Childminder in OxfordshireOfsted report card, 9 Oct 2026

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2828658 Registered with Ofsted: 03/06/2025 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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Achievement Strong standard

Children are very well prepared for the next stage in their education. They rapidly develop and recall new knowledge and skills, which they use with pride in their play and learning. Children of all ages independently absorb themselves into their favourite books, look carefully at the illustrations and recall words and phrases with confidence. Even the youngest children continually bring one book after another to the childminder to share with them. This demonstrates a genuine and impressive love for books, as well as becoming confident learners.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children's mathematical skills are developing securely. They understand how to use numbers and counting effectively in their play. For example, children show the correct fingers when asked and knowing the correct amount for one more and one less. They also show a keen interest in using language related to size, shape and measure in their play.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children demonstrate remarkable social skills. They are kind and considerate to one another. Children understand the needs of others and recognise how to support younger children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates highly effective leadership of children's behaviour. She maintains high expectations and applies boundaries fairly. The childminder explains, in age- appropriate ways, how children's actions affect others. This helps children to understand different feelings and perspectives. Older children guide and support younger peers, such as rolling a ball to them and patiently waiting for its return. They beam with pride as younger children try their best, demonstrating a growing empathy and respect.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder's consistently high-quality interactions foster children's enthusiasm for learning. Children remain engaged in self-chosen activities for sustained periods. The childminder responds intuitively to children's interests, extending conversations and building on their play to introduce new knowledge. Consequently, children remain curious, motivated and eager to learn.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children benefit highly from well-established routines that promote their independence and confidence. They quickly understand and follow instructions, taking responsibility for their belongings and personal needs. Younger children confidently mirror older children's actions, learning through observation and perseverance. For example, they stand on a step to wash their hands, carefully trying to operate the soap pump, before making bubbles and rinsing their hands.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder takes a proactive approach to promoting regular attendance. She understands the individual circumstances and potential barriers families may face. The childminder works in partnership with parents and carers to reinforce the importance of regular and punctual attendance. Consequently, children benefit from consistent routines, continuity in their development and regular opportunities to make continual progress.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder gives the utmost priority to children's welfare and wellbeing. She provides a nurturing and respectful environment where children's individual care and emotional needs are met very well. Before children start, the childminder gathers detailed information about their needs, interests and family circumstances. The childminder maintains regular two-way communication with families to ensure continuity of care. This enables her to build secure attachments, helping children to feel safe, valued and confident. Children readily seek out the childminder to share achievements or receive comfort and affection. The childminder follows safer sleeping and mealtime routines consistently and sensitively.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children thrive in their personal, social and emotional development. They form positive bonds and demonstrate genuine kindness and consideration. The childminder uses praise and encouragement skilfully to successfully strengthen children's self-esteem. Children who find managing their emotions more difficult receive sensitive and individualised support. For example, children look at a book while waiting for a friend to finish playing with a toy they would like. Consequently, children develop patience and increasingly manage their feelings.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop a secure understanding of healthy lifestyles and how to keep themselves safe. Daily opportunities to be physically active in the well-resourced garden strengthen children's physical skills, including balancing, coordination and control. Children independently wash their hands at appropriate times and understand the importance of creating bubbles and rinsing them away to 'get rid of the germs'. Mealtime conversations help children to understand the benefits of healthy food choices. The childminder also teaches children to recognise hazards and make safe decisions, such as keeping away from others using the garden swings. Consequently, children develop healthy habits, independence and an increasing awareness of how to protect themselves and others.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder is highly skilled, experienced and ambitious for all children. She maintains high expectations for what children can learn and achieve. The childminder develops a unique and well-sequenced curriculum that encompasses all areas of learning. She is adept at adapting learning experiences to reflect children's individual interests, abilities and developmental needs. For example, the childminder responds enthusiastically to children's own ambitions, supporting them to master tricky tasks, such as tying their shoelaces. She patiently breaks the process down into manageable steps. The childminder encourages children to keep trying to develop resilience, perseverance and confidence in their ability to overcome difficulties. This ensures that children, including those who face barriers to learning, are fully included and receive rich, meaningful and stimulating opportunities to grow and develop.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder expertly fosters a love for reading from an early age. As children become engrossed in their favourite stories, she engages them in purposeful discussions about illustrations, characters and events. The childminder encourages children to predict what might happen next before turning the page. These thoughtful interactions stimulate children's curiosity, extend their language and deepen their understanding of stories. The childminder creates calm, nurturing and inspiring indoor and outdoor environments that promote children's sustained engagement and learning. She introduces familiar songs, such as 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat'. The childminder adds unusual verses and pauses for children to suggest suitable rhyming words. This strengthens their language awareness and early literacy skills. The childminder also introduces purposeful activities to develop children's personal and social skills, such as encouraging them to throw a balloon to the

