Childminder in KentOfsted report card, 28 Sept 2026

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2846092 Registered with Ofsted: 23/07/2025 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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder places high importance on ensuring children feel safe and secure. She gathers information about children before they start, such as sleep routines and weaning. This ensures a continuity of care for children that helps them to settle quickly. Children benefit from close and warm relationships with the childminder, where they enjoy being with her and are comforted quickly by her when needed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder has created a welcoming space that children typically enjoy exploring. Children benefit from having a variety of resources to investigate and plenty of time outside to practise their physical skills. When they are tired or need a rest they are provided with calm, quiet spaces.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Hygiene practices and intimate care are carried out sensitively and with regard to children's privacy. Younger children are supported with managing their personal needs such as washing their hands. Older children are encouraged to carry out these tasks independently, feeling pride when they do them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy engaging in social mealtimes. They talk about what foods they enjoy and sit together while they eat. Younger children enjoy having the same fruit as their friends, smiling happily as they eat alongside the childminder.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder forms close relationships with parents. She regularly shares information about both learning and wellbeing. This allows her to understand the children well and to provide care that is appropriate to meet their needs. The childminder typically uses assessment and observations that help her identify if a child requires any additional support in their learning or wellbeing. She is responsive and adjusts her practice to support the child. For example, she is flexible with morning and evening routines and is sensitive to children's emotional wellbeing, giving them extra time to settle when needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates that she is knowledgeable about what she would do if she had children with specific special educational needs and/or disabilities. She is clear on where she can refer families to for additional support, such as for speech and language or behaviour. Furthermore, she knows the procedures to follow to refer a child for specialist support if necessary. The childminder understands the importance of working closely with parents and any external professionals involved. This would provide a consistent way of working, to reduce any barriers to learning or wellbeing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder ensures that children receive any additional funding they might be eligible for. This is used effectively to support all children to access the same opportunities.

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Achievement Needs attention

Generally, children do make some progress from their starting points. However, they do not consistently remain engaged in meaningful learning experiences to make the progress they are capable of. Too often, children play without a focus or they leave activities that are not appropriately matched to their age and stage of development.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children hear a breadth of vocabulary and are supported to learn new words. For example, younger children learn to describe autumn leaves with the words 'crunch' and 'scrunch'. Older children learn the words 'pinecone' and 'sycamore seed'. Children are becoming more confident with their physical skills, such as using pencils to draw and balls to kick outside. They learn some simple mathematical skills, such as how to count and recognise colours and numbers.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children are typically able to express their needs, calling the childminder by name or taking her hand to show her what they want. They can recognise when they need comfort, and go to childminder for cuddles. Older children are growing in their independence skills, putting their shoes away and finding their own lunch box. Children are developing some of the necessary skills for moving on to school or nursery.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder has appropriate expectations for behaviours and establishing routines, but is not consistent in supporting children to follow them. She is not effective in communicating clear boundaries or consistent with enforcing them. This means that children are not taught how to develop consistently positive attitudes to their learning, often disengaging from teaching experiences. The childminder has already identified some of these weaknesses in her own practice, but has not taken effective enough action to make the necessary improvements.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder has built close relationships with the children. She supports their wellbeing by providing sensitive care routines. For example, young children enjoy singing songs as they have their nappies changed and are warmly embraced when they wake up from a nap. The childminder is a role model for kindness and care, and typically the children enjoy playing together. However, the childminder does not consistently remind children to share and take turns with each other.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

When children display desired behaviours, such as helping her find the plates and lunch boxes at lunch time, the childminder praises them. However, on other occasions where she asks for help or gives simple instructions, children are not consistently supported to carry these out. This does not support their understanding of behavioural expectations.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder has established some routines in the setting that children understand and follow, to help them feel safe and secure. For instance, children know to wash their hands before eating, what to do before going into the garden and when their nap time is. The childminder supports parents to understand the importance of regular attendance so children have a predictable routine and they know what to expect.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder knows what she wants to teach children and her ambitions for the curriculum are appropriate. However, weaknesses and inconsistencies in her teaching mean that children are not fully supported to develop positive attitudes to their learning. Children are not consistently provided with learning that appropriately meets their age and stage of development.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder creates a curriculum that broadly covers the different areas of learning. She generally considers children's interests when planning activities and provides resources to support them. The curriculum focusses appropriately on supporting children to develop their communication and language skills. The childminder reads in an interesting way and provides props to support children's understanding of the story. She encourages conversations during play. The childminder ensures children have daily access to the outdoors to practise their physical skills. She praises them when they achieve, such as when using ride-on toys. Overall, the childminder supports children to feel safe and secure and to talk about their feelings.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

