Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY393440 Registered with Ofsted: 26/05/2009 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 through the curriculum from their individual starting points. They develop key skills in communication and language, helping them to become very confident communicators. Children extend their vocabularies, practise sentences and express their ideas.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop very solid physical skills. They gain balance, coordination and control through targeted activities, such as 'stand up, sit down' songs and daily opportunities to experience outdoor play. Children develop their personal, social and emotional development, such as they recognise and show others how they are feeling.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children enjoy their learning and are well prepared for their next stage of development. They are confident and increasingly independent learners. Children communicate and interact effectively with the childminder and their friends. This supports their readiness for school and future learning experiences.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has established a positive and welcoming environment, where her expectations of behaviour are clearly understood by all children. She has high expectations for children's behaviour and consistently models kindness, patience and respect, which children mirror in their interactions. Children's behaviour is excellent. Through consistent routines and sensitive guidance, the childminder creates a harmonious environment, where children feel safe, secure and valued. These consistent routines promote punctuality and attendance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children show kindness and consideration towards each other. They share resources, take turns and celebrate achievements, clapping and cheering for their friends. During group activities and mealtimes, children follow the childminder's expectations very well. For example, they practise hand hygiene, sit while eating and wait patiently for food. Children listen attentively during stories and activities. They respond appropriately and engage confidently with others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has established very secure relationships with children. Additionally, she supports children to work together and develop positive relationships. She takes into account children's ages and stages of development, when guiding their behaviour. The childminder also works closely with families to reinforce routines and expectations beyond the setting. For example, at times, she walks children to their parents' car, helping families to maintain consistent positive behaviour away from the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides highly effective care that meets children's individual needs well. She knows children and their families well and responds sensitively to children's ages and stages of development and any additional needs. When required, the childminder refers children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to receive appropriate support through specialist assessment centres. This helps to reduce barriers in children's learning and development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder establishes very secure and responsive relationships with children. Children confidently seek comfort and reassurance, demonstrating trusting attachments. The childminder places a high focus on children's emotional wellbeing. For example, she uses stories to help children to recognise, express and manage their emotions, supporting their positive mental health and emotional understanding. Additionally, this helps children to express themselves without the need for words.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children receive excellent support to understand their physical development, health and personal safety. The childminder plans regular physical play to help children to develop confidence in their abilities, strength and coordination. During well-established mealtime routines, the childminder explains why children should take small mouthfuls and chew carefully. This helps children to learn to manage their own risks in relation to safer eating and choking hazards. The childminder implements robust allergy management plans, including for nut allergies, in close partnership with parents and carers.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder provides a highly ambitious and purposeful curriculum for children. Children benefit from well-planned and engaging experiences. The childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of the quality of teaching and regularly reflects on her provision to make improvements. There is a strong focus on children's communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder uses assessment effectively to check what children know and can do. She collects information on children's starting points from parents and carers and her own detailed observations. The childminder uses this information to plan activities that reflect children's individual needs and interests. This helps children to engage meaningfully with the learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder supports children's language development extremely well. She introduces new vocabulary, repeats key words, uses smaller sentences and provides opportunities for children to talk about their experiences. Additionally, children enjoy activities designed to support oral motor skills, such as bubble blowing. The childminder plans movement to music activities to help children to develop coordination, control and muscle strength. Mathematics seamlessly weaves through children's learning. The childminder supports children extremely well to develop the skills they need to solve problems, such as making sure that they have enough cushions for everyone during music time. This helps them to develop number concepts and understanding.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder adapts teaching effectively for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face barriers to learning. She makes reasonable adjustments, including signing, visual cues and simplified instructions, to ensure that all children can engage fully in the learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has established an inclusive culture, where all children are valued and supported to achieve their potential. She has robust procedures in place to assess children's individual needs when starting at the setting, such as home visits, parent meetings and settling-in sessions. The childminder completes ongoing observations, to identify areas that need further support, such as speech and language development. This enables her to plan purposeful learning experiences and make reasonable adjustments to reduce barriers to children's learning. This ensures that all children can access the activities.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from timely support. She swiftly identifies barriers to children's learning and makes timely referrals to other professionals when required, including speech and language therapists. She works closely with them to implement strategies and closely monitors progress. The childminder engages with parents and carers, signposting them to support, such as health visitors. This ensures that parents are fully involved in decisions about their child's learning and development.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder monitors children's progress regularly and reviews the effectiveness of the support they receive. She adjusts activities and resources where needed, ensuring that children continue to make excellent progress from their individual starting points. Through this inclusive approach, all children, including those with SEND, are supported to feel included, develop confidence and enjoy meaningful learning experiences that meet their needs and build on their strengths.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leadership and governance are highly effective. The childminder works closely with a co- childminder, providing a consistent and well-organised approach to care. This collaborative working arrangement supports the smooth day-to-day running of the setting. Together, they regularly evaluate the provision, reflect on their practice and share ideas for improvement. This strengthens the learning and quality of care that children receive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of the setting's strengths and identifies areas for further development. She takes appropriate action to improve practice and makes decisions that are in children's best interests, particularly for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She seeks guidance from other professionals, where needed, and adapts provision to ensure that children receive the best support in a timely manner. The childminder has established strong links with local schools. She completes detailed transition documents and attends transition meetings. This ensures that information is shared effectively to support children as they move on to school. This helps to provide continuity of care and learning for children.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder manages her workload and wellbeing very well. Responsibilities are shared with the co-childminder, and they attend training together to promote consistency. Professional development is integral to the childminder's practice. The childminder regularly attends webinars and completes additional training of interest, such as mental health. Furthermore, she attends emotional coaching delivered at a nearby pre-school. This strengthens support for children's emotional wellbeing and enables her to support families with children's mental health needs.

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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 benefit from a nurturing environment, where the childminder prioritises their care, safety and wellbeing. The childminder greets children and families warmly. She knows children extremely well and builds trusting relationships with them. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Consistent routines are well embedded, which help children to settle quickly and engage positively in the day.

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

Children have an excellent understanding of the clear and consistent rules in place. This is because the childminder reinforces expectations throughout the day. She supports children to put their belongings away and reminds them of routines, such as tidying up. This consistency helps children to know what is expected of them and supports positive behaviour. As a result, children behave very well and show kindness and consideration towards others.

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

Children have developed a love of learning. The childminder provides a range of accessible and well-organised resources that encourage children to lead their own play. They explore the environment with curiosity and enthusiasm. Children show high levels of focus through sustained engagement. They use their imaginations and draw on their own experiences during play. For example, children pretend to bake cookies in the toy oven and proudly share their creations with others.

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

The childminder knows children's starting points well and uses this information to plan meaningful learning experiences. Children of all ages and abilities, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported extremely well. The childminder adapts activities and provides targeted support to help reduce barriers to their learning. As a result, children make excellent progress from their individual starting points.

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

Children enjoy a range of learning experiences, including stories, songs and rhymes. The childminder reads to children daily and encourages them to talk about characters and events, supporting their communication and language development. Children feel happy, safe and motivated to learn. They develop the essential skills they need for future development.

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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 : 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 and co-childminder during the inspection.

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About this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 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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