Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY478818 Registered with Ofsted: 25/07/2014 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 Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their individual starting points because the childminder knows them well and uses ongoing assessment effectively to identify what they need to learn next. All children participate fully in adapted activities, which build their knowledge and skills securely over time.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop strong communication and language skills. They engage in meaningful conversations, respond confidently to questions and enjoy daily stories and songs that extend their vocabulary. Mathematical understanding also develops well. Older children make accurate predictions and test their ideas during a sensory rice activity, while younger children copy mathematical language modelled to them, such as 'more, empty' and 'full'.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show increasing independence. They manage personal routines confidently, choose resources freely and take pride in small achievements, such as washing their hands or preparing their snacks. This helps build self-esteem and supports their readiness for future learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Vulnerable children and those who may face additional barriers also achieve well. Their changing needs are identified promptly and practice is adapted accordingly. However, some children's progress in personal, social and emotional development is limited because behaviour expectations are not always reinforced effectively.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides a warm, welcoming environment that supports children's wellbeing and sense of belonging. She tailors the settling-in process to each individual child, working with parents to understand their routines and unique family backgrounds. This considered approach helps children build deep, trusting bonds and ensures they feel safe and valued from the start of their time at the setting. The childminder develops warm, positive relationships with parents and families, which enables consistent communication about each child's individual care needs. This effective partnership working between home and the setting further supports children's sense of emotional security and belonging when there are changes at home. The childminder promotes children's good health and hygiene. Mostly, children demonstrate that they are familiar with how to keep themselves safe and healthy and enjoy washing their

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

hands and learning how to cut up their own fruit safely. The childminder keeps up to date on nutritional guidance and provides healthy snacks, helping children learn healthy habits. Children enjoy regular outings and opportunities to be physically active. For example, the childminder provides opportunities for children to develop and practise their jumping skills. They confidently approach the childminder for comfort, reassurance and support, when needed, such as when they are tired. She listens closely to what children say and responds thoughtfully to children's wishes and views. As a result, children develop confidence, resilience and a secure sense of self-determination within the setting.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of what she wants children to know and be able to do. She bases her curriculum on their individual starting points, interests and emerging needs. She uses information from parents alongside ongoing observations, to plan meaningful experiences that build securely on what children already know. This ensures that learning is purposeful and sequenced effectively for each child. The childminder adapts activities so that all children can participate and make progress. She uses outings in the community to widen children's experiences and promote physical, social and language development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is responsive and grounded in the childminder's knowledge of children's development. She skilfully extends children's interests, such as transport-themed play, to deepen their understanding of the world, strengthen their communication skills and promote a sense of belonging. Daily stories, singing and planned small-group sessions support early literacy and language well. Children are encouraged to think, predict and test ideas during sensory and mathematical experiences, which strengthens their problem-solving skills and supports both younger and older children effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the curriculum supports children's learning and development. However, the curriculum for personal, social and emotional development does not always help children to manage their emotions and to understand their feelings and those of others so they can make secure friendships and resolve minor conflicts peaceably.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is committed to inclusion and ensures that all children, including those who may face barriers to learning, are welcomed and supported. She gathers detailed information from parents at the point of registration, enabling her to develop a clear understanding of each child's starting points, routines and individual needs. This ensures that children receive provision that reflects their unique circumstances from the outset.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses appropriate guidance to monitor children's development and identify any emerging gaps in their learning. She knows who is eligible for additional funding and how to secure this. Although there are currently no children on roll who require additional support, the childminder has relevant experience of working with external professionals, including Portage services and health visitors. She demonstrates secure knowledge of the

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Needs attention

early identification of need and understands how to implement targeted strategies, review progress and initiate referrals where necessary. This means that vulnerable children, those who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities or those that face other challenges, are identified quickly and receive prompt intervention.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is committed to continuing her professional development through actively engaging with early years foundation stage updates and training opportunities. This helps ensures that she is well informed about any changes to the requirements that are relevant to her registration. The childminder is reflective of her provision and adapts activities well to ensure that all children make progress and benefit from planned experiences, including any external groups and outings. However, her practice needs further review to consider how she can more effectively understand and support children's behaviour.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents praise the warm and caring environment that the childminder provides for their children. They feel involved in their children's education and care and credit this to the childminder's effective communication. She completes regular assessments of children's learning. The childminder shares these with parents and others, where appropriate, to keep them well informed of children's current stage in learning and to identify any further support they may need during times of change to help them transition smoothly into their next setting. This helps to ensure consistency in the care and education that children receive.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder does not consistently use a range of thoughtful and effective strategies to promote children's understanding of what is expected of them. As such, children do not consistently show positive behaviours in the setting. Some children struggle to take turns, share resources and understand boundaries. During these times, they do not receive the support they need to manage their feelings and behaviour, such as when they throw toys. Strategies lack positive focus and do not help children to understand the implication that their actions may have on others. Without clear guidance on how children can more effectively manage and resolve their feelings and emotions, they are left feeling frustrated and, consequently, the unwanted behaviour reoccurs. At times, children's unwanted behaviour disrupts the learning and engagement of others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Despite this, the childminder role models polite manners throughout her interactions. In response, children show good manners and use phrases, such as please and thank you without prompting. Overall, children show positive attitudes towards learning. They are keen to join in with focused group time activities. In general, children remain engaged in activities that are adapted well for their age and stages of development. The childminder works with families to help support children's regular attendance and punctuality. She has clear attendance monitoring procedures in place and is alert to any additional vulnerabilities that families may face and works flexibly to ensure children access their full early years entitlement.

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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 settle quickly and feel secure because the childminder takes time to understand their routines, interests and family backgrounds. She gathers detailed information from parents at registration, enabling her to identify each child's starting points and tailor early experiences to meet their individual needs. As a result, children build trusting relationships and confidently explore the welcoming environment.

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

Children benefit from a curriculum shaped around what they need to learn next. They enjoy activities that reflect their interests, such as small-world transport play, which supports their language, understanding of the world and sense of belonging. Children engage in warm conversations with the childminder, who skilfully extends their thinking. They talk about how they travelled to the setting, the weather forecast and their own experiences, strengthening vocabulary and communication skills.

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

Children take part enthusiastically in stories, singing and small-group activities that build early literacy and mathematical understanding. Older children solve problems during sensory play, predicting how many scoops of rice will fill a container, while younger children copy the mathematical language modelled to them. Children show great familiarity with songs and rhymes. They confidently point to different body parts in response to 'Head, shoulders, knees and toes' and enthusiastically remember to scream when they hear a crocodile.

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

Most children behave well and show positive attitudes to learning. However, the childminder's strategies to support behaviour are not always effective. As a result, some children struggle to manage their feelings, take turns and share. At times, this affects the engagement of others in their learning as resources are put away.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare register the provider must take the following action by the assigned date:

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:30

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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 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

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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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