Childminder in KentOfsted report card, 23 Sept 2026

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2566532 Registered with Ofsted: 29/01/2020 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has clear boundaries in place for children, who understand what is expected of them. For example, the childminder reminds children about sitting on chairs safely, so that they do not fall off. She rarely needs to put any measures in place, as children's behaviour is appropriate. They demonstrate good manners and listen well to the childminder.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Typically, children build kind and caring relationships. They enjoy the company of others, particularly during shared activities. For example, children are excited to play a matching game together, and take turns with ease. The childminder ensures that each child has the opportunity to take part and she helps children to swap their boards around to promote fairness. Generally, she is mindful of children's concentration levels and gently brings the game to a close so that the experience is positive for everyone.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of regular attendance to support children's wellbeing and their access to the learning that she has on offer. The childminder works with parents to support this so that children benefit from a clear and consistent routine.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children make some progress when they are in the childminder's care, but the weaknesses in practice impact on the progress that they may be capable of. This is heightened for children who are learning English as an additional language or children who may have emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities, as systems for identifying children's development in these areas are less well established.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children learn some mathematical language as the childminder helps them to count their fingers. Children demonstrate some independence in their own self-care skills, and those who require reassurance receive appropriate support. For example, children know to wash their hands before mealtimes. Children learn to make their own choices, for example by self- selecting toys that interest them, which helps them to engage in play.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children learn some skills that will help them to be ready for their next stage of education at pre-school or school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The weaknesses in leadership and governance impact on children's welfare and wellbeing as the childminder is not fully aware of all of the statutory guidance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

All children have daily opportunities to play outside and socialise with other children. For example, the childminder meets up with other childminders to enable children to have a wider friendship circle. In addition, they visit parks, which supports children's opportunities to explore a range of physical play equipment to support their overall physical development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder builds caring relationships with children, who enjoy spending time in her care. For instance, children appear at ease and are confident to talk to the childminder about their needs. The childminder tailors her approach for children who may need more support with specific tasks, such as with toileting routines. Children enjoy healthy, social mealtimes. For example, the childminder prepares their lunches, which children enjoy so much they are keen for more. She sits with children at the table and they demonstrate suitable, age-appropriate skills for feeding themselves and drinking water from open cups.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder plans activities to give children learning experiences. For example, children paint pictures and they show knowledge of how to hold paintbrushes. However, the childminder does not fully observe what it is that children are learning from these activities. This means that the childminder is not always clear on what she should plan next in order to sequence her curriculum to best support children to have a greater level of challenge, to help children develop further.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder plans the curriculum to help children have choices in their play as well as opportunities to play in groups outside of her home, which covers the 7 areas of learning. For example, the childminder takes children to playgroups to help them experience different play opportunities.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Despite some weaknesses in the support for children's language development, the childminder role models a range of language to support children's vocabulary linked to the world around them. For example, children learn about different bird types, such as blackbirds, blue tits and robins.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder does not have a fully secure knowledge of all aspects of children's development in order to fully understand their needs or if they may have any emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, she is not sure if children who are learning English as an additional language have secure development in their first language. This means that she is not able to fully understand the context of their language development in English. This will prevent her from taking appropriate action to access further support for children. The childminder does support children to explore some words in their home languages and helps to give children an awareness of other languages. For example, the childminder helps children to hear the words used in different languages to name different colours, and children practise repeating these words.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder supports children to be included in all activities. For example, she ensures that children all have access to resources and are able to explore dressing up to meet their individual interests. The childminder is aware of when children may have barriers to learning through discussions with parents about changes to home circumstances.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has not ensured that all the required suitability checks have been completed for new household members and existing household members who have turned 16 years of age. The childminder has a suitable risk assessment in place so that individuals do not have unsupervised access to children. However, this does not consistently ensure that children's overall welfare needs are consistently met. The childminder has not actively kept up to date with the recent changes to the statutory framework and guidance. This means that she is often incidentally meeting requirements rather than actively taking steps to ensure that she is compliant with the early years foundation stage statutory framework. The childminder has some understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in her practice. For example, she has extended the range of resources on offer by adding new games. However, she was not fully aware of all of the areas of concern prior to the inspection.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has not established links with all other settings that the children attend in order to help maintain continuity of care and learning. She is aware of other settings that children attend and has some discussions with those who are also childminders. However, where children attend other types of early years settings, these links are less well established, which means that children do not always receive continuity in their care and learning.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder receives warm praise from parents, who appreciate that she takes children to different activities outside of her home, such as to soft-play centres.

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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 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 is not fully supported as there is not enough prompt action by the childminder to ensure that household members have received all of the appropriate suitability checks. In addition, not all of the recent guidance is known by the childminder. This means that she is not actively ensuring that she is meeting the early years foundation stage requirements. Despite this, children enjoy their time in the childminder's care and have suitable relationships with her. They show that they feel comfortable as they move between rooms and get excited to take part in activities.

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

Children's overall development is not always fully understood, particularly for those who are learning English as an additional language or those who have emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities. This prevents the childminder from understanding children's overall development and supporting them further in specific areas. Despite this, the childminder receives positive praise from parents about the experiences that she gives children. The childminder shares information with parents, for example about local services on offer at children's centres, to support them.

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

The teaching that children receive is not always clearly sequenced well enough within the curriculum to fully build children's skills over time. Despite this, children learn some skills in readiness for their next stage of learning. For example, children understand behaviour boundaries and build suitable friendships with other children. They spend time in larger groups, such as with other childminders' children and at playgroups. This helps children to build confidence with other people and places.

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

Children that attend another childminder's setting receive a more consistent approach to their learning and development, but the childminder has less well-established links with other settings that children attend. The childminder has suitable procedures in place to promote attendance.

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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

take prompt action to submit all required documentation for new and existing household members over the age of 16 years old, so that all appropriate suitability checks can be completed 09/11/2026

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Action Completion Date

take steps to develop the quality of teaching to ensure that there is a clear understanding of how to sequence the curriculum to support children's development further 09/11/2026

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Action Completion Date

build suitable partnership working with other settings that children attend to ensure that children receive continuity of care and learning 09/11/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that professional development includes keeping knowledge and understanding of the changes and guidance for the early years foundation stage up to date, so that these are actively implemented to support children's welfare 09/11/2026

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Action Completion Date

work with parents to gain a detailed understanding of children's development at home, including for other languages that they speak, in order to fully support their learning and development 09/11/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder during the inspection and gained the views of 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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday : 08:00 - 18:30

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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 as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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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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