At times, the childminder plans activities that are largely focussed on children's next steps in learning. However, she does not always consider the ages and stages of development of all the children attending. For example, activities are sometimes appropriate for older children, but not for younger children. This means that younger children lose interest very quickly and move away, meaning they do not benefit from the intended learning. Older children have their learning interrupted and typically do not finish the activity or do not engage for appropriate periods of time. This does not support children for moving on to the next stage of their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Children enjoy the resources provided and are typically happily engaged in their own chosen play. At times, the childminder supports alongside them and expands language for children and encourages them to think about the world around them.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has a broad awareness of the strengths and weaknesses in her setting. Overall she has effective arrangements to identify areas of weakness in her practice, but does not take sufficiently prompt action to address these.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder knows what she wants to teach children and has a suitable vision for her setting, but weaknesses in her practice mean that children do not develop positive attitudes to their learning. This means they often play without purpose, rather than receiving high- quality learning experiences to support their progress.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder recognises that she does not set clear and robust expectations for children's behaviour. Inconsistencies in her practice mean that children are not supported to learn what is expected of them. They do not learn to follow instructions appropriate for their age and stage of development. The childminder ensures she completes all mandatory training and keeps up to date with any changes regarding the early years foundation stage statutory framework, including any safeguarding changes. She knows where to seek additional training and when this may be appropriate to support children presenting with barriers to their learning. The childminder accesses support from other local childminders and her local authority adviser. She is knowledgeable about how to make referrals for additional support for any child who may require it. The childminder is familiar with local support that she could signpost parents to.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Parents report that they feel well informed of their child's development and wellbeing. They say their children are happy and safe in a welcoming environment. The childminder sends termly updates regarding children's progress, to support a joined-up way of working.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has not 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 not 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

There are breaches to the statutory requirements in relation to promoting children's learning and development. The childminder is not consistently effective in engaging and maintaining children's interests in activities. As a result, they are not fully supported to develop positives attitudes to learning. Weaknesses in the curriculum and delivering expectations for rules and boundaries mean that children do not consistently learn to follow simple requests and, at times, they disengage from, or disrupt, group learning. Despite this, children are generally happy and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure.

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

Children are eager to come to the setting and enjoy spending time with the childminder. They have formed close, warm bonds with her and often go to her for comfort and reassurance. At times, children enjoy each other's company, jumping and running in the garden. On occasions, children struggle to share and take turns. The childminder does not consistently give clear messages to support children to develop these skills.

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

The childminder knows children well and provides resources that they enjoy. She follows routines from home where possible, to support children to feel secure. New children settle quickly and feel a part of the setting, joining in with simple daily routines.

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

At times, children join in with group-learning experiences which support them to make some progress in their learning. For example, older children learn to count autumn-themed objects and younger children learn new vocabulary. However, weaknesses in the childminder's practice mean that children, particularly the youngest, lose interest. This does not support children to have consistently highly positive attitudes to their learning.

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

Children develop their independence skills well. The childminder gives older children time to do things for themselves, such as washing their hands and putting their own shoes on. Younger children are supported more and given lots of praise to encourage them to persevere.

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

The childminder builds effective relationships with parents and regularly shares information. This supports her to provide effective care for children with any medical needs and to share developmental milestones. Children and families are supported to attend regularly and the childminder is responsive and flexible to families' changing circumstances.

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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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 18:00

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Action Completion Date

implement more effective arrangements to manage children's behaviour 14/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that activities and teaching are tailored to children's age and stage of development to more effectively engage their interests and support them to develop positives attitudes to their learning 14/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure swift action is taken to improve areas of development and weaknesses that have been identified through effective self-evaluation 14/10/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection and reviewed written references from parents.

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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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