Childminder in CambridgeshireOfsted report card, 15 Sept 2026

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2773086 Registered with Ofsted: 09/05/2024 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 Strong standard

Children make rapid progress from their starting points, particularly in their confidence, independence and communication skills. They feel extremely safe and secure in the nurturing environment and are open to exploring new experiences and learning. Children recall previous learning and visits. For example, they talk about walks they have been on to collect blackberries and how they made jam with their parents.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are very independent and can feed themselves, choose their own resources and activities and put on their own coats. The childminder gives children lots of praise, and they feel very proud of their achievements.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are very well prepared for their next stage of learning. They use everyday routines to develop independence skills. For example, children cut up their snack with a knife. They are increasingly independent in their self-care, and older children can manage their own coats and shoes.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has created a calm and nurturing environment where children feel safe and secure. They develop high levels of self-esteem and confidence. The childminder has a highly positive approach to behaviour, and children respond extremely well to this. They learn to respect and care for each other. For example, older children are aware when babies are crawling near them. Children happily take turns and share their toys. They invite other children to look at what they have and listen when they shake and make a noise. Children take care of their resources and tidy them away when they have finished playing. The childminder and her co-childminder have established warm and trusting relationships with children. They provide engaging and stimulating activities that help to support children's focus and concentration, leading to positive behaviour experiences. If necessary, the childminder gives gentle support to children who need extra help.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder supports children in understanding the differences in behaviour between the different ages and stages. For example, she reads books about biting, and children discuss why babies want to bite a lot as the childminder explains teething. They recognise that it is understandable for babies, but not for older children. The childminder works closely with parents and carers to help them understand the importance of regular attendance and punctuality.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are of the highest priority for the childminder. Relationships between the adults in the setting and the children are extremely effective. Children settle quickly due to the calm and gentle manner of the childminder and her co-childminder. The childminder values all children and clearly recognises their individual needs. Children learn to recognise their own emotions and to talk about how they feel. Children laugh as they play and clearly demonstrate high levels of emotional wellbeing. The childminder uses everyday care routines to develop children's independence and to support their understanding of their own needs. For example, children learn to put the tissue in the bin and wash their hands after blowing their nose. Children develop their own understanding of hygiene, and older children routinely wash their hands independently before snack. The childminder provides healthy snacks, such as fruit. Children further

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

develop independence and hand strength as they cut their fruit using a knife. Younger children watch older children carefully and demonstrate perseverance in their own attempts. The childminder ensures that parents send in healthy lunches and gives them examples of healthy packed lunches.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children thoroughly enjoy developing their large-muscle skills as they expertly manoeuvre the scooters around the garden. Other children balance on beams and grin with delight as they manage to make it all the way across.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has a very clear vision of her curriculum, which has highly ambitious goals for all children. Her aim is to ensure that all children are ready for school. The childminder ensures that she develops secure and trusting relationships so that children build the confidence to explore new activities and are open to learning. The development of communication and language is a strength of the setting. Children make rapid progress in learning new vocabulary because of the emphasis the childminder places on it. For example, when closing the baby gate, the childminder repeats the word 'closed' several times until children start to use it themselves. The childminder is highly skilled at using daily routines to further develop children's learning. These are clearly embedded as children automatically line up to wash their hands before snack. They competently use the mirror when blowing their nose and wash hands afterwards.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children play extremely well together and share resources happily as a result of the childminder's highly impactful teaching of social skills. The childminder prioritises children's physical development as they play. They develop impressive skills on scooters and enjoy balancing on beams. The childminder ensures that children learn age- and stage- appropriate skills in mathematics. For example, she carefully picks up items and says the number as she places them down. Young children understand the concept of one-to-one correspondence and happily count to 3. Children enjoy repeating this in other areas of the setting. Children have many opportunities to explore and learn about the world around them as they take trips and visits to a variety of places, such as cafés, visiting the elderly and nature walks.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching is of an extremely high quality. The childminder is clearly aware that every interaction with children is an opportunity to further develop their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder meets with parents and carers before children start. These discussions enable the childminder to establish if a child has any special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or other barriers to learning. The childminder makes early observations and uses educational guidance and her experience to look for gaps in their learning. As a result, children with SEND or other barriers to learning benefit from their needs being met from an early point. The childminder works closely with the parents to support children and to create next steps for their learning so that children receive a consistent approach to their care and education.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is highly skilled at developing communication and language skills for children with SEND. She has a range of ideas for adaptations, such as visual cards or using the item as a reference, for example holding up a nappy. However, the childminder has not yet developed her understanding or experience of how to support children with SEND.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's progress through regular observations and assessments. She ensures that parents know their child's next steps of learning so they can provide support at home to ensure continuity of teaching. She has not yet developed relationships with other agencies to further support children with SEND. As a result, opportunities to access additional advice and specialist support to meet children's individual needs are not yet fully developed. The childminder consults with parents and considers the child's individual needs when using extra funding.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a clear idea of her setting's strengths. She has an extremely effective working relationship with parents and carers to ensure that children receive continuity in their care. Children develop high self-esteem, confidence and independence in her care and clearly love to spend time with her. The childminder addresses minor issues as they arise, but she does not always have a clear, detailed or perceptive understanding of where improvements can be made, for example understanding how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities in areas other than communication and language skills. This means that children with needs other than communication or language do not always have the same level of support. The childminder does ask parents for feedback, which has always been positive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder and other adults in the setting work extremely well together as a cohesive team. They support each other and complement each other's strengths. They attend professional development courses in order to cover a broad range of knowledge and skills. The wellbeing of both the childminder and other adults who work with her are high as a result of their closeness and strength as a team. They provide an incredibly high standard of care and early education for young children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder engages very well with parents and carers, who value her thoughtful approach and clear communications. She fully uses the local community, attending playgroups and going shopping and on nature walks. She works closely with the local pre- school and school and invites the reception teacher to the setting so children can benefit from a smooth transition to school.

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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 flourish and thrive in this nurturing and caring setting. They build positive and trusting relationships with the childminder and her co-childminder. Children demonstrate feeling safe and secure as they reach out their arms for cuddles and snuggle on laps for

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Inspector:

Clare Eyre stories. Children react well to the childminder's calm and gentle manner and leave their parents happily. Children display high levels of emotional wellbeing and smile at each other, showing happiness as they play.

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Inspector:

The childminder has a secure knowledge of all children's families and circumstances, which helps children to have a sense of security and belonging. As a result, children have high levels of confidence and are eager to explore new experiences. Children enjoy activities based on their interests. For example, children explore sensory bottles and carefully observe what they can see inside. They learn concepts such as loud and quiet. Children in this setting have many opportunities to have a say in what they are doing. For example, they choose between the park and the café for their outing. Children develop independence in their play as they choose their own resources. For example, children set up a role-play café using resources from the kitchen. Children demonstrate focus and concentration as they carefully squash blackberries to create a juice to paint with. They develop strong communication skills as they learn new words such as 'precise' when painting carefully.

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Inspector:

Children get on with each other extremely well. They easily share resources and take turns. Older children take care of younger children and babies. For example, they are aware when they are crawling nearby and are careful around them. They are respectful of each other and sensitive to their differences. The childminder gives them lots of praise for their efforts and achievements, and as a result, their self-esteem is high.

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Next steps

The childminder should develop her knowledge and understanding of special educational needs and/or disabilities other than communication and language. The childminder should develop a more detailed and perceptive understanding of where improvements can be made.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her co-childminder and 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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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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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.

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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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