We used home educating childminders for my dd, mainly because she preferred the company of older children but also to take advantage of the CMs' freedom from school and nursery runs. Many childminders have to spend a fair chunk of their day ferrying various charges to and from school and nursery. If it's possible to avoid that, the kids can have the luxury of more time to have fun.
The CMs and I were autonomous home educators. so there was no expectation of any formal education being provided. However, they did tend to have age-appropriate educational toys and to be geared up to take the kids to interesting places including home ed groups. (Not saying a non-HE childminder wouldn't do so, but perhaps they would be less focused on such things if their other charges are at school and in need of winding-down after a day at school rather than stimulating, if you see what I mean.)
It worked brilliantly. Dd got some variety by going to different houses and seeing how other families lived, and she had kids to play with. One of the CM's children became her best friend.
The disadvantage is that they weren't local - I could have found a non-HE childminder in my own neighbourhood, which would have been convenient. I did actually have a childminding home educating friend who lived a few doors away from me, but she jolly well went and moved away just about the time I started work, LOL.
If that idea interests you, you might ask on your local home ed email list to see whether there's anyone suitable.