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

next person in a circle. These experiences help children to practise turn-taking and patience while learning to play cooperatively with others.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder's practice is extremely inclusive. Robust monitoring systems and precise assessments enable her to identify gaps in children's learning promptly and respond effectively to their individual needs. The childminder maintains high expectations for every child. She uses her detailed knowledge of children's progress, personalities and learning styles to ensure that support is timely and appropriate. Consequently, all children develop the skills they need to reach their full potential.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder carefully aligns her professional development with the needs of children in her care. She has an extensive understanding of how to access specialist guidance and support from other professionals, including local authority advisers and a network of childminders. Recognising the importance of strengthening children's communication skills, she has enrolled on a course on specific language tools. This will further enhance her expertise in supporting children at the earliest stages of language development. The childminder's proactive approach to professional learning reflects her ambition for every child to succeed and further strengthens the support they receive.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Through skilful adaptations to activities, the environment and sensitive interactions, the childminder anticipates potential barriers. She helps children to navigate situations that may affect their emotions to ensure that they participate meaningfully. The childminder works closely with other settings that children attend to promote consistency in their care and development. For example, she consistently encourages turn-taking during play, helping children to learn to manage their feelings and understand the importance of fairness.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The ambitious childminder is deeply committed to giving children with the very best start in their early education. She demonstrates an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement, regularly engaging in professional development to deepen her already extensive knowledge and expertise. This includes meeting with a network of childminders, sharing best practice and undertaking independent research. The childminder reflects thoughtfully on what she learns and creatively applies new ideas to her practice. This continually enrichs children's experiences and strengthening their outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Deep and trusting partnerships with parent and carers are a clear strength. The childminder maintains excellent two-way communication and actively involves parents in all aspects of their children's learning and development. For example, she works closely with families to establish consistent approaches to toilet training. Parents highly value the excellent care their children receive and describe the significant progress they make since joining the setting. They greatly appreciate the wealth of trips and outings the childminder organises, such as nature walks, which enrich children's learning and broaden their understanding of the world around them,.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder's reflective practice, close professional relationships and relentless dedication to improvement underpin the high-quality of the provision she offers. She continually seeks ways to enhance her practice and respond effectively to children's individual needs. Consequently, all children, including those who face barriers to their learning and development, flourish in this inclusive, welcoming and highly supportive setting. They develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for the future.

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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 absolutely flourish in this nurturing home-from-home setting. They make consistently excellent progress from their starting points and are extremely ready for their next stage in education. Even the very youngest children demonstrate an immense sense of belonging, moving confidently and independently around the setting and garden. Children show great kindness and affection towards one another, thoughtfully considering each others individual needs well. For example, older children understand the predictability of well-established routines. For example, they know to wash their hands before eating, and kindly suggest that the youngest children go first. Children feel safe and secure. They benefit from the warm and trusted relationships they share with the highly intuitive childminder.

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

Children benefit highly from a wealth of exciting experiences and adventures. They visit libraries, woodlands and local parks. These broaden children's understanding of the world and builds their confidence in unfamiliar situations. Children welcome visitors with open arms and enjoy sharing experiences with others. They are enthusiastic learners, who reflect on their knowledge and proudly demonstrate what they know. Children remain immersed in activities that are meticulously planned as part of their curriculum, which is expertly implemented by the knowledgeable childminder. For instance, children eagerly show visitors their story and song props and beautifully perform number rhymes. As they sing each verse, they accurately reduce the number of objects remaining. This demonstrates children's love of song, rhymes and stories, alongside a secure understanding of early mathematical concepts and language.

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

Children benefit greatly from the childminder's effective early identification of their individual needs. They are further supported through close partnerships with their families and other professionals. These ensure children receive tailored support to help them continually progress. Children who face barriers to their development benefit from carefully chosen strategies and interventions that strengthen their learning and development, including the promotion of skills to regulate their emotions. All children receive full access to all areas of the provision through adapted activities and experiences. Consequently, they are included, make rapid progress and achieve consistently secure outcomes.

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Next steps

The childminder should ensure continued improvement in the setting's successful work to remove barriers for children who need extra help to realise a transformational impact on all children's achievement and wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents and carers and children during the inspection.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 16:30

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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 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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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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