Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 501298 Registered with Ofsted: 18/04/2001 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

All children make excellent progress as their learning is sequenced effectively. They have access to all learning opportunities fully.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children build on their experiences from home and other settings. They demonstrate how they can make connections between their learning. For example, children sing songs, such as 'Sleeping Bunnies', while adding lyrics and movements inspired by animals, such as 'monkeys swinging in trees'. This strengthens their confidence and supports their communication and language development.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children benefit from experiences that develop their resilience, confidence and independence. For instance, they direct their own play and learning independently and enjoy making choices. This helps children to feel secure and ready for their future learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children's behaviour is exemplary and reflects the childminder's consistently high expectations. Children understand what is expected and demonstrate excellent manners. The childminder praises children's positive behaviour, reinforcing their understanding of rules and routines.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children are confident in daily routines and know to tidy one activity before starting another. Their voices are valued and heard. The childminder encourages children to make their own choices and lead their own play. She extends children's learning by introducing activities that support children's individual next steps in learning. For example, during role play, the childminder encourages children to develop mathematical skills by grouping animals, comparing similarities and differences, and discussing categories.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder promotes respect and tolerance through positive interactions and social experiences. Daily sessions with local childminder groups help children to form friendships and develop social skills. Children confidently talk about their friends, showing growing social understanding. The childminder works closely with parents and carers to support children's good attendance. A structured daily routine underpins children's learning, and parents understand the importance of consistency. This helps the childminder to shape her provision to ensure that all children maintain high levels of development and have access to their full entitlement of early years funding.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children form strong and trusting relationships with the childminder. They grow in confidence through her sensitive interactions and thoughtful positioning during activities. This helps children to feel secure and ready to engage. Children show empathy and concern for others. For example, when looking at family photos, they ask for a comforting hug and talk about their relatives. The childminder responds warmly, recognising their individual feelings and reassuring them about their family's welfare.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop positive attitudes towards healthy lifestyles. They begin to manage their personal needs. For example, children show independence by asking for a tissue to wipe their noses and know to wash their hands before preparing snack. Children learn how to keep themselves safe when preparing food. They understand how to use a knife safely and learn why food is chopped into manageable and bite-sized pieces to prevent choking.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides healthy and home-cooked meals and offers a varied menu that supports children's nutritional needs. She communicates with parents and carers about healthy eating, sharing information about meals and snacks and encouraging healthy choices. The childminder works closely with parents to introduce new foods to children who may be 'fussy eaters'. She ensures that all children receive a balanced and wholesome diet. These experiences help children to gain a deep understanding about healthy choices and develop important self-care skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The experienced childminder plans an ambitious curriculum. She adapts learning to meet children's individual needs. For instance, she expertly adjusts teaching to meet children's individual and changing needs. The childminder skilfully includes all areas of learning in her activities. For example, she introduces mathematical skills as children count decorations for their Christmas tree. These experiences help children to develop their counting skills. Children enjoy books and link stories to their play. For example, when they listen to 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea', the childminder builds on what children already know. During a tea-making activity, she encourages children to recall the story. The childminder introduces new words, such as 'spicy' and 'delicious'. This helps children to describe their sensory experiences with confidence.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children's physical development is well supported. They enjoy regular woodland walks and beach sessions. Children enjoy nature-based play using mud, leaves, twigs and stones, and engage in sustainable activities. The childminder includes recycling in daily routines. She extends children's learning through her expert guidance and questions that stimulate children's critical thinking. Children know that food waste goes into the compost bin. They take pride in placing rubbish in the correct bins.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder plans activities linked to children's interests. They visit Christmas tree farms, pumpkin patches and strawberry fields. The childminder uses trips to community groups to help children to meet police officers, paramedics and firefighters. These real-life experiences develop children's confidence and broaden their understanding through hands- on exploration. The childminder shares children's achievements and next steps with parents and other early years settings.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder uses clear and supportive settling-in procedures. She gets to know each child and their family well. The childminder gathers key information about children's health, care and learning needs. She provides consistently sensitive and well-planned support, ensuring that all children make sustained progress. The childminder actively engages in opportunities to strengthen her professional development. This helps to extend her understanding of how to meet children's diverse needs. For example, the childminder has recently undergone training to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The ongoing training helps to strengthen the curriculum design to ensure that all children are fully supported to achieve the best possible outcomes.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder knows children extremely well. She carries out regular assessments to monitor children's progress. The childminder makes effective use of the early years pupil premium funding. She works with parents to plan how they can best support children. This helps to ensure that children are safe and their learning and healthcare needs are managed to her high standards.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder uses her knowledge to plan meaningful experiences. She introduces children to the community around them in engaging ways. For example, children visit the local community centre and local library. The childminder helps children to build very effective social skills. Children enjoy local trips with other childminders and the children in their care. The childminder uses these trips to allow children to explore celebrations and community events. They also help children to form positive relationships. The childminder shares her own travel experiences to enrich children's learning. She uses photos and videos to spark children's curiosity. For example, the childminder talks about her recent safari trip during a zoo-themed activity. This helps children to learn about animals, cultures and the wider world.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is passionate in her pursuit to provide a first-class service. She is highly reflective and is always striving to refine and enhance what she provides for children. The childminder regularly networks with other local childminders to share ideas and her excellent practice. She completes all mandatory training, including paediatric first aid. The childminder also takes responsibility for her own ongoing learning and professional development. She completes research and online training to strengthen her practice. For example, she recently completed training to extend her knowledge further on supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This helps the childminder to provide a bespoke curriculum that meets each child's individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has built strong partnerships with other settings children attend. She shares important information to ensure that children receive the support they need. The childminder keeps parents and carers informed about their children's progress. She shares advice on key topics, such as toilet training. This helps parents to support their children's learning at home. Parents appreciate the care their children receive. They value the enriching experiences offered by the childminder. For instance, parents appreciate the group sessions with other childminders to help children to develop their social skills. These sessions also support children to explore and engage with the local community.

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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 have great fun as they learn and demonstrate warm relationships with the childminder. For example, the childminder positions herself so children feel secure and gradually encourages their participation as they use shiny baubles to decorate a Christmas tree. The childminder takes time to build secure and trusting relationships with children and their families. Robust settling-in procedures allow the childminder to make accurate assessments of what children know and can do. She uses this information to plan effectively from children's starting points in learning. The childminder makes accurate and ongoing assessments of each child's individual learning. This enables her to swiftly identify any gaps in children's learning. She uses her knowledge of children's individual needs to construct a curriculum that extends and supports their development. The childminder works closely with parents and carers and other professionals when children attend other early years settings.

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

This helps to ensure that all children make continued progress in their learning and development.

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

Children display confidence and a deep sense of belonging. They happily greet visitors and invite them into the childminder's home. Children's welfare is prioritised as the childminder prepares them thoroughly for any changes in their routines. This helps children to feel informed and confident about what to expect. The childminder promotes positive relationships between children. Weekly visits with other childminders and the children in their care help to encourage mutual respect and kindness. Children confidently talk about their experiences with their friends. The childminder's high expectations help children to understand what is expected. Children develop responsibility and respect for their environment. For example, they know to clean the table and then wash their hands before preparing for snack.

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

Children benefit from a wide range of enriching experiences that extend their skills and knowledge. For instance, children participate in weekly outdoor woodland experiences with other childminder groups. This helps to support children's social skills, as well as developing their understanding of the natural world around them.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:45 - 18:00

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About this setting

Local authority: Cheshire West and Chester

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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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children 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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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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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