing their hands before snack and learning to feed themselves with spoons. When ready, children use the potty and manage dressing tasks with minimal support. The childminder gives them time, encouragement and praise to practise, building perseverance.

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

Children enjoy learning and playing alongside friends. They learn to share, take turns and cooperate, developing empathy and positive relationships. Their kindness is clear when a child comforts an upset friend, asking, 'You okay?' and gently stroking them. Children show resilience when things are difficult. When struggling with shape sorters, the childminder encourages them to try again and celebrates their efforts. When they succeed, they punch the air and dance with pride. Children needing additional support receive sensitive, individualised help to join in fully. Children enjoy being active and discovering the world around them. They throw and kick balls, balance and climb, building strength, coordination and confidence. On walks, they collect and count leaves and notice seasonal colours. They

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30 talk about squirrels collecting food and enjoy visiting favourite alpacas at local parks and gardens. These experiences help children feel confident in new environments while developing their understanding of nature and their community.

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Next steps

The childminder should ensure planned learning and teaching is consistently matched to children's age and stage of development, introducing new skills gradually and building precisely on what children are ready to learn next. The childminder should establish effective two-way communication with the other settings children attend, sharing and gathering information about their learning, interests and experiences to strengthen continuity and consistency across settings. The childminder should further enhance her evaluation of the setting, using a broad range of evidence and feedback to drive continued improvement and achieve even stronger outcomes for children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children and took account of the written views of 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. Local authority: Cumberland

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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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