Childminder in Central BedfordshireOfsted report card, 2 Oct 2026

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2813674 Registered with Ofsted: 14/02/2025 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

For their age, children behave very well. The childminder gently supports children to learn to begin to share, reassuring them that they will have a turn. She points out alternative resources that children can use while they wait. The childminder acts as a positive role model for children. She demonstrates kindness and consideration, which children display themselves. The childminder gently supports children to begin to recognise consequences of their behaviour. This helps children to begin to recognise their own emotions and the feelings of others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder maintains clear and regular routines that all children, including the very young, recognise and understand. In conjunction with the childminder's nurturing characteristics, children feel secure and settled. Children transition well between key routines. For example, they settle well for naps and mealtimes.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children show enthusiasm for their play and learning. They concentrate for long periods of time, repeating and practising new skills and elements they enjoy before naturally expanding their learning by trying something a different way. From a young age, children watch what their peers are doing and the ways they solve simple problems. This inspires children to continue themselves.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of the importance of regular attendance. This is reflected in her discussions with families about how this impacts children's security and progress. The childminder monitors patterns of attendance. She recognises that any emerging patterns of absence may impact children's wellbeing. This contributes to the positive culture towards safeguarding.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make the progress they need to help prepare them for their next stage of learning at nursery or school. From a very early age, they typically embrace opportunities to develop and practise skills that contribute to independence. For example, children learn to use spoons to feed themselves. They work out which way up the spoon should be to scoop food. During play activities, young children use spoons to transport dried beans into bowls, further enhancing their dexterity.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are motivated to play and learn. They listen to the explanations and instructions the childminder gives them and respond positively. For example, when asked, they help to pick resources up and tidy away before they move on to a new activity. From a young age, children generally begin to work together during these simple tasks, helping them build skills for future collaboration. Children's vocabularies and understanding of the words they hear and use typically grow at a consistently fast rate. They enthusiastically join in rhymes and songs and spontaneously choose books to share with the childminder. From a young age, children generally experiment with the words they know to help them understand concepts such as size, shape and position. They pause, allowing the childminder to confirm their descriptions and accept any gentle corrections the childminder gives to help strengthen their understanding.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The nurturing childminder quickly builds trusting relationships with children. This helps them to feel safe in her care. Children typically seek comfort and reassurance when they need it. They feel confident to trust the childminder's judgement of their abilities and actions to help keep them safe. For example, children acknowledge the childminder's explanations that they risk bumping their heads if they try to stand up under the edge of a high table. They carefully move away and find a more suitable location.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder recognises the importance of working in partnership with parents and carers, and where necessary other professionals involved in children's lives. When children first start in her care, the childminder asks parents to provide key information to help her keep children safe, such as any histories of allergies and emergency contact details. She gathers information about children's interests and daily routines, including sleep arrangements and stages of weaning. This helps the childminder plan her days to allow children sufficient time to rest and sleep and ensure that the food she provides is appropriate for their needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses her observations and assessments of children effectively to help shape a typically well-planned and varied curriculum. She uses her skills to create a sequence of learning suited to the age and stage of individual children. For example, the childminder focuses on supporting the emerging vocabularies of the very young children. She speaks clearly, using gestures and visual aids to help children understand the words they hear. Children confidently practise the sounds and words they hear. They are generally motivated to talk to the childminder and their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically gives children time to play alone. Children repeat what they know and understand, helping them consolidate their learning and make sense of the world around them. For example, very young children imitate care routines they have seen and experienced. They gently rock dolls in their arms and cover them in a blanket while quietly saying 'shh'.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder follows children's interests and typically identifies when it is time for children to move on to something new. For example, when children become less engaged in their role play, she puts out paper and crayons. Children enthusiastically start to draw and make marks on the paper, proudly showing the childminder what they have created.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder typically makes sure that children feel included in the activities and play opportunities she provides. Very young children receive support to pause and begin to share both resources and the childminder's attention. For example, the childminder talks gently to children while they prepare for lunch. She helps each one put on their apron and ensures they are safely seated at the table before she passes them their lunch. The childminder reassures children they will be able to eat very soon while they wait for their friends. Children hold their forks and spoons in anticipation before they happily eat their food.

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Inclusion Expected standard

All children, including those who face barriers in their learning, make the progress expected from their starting points. The childminder adapts her interactions with each child during planned activities, allowing them all to learn at a level and pace that suits their needs. For example, while very young children explore the texture of dried beans that they scoop into bowls, others begin to count the wooden numbers nestled in the beans. Each child is proud of their discoveries and achievements. This contributes to their growing self-esteem while they build on what they know and understand.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gathers information from parents and carers about their family lives. At times, the childminder does not follow up to gain missing information to help her identify celebrations, traditions and beliefs that are important to children and their families. Consequently, these are not consistently reflected in her curriculum and interactions with children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is committed to provide the care and education children require to thrive and flourish. She typically uses her skills and knowledge to help promote children's welfare. The childminder regularly undertakes training courses to expand and refresh what she already knows. For example, she has recently completed a course to help her strengthen her practice relating to early mathematics in her curriculum. The childminder welcomes information from other professionals and reads articles to keep aspects such as local safeguarding and knowledge of statutory requirements up to date. The childminder knows where to find information in the event of helping parents and carers to seek further support, such as accessing support relating to special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder typically uses her observations of children's progress to help her shape what and how she plans to teach children next. She sends daily updates to parents about the activities and experiences children have enjoyed. However, the childminder has yet to fully embed an effective system to consistently give and receive information about children's ongoing progress. For example, the childminder does not routinely ask parents for updates about what their children have achieved or have been doing at home. Consequently, the childminder's curriculum does not always reflect these aspects.

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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 are happy and settled in the childminder's care. They enthusiastically explore the resources she purposefully sets out for them, inviting very young children to join in with their peers. For their age, children concentrate for long periods of time, helping to demonstrate their positive attitudes to playing, exploring and learning. Children who are less mobile than others are not hindered in their explorations. They access resources stored at low level and have space and time to practise their early walking skills. Children thrive on the praise and encouragement the childminder gives them.

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

Children form close relationships with the childminder. They seek cuddles and reassurance when they are tired. Children energetically descend on the childminder's lap when they want to share a book with her. The nurturing childminder models kindness and respect towards children that, in turn, they mirror in their interactions with others. This contributes to the positive behaviour children display.

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

Children listen to the words the childminder introduces to them, helping to build on their growing vocabularies. Children join in with actions during rhymes and songs and show a passion for books and stories. The childminder welcomes parents and carers to borrow books that their children enjoy. This contributes to positive relationships that families develop with the childminder.

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

Children spend time outside each day. They go to local parks and open spaces to explore and find out about the world around them. Children make sustained progress, building on

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:30

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About this setting

Local authority: Central Bedfordshire what they know and understand in fun and memorable ways. When the time comes, children are ready to start nursery or school.

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Next steps

The childminder should explore ways to help ensure she consistently gathers information about families' cultures and traditions to help children celebrate their identities. The childminder should enhance two-way communication methods to effectively share more detailed information about children's individual progress both in her setting and at home.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke to the childminder and children during the inspection. She read questionnaires sent by parents and carers.

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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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