Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY417551 Registered with Ofsted: 08/10/2010 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder establishes an extremely calm, positive environment with clear and commonly understood expectations for behaviour. She models respectful interactions and consistently reinforces routines, enabling children to feel secure and confident. Children make thoughtful choices, cooperate kindly with others and show great enthusiasm for learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Relationships between the childminder and children are warm and trusting. She responds skilfully and sensitively to children's emotional needs and supports them to understand and manage their feelings. Children demonstrate growing confidence to express themselves, lead activities and engage in imaginative play, reflecting the highly positive relationships that underpin the childminder's practice. Children learn to collaborate and get along with others through everyday experiences. The childminder promotes kindness, sharing and consideration for others. She supports children to resolve minor conflicts calmly and continue positively in play. Transitions and routines, including tidying up and mealtimes, are well established. Children respond willingly to familiar cues and songs.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder promotes the importance of punctuality and attendance through clear communication with families. She considers children's age, stage of development and individual needs when supporting behaviour, ensuring expectations are appropriate and inclusive. As a result, children are settled, engaged and demonstrate highly positive attitudes to learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder prioritises children's welfare and wellbeing and creates a calm, nurturing environment, where children feel safe, secure and valued. The childminder builds trusting relationships with children and responds sensitively to their emotional and physical needs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder meets children's individual care needs really well. She promotes good hygiene, healthy eating and oral health through consistent routines and clear explanations. For example, she reminds children why they wash their hands before eating and supports them to understand how this helps keep them healthy. She helps children learn about personal safety and healthy choices through everyday conversations and routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder supports children's emotional wellbeing through predictable routines, gentle reassurance and responsive interactions. She helps children to recognise and manage their feelings, which helps them remain settled and ready to learn. Secure and respectful relationships are evident during care routines. The childminder consistently protects children's privacy and dignity, for example, by seeking permission before entering the bathroom and explaining actions before supporting personal care. This helps children feel safe and respected.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder supports children to develop an understanding of their bodies, emotions and wellbeing through everyday experiences. Routines, including mealtimes and personal

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Expected standard

care, help children develop independence appropriate to their age and stage of development.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder creates an inclusive culture, where children are known particularly well and individual needs are identified quickly. She monitors children's development through ongoing observation and discussion with parents. This helps her recognise emerging gaps in learning and assess children's needs accurately.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder takes effective action to reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing. She makes thoughtful adaptations to support children's engagement. These include visual supports, communication strategies and sensory adjustments. For example, the childminder adapts activities and environments for children with sensory sensitivities so they remain comfortable and engaged in play. When concerns arise, the childminder introduces targeted support and adapts learning experiences to meet children's changing needs.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder evaluates the impact of support with parents and, where appropriate, other professionals. She adjusts strategies when needed so children continue to make secure progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder works closely with families to shape children's support and experiences. No children currently receive early years pupil premium. However, the childminder explains how funding has previously been used to reduce barriers, including accessing highly relevant training and providing enriched experiences, like trips out.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children known, or previously known, to children's social care are supported through sensitive practice and secure relationships. The childminder provides consistent care and reassurance. This helps children feel safe, included and able to thrive.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make secure progress from their starting points across the areas of learning and development. They show confidence, engagement and enjoyment in their learning. Children communicate well. They explain their ideas during play and take part in sustained conversations with the childminder and each other. They describe what is happening during play and use new words introduced by the childminder during activities and routines.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop early mathematical understanding through everyday experiences. For example, children count objects, compare size and use language, such as 'one more, one less, fast' and 'slow' during play activities.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop the skills they need for their next stage of learning. They grow in independence, show positive attitudes and follow familiar routines that support school readiness. Children known, or previously known, to children's social care are supported through secure relationships. This helps them feel safe, included and able to engage positively in learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

However, learning for the most-able children is not consistently extended.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is clear about how her curriculum supports children's learning and development. Her curriculum reflects children's interests and provides a broad range of experiences. These support communication and language, mathematics, physical development and understanding of the world. The childminder uses play-based experiences to teach children new words as she engages and sustains their interest.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children to develop key skills through everyday routines and play. For example, children release frozen penguins from ice while the childminder introduces mathematical language, such as 'fast, slow, one more' and 'one less'. Children compare, count and describe what they observe. The childminder extends communication through role play and conversation. Children confidently talk about polar and Arctic animals and use new vocabulary, such as naming a manta ray during play. The childminder encourages children to explain their ideas and develop vocabulary.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder teaches children to take turns, share resources and manage routines, such as tidying up and mealtimes. This helps children develop confidence and independence. The childminder helps children notice sounds and patterns in words during everyday experiences, including conversations and outings. This supports early listening and communication skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder knows where children are in their learning and ensures that teaching meets expectations for most children. However, her planned next steps are not always sharply focused on deepening learning for the most-able children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates reflective leadership and understands the setting's strengths and areas for development. She reviews hers and her assistant's practice regularly and makes decisions in the best interests of children. This includes decisions linked to safeguarding, inclusion and children's welfare and wellbeing. For example, she adapts routines and learning experiences to meet children's individual needs and maintains a calm, safe and supportive environment.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder ensures that safeguarding arrangements are effective and embedded in daily practice. She sets clear expectations for safe practice and works closely with her assistant to ensure he has a secure understanding of children's emotional and physical welfare requirements. Clear routines support children's safety, dignity and privacy during care routines and throughout the day.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder engages in professional development to keep her knowledge up to date. This includes training in safeguarding, inclusion and child development. She uses this learning to reflect on practice and make improvements that support children's wellbeing and learning. She works closely with her assistant to share expectations, support workload and his wellbeing. This helps ensure practice remains consistent.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's progress and reflects on the effectiveness of the curriculum. Some areas still need refining to help the most capable children take their learning further and to encourage independence in all routines.

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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 clearly feel that they belong in this childminder's home. The childminder knows children well and responds sensitively to their individual needs. As a result, children feel emotionally secure and confidently seek reassurance when needed. They form warm and trusting relationships with the childminder and her assistant and show confidence when expressing ideas, leading activities and making choices in their play. For example, children confidently lead yoga sessions, selecting music and movements while others join in calmly.

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

Children benefit from rich conversations and ambitious language woven naturally into play. For example, when caring for a doll, children talk about how the baby 'feels hot' and discuss giving medicine, extending their understanding of care and feelings through meaningful talk. Resources are organised thoughtfully and labelled clearly, such as returning the doctor's kit to the 'occupations box', helping children hear and use a wide range of vocabulary in context. Children communicate confidently, remain engaged in their play and develop growing independence in everyday routines.

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

The childminder promotes kindness, responsibility and inclusion through daily experiences. Children learn to value differences through real-life discussions during community walks and play. They show empathy towards others and demonstrate an awareness of keeping one another safe. For example, older children proudly explain their role as 'choke watch champions', helping to ensure that younger children do not access small parts. This supports children to develop a strong sense of responsibility and care for others.

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

Children understand routines and expectations, which helps them feel safe and settled. Attendance is promoted through clear communication with families, and staff maintain regular contact with parents to support children's wellbeing and continuity of care.

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

The childminder respects children's privacy and dignity, for example, by seeking permission before entering the bathroom or supporting personal care. Consistent hygiene routines, healthy food choices and calm transitions help children remain relaxed and ready to learn. As a result, children feel safe, valued and supported to flourish as individuals.

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Next steps

The childminder should enhance curriculum planning so that capable children receive consistently rich opportunities to extend their thinking, with next steps based on their current understanding and skills.

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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

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About this setting

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

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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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Our grades explained

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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