Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 117897 Registered with Ofsted: 26/11/1998 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 make secure and sustained progress from their individual starting points across the early years foundation stage. They develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for their next stage of learning.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children build communication skills as they name objects, listen to questions and share ideas. For example, during a space-themed activity, children describe what they can see and respond to the childminder. This helps children develop understanding and vocabulary.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children strengthen early mathematics through practical activities. For example, children sort coloured blocks into sets of 2 and 3. This supports counting and understanding of quantity.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with additional language needs, make progress because the childminder reduces barriers to learning. Children show increasing confidence to join activities, interact with others and try new experiences. Children also build independence through daily routines, such as tidying resources away.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children experience a calm and predictable environment where behaviour expectations are clear and consistent. Established routines help children to feel safe and confident throughout the day. Children settle quickly and move between activities, mealtimes and rest times with minimal support.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder builds warm and respectful relationships with children. She stays close and offers reassurance when children need it. Children explore independently because they know the childminder is available to help.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder uses gentle explanations and positive praise to help children understand expectations and manage feelings. Children learn to share, take turns and cooperate with their friends. They show growing patience and begin to recognise when others need support. Daily routines, including tidy-up times and shared meals, help children develop responsibility and independence. The childminder communicates regularly with parents and carers. This supports consistent routines and strengthens children's wellbeing and behaviour over time.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder understands that regular attendance is vital for children's learning, routines and emotional security, and consistently communicates this importance to parents, working in partnership to support good attendance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children receive caring and individual support that promotes their health, comfort and wellbeing. Daily routines are planned to meet each child's needs, particularly for babies and younger children. Mealtimes, rest times and personal care routines reflect children's ages, stages and preferences. This helps children to feel safe, settled and confident.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder responds quickly and sensitively to children's physical and emotional needs. Babies are comforted straight away. Children receive support through transitions that may feel difficult, such as settling in, feeling tired or experiencing discomfort during teething. This helps children feel emotionally secure and ready to take part in the day.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's physical health is supported through daily routines that promote healthy choices and good hygiene. Children wash their hands and brush their teeth after meals. The childminder supports children to manage personal care in a way that respects their privacy and dignity.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children enjoy regular outdoor play and physical activity. This supports children's wellbeing, coordination and enjoyment of movement. The childminder keeps all areas safe, clean and well organised. This enables children to explore confidently and play safely. As a result, children feel protected, valued and ready to join in with learning and play.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder plans and delivers a curriculum that reflects children's interests and stages of development. She provides purposeful activities linked to children's experiences and daily routines. This helps children build knowledge and skills over time across the early years foundation stage.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

During a space-themed activity, children look closely at each planet and name them. They share what they can see and listen to others, helping them develop focus and attention. Children describe colours and sizes, which supports vocabulary and early mathematical understanding.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children also benefit from role play linked to stories such as 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea'. They pour and measure coloured water into jugs and use fruit in their play to match details from the story. This supports fine motor development and early understanding of quantity.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder supports communication and language through clear modelling, open- ended questions and familiar nursery rhymes. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with additional language needs are included fully. Visual prompts, predictable routines and repetition help children follow what is happening and join in successfully.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children also enjoy trips to local parks and libraries, helping them learn about the community and become confident in new places.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder supports every child to take part fully in the setting. She identifies children's needs early, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to learning. She adapts activities so that all children can join in and experience success.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder places a clear focus on supporting children's communication and language. She models simple words and short phrases and repeats key vocabulary throughout activities. She uses visual prompts and dual-language labels to help children understand and make choices. This helps children to communicate their needs, follow routines and join in with play alongside other children.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder adapts routines where needed, so children feel settled and included. Calm and responsive interactions help children to take turns, share and respond to their friends. These daily experiences support children's confidence and emotional development.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder uses observations to monitor children's progress. She notices emerging needs quickly and plans support to help children make progress. She seeks advice from external professionals when needed. As a result, children feel valued and secure. They build confidence and develop the skills they need for future learning and participation in group activities.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder provides clear leadership that supports high-quality care and education. She understands her responsibilities under the early years foundation stage. She organises routines well and provides consistent expectations that help children feel secure.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder plans a curriculum that reflects children's interests, stages of development and emerging needs. Activities are purposeful and help children build skills over time. The childminder reflects on her practice and makes changes that strengthen children's experiences and outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder undertakes professional development, including safeguarding and special educational needs and/or disabilities training. This helps to keep her knowledge current and supports her practice. Safeguarding is part of daily routines. She remains alert to concerns, follows procedures and ensures arrangements are secure.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder works closely with parents and carers. She communicates regularly and shares information that supports continuity of care and learning. She also works with other early years settings and external professionals when needed. This helps ensure children receive coordinated support.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder promotes children's health and wellbeing through consistent routines, good hygiene and healthy eating. Calm and reassuring interactions support children emotionally. As a result, children benefit from a safe and nurturing environment where they can develop confidence and make progress.

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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 experience a warm, responsive and stimulating environment where their individual needs, interests and abilities are recognised and supported. They settle quickly and explore activities with curiosity and confidence. Children build secure relationships with the childminder, who offers reassurance and encouragement throughout the day.

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

Children enjoy learning through play and take part with enthusiasm. For example, children show excitement when naming planets during a space-themed activity. They laugh and smile while stacking and toppling bricks, showing they feel confident to explore and experiment. Children also enjoy music activities and join in with familiar nursery rhymes such as 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' and 'Incy Wincy Spider'. They move rhythmically and listen attentively.

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

Children develop communication and language skills as the childminder models clear words, asks open-ended questions and encourages children to describe colours, shapes and actions. Children with additional language needs are supported through dual-language labels and visual prompts. Children play together inclusively and show interest in one another, helping to create a sense of belonging.

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

Children benefit from outdoor experiences that extend their learning and social development. Visits to local parks, the library and soft-play centres help children connect with the wider community and build confidence in different environments. Children are encouraged to manage personal care independently. They practise handwashing, toothbrushing and other self-care routines with guidance. Children understand simple hygiene expectations and follow routines calmly.

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

Children take part in activities that develop fine and gross motor skills, imaginative play and early mathematics. For example, they pour, measure and sort resources during play. Parents confirm that the childminder provides reassurance and support during transitions, such as settling new children and supporting children who are teething. As a result, children feel safe, secure and ready to learn. Overall, children reach age-appropriate milestones and thrive in a setting where their voices are heard, their efforts are celebrated and their curiosity is encouraged.

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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 disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this setting

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

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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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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

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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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