Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY343488 Registered with Ofsted: 16/11/2006 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 rapid progress from their starting points and are very well prepared for school and beyond. They demonstrate well-developed communication and language skills. Babies continually babble and point confidently to express their needs. Young children use simple sentences and begin to ask questions. Older children use ambitious vocabulary, such as 'condensation', when they describe water droplets on their ice packs. Children who find language challenging develop effective ways to communicate and confidently learn the names of their friends.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children's physical skills are highly developed. Babies confidently crawl, walk and climb as they explore independently. Older babies use cutlery with increasing accuracy. Older children balance well on low-level beams and handle tools and equipment with precision and control.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children demonstrate care, kindness and cooperation. Older children offer tissues to younger children and move small toys to keep babies safe. They concentrate for extended periods as they plan and set up a pretend picnic. They choose the resources they need and arrange everything carefully on a blanket without support from the childminder.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder creates a warm, positive and inclusive environment where children feel safe and valued. Securely embedded induction procedures help babies and children settle quickly. Children confidently express their thoughts and feelings. When they bump themselves, they promptly seek comfort from the childminder and enjoy a reassuring cuddle.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave well. The childminder uses consistent, positive strategies to help them understand expectations. She embeds routines securely, and children follow them happily. The childminder skilfully adapts her language to encourage younger children to take turns and share. She consistently manages children's minor conflicts calmly and effectively. Children are polite and thoughtful. For example, they ask, 'Can you pass me the grapes, please?' and 'Do you need me to help you with that?' As they wait patiently for food, children proudly discuss their paintings displayed on the walls.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is skilled at encouraging children to become deeply engaged in purposeful play. Children show highly positive attitudes to learning. They are consistently encouraged and supported to try new experiences inside and out in the garden.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder builds strong partnerships with parents and actively promotes the importance of regular attendance and punctuality.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder consistently follows robust procedures to promote children's welfare and safety. She thoughtfully involves children in daily routines, so they learn to manage risks independently. Babies and young children use cloths to wipe their hands after eating, and older children discuss washing away germs. The childminder reminds children to tidy away toys to create safe play spaces. She sensitively adapts her approach so children with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn to sit safely at mealtimes and stay safe on walks and visits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is always responsive and delivers care sensitively. She works closely with parents to match babies' eating and sleeping routines to those at home. The childminder's nurturing and caring manner helps build secure attachments, so babies feel safe during intimate care routines. She communicates regularly with parents and adapts children's routines as their needs change. The childminder knowledgeably prepares food to match each child's stage of feeding and carefully manages children's individual dietary requirements. Children confidently ask, 'Please can I have a pear, and can you take the skin off for me?' The childminder responds positively and respects their choices. She ensures that children have food, drinks and rest when needed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Healthy eating is prioritised. The childminder thoughtfully explains to children how different foods help the body. She shares up-to-date nutritional guidance with parents. The childminder ensures that she provides a wide range of daily physical challenges, including gymnastics sessions, to develop children's balance and coordination. She helps children understand and regulate their emotions to support them in maintaining healthy emotional wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder is highly skilled at planning and delivering an ambitious and broad curriculum. Through high-quality teaching and an inclusive environment, she continually extends the knowledge and skills of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to learning. She uses accurate and regular assessments to expertly tailor learning to each child's interests and starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder prioritises communication and language. Children engage in rich conversations and hear a wide range of vocabulary. The childminder's well-timed interactions help them become confident communicators. Older children speak in well- constructed sentences. For example, when the childminder asks what coloured plates they would like, older children reply, 'You could just put out a selection of colours, and we can choose.'

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder embeds opportunities to promote children's physical development throughout their daily routines. She teaches children how to strengthen their small- and large-muscle skills as they play. For instance, she stores toys in pots with different lids and guides children to open them, building hand strength ready for managing their lunch boxes. The childminder consistently weaves mathematics into children's play. Older children weigh pretend food and compare heavier and lighter objects. The childminder supports younger children in accurately naming 3-dimensional shapes and encourages them to investigate which ones roll.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children are encouraged to love books. The childminder thoughtfully helps babies turn pages and helps older children blend sounds so they can read simple words. Through regular visits to the beach, park and woods and meeting with other childminders, children broaden their experiences and build friendships.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder creates a thoroughly inclusive environment where all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those facing barriers to learning, feel valued and receive high-quality support. She uses robust assessment and monitoring systems to identify gaps quickly and sets focused, ambitious next steps that build on children's progress. The childminder reviews and adapts her teaching regularly to ensure that it has a strong impact. She targets her professional development to meet the specific needs of children who require additional support.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of referral procedures. She acts promptly to secure professional advice and funding. While waiting for external support, the childminder expertly adapts her teaching, resources and routines to help children with SEND continue to make progress. For example, she keeps routines clear and consistent, simplifies her language, and uses sign language to support children with communication difficulties. The childminder is passionate about learning each child's individual communication style and responds positively when nonverbal children express their needs. As a result, children feel respected and understood.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Parents praise the tailored support the childminder provides when children face developmental challenges. The childminder shares highly effective strategies to help parents support learning at home. Her warm, flexible approach fosters strong partnerships and ensures that children, including those facing disadvantages, access rich opportunities to extend their knowledge and experiences.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder knows the children and their families well, as well as the local area. She uses this knowledge, alongside regular feedback from parents, to strengthen her provision and continually improve outcomes for children. The childminder quickly identifies barriers to learning and secures additional support and funding when needed. The childminder seeks professional advice promptly. While waiting for guidance, she expertly adapts her teaching strategies to ensure that children continue to make progress. For instance, she teaches children who need additional assistance in developing their spoken language to say simple words and use sign language to communicate their needs, wants and preferences.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder builds effective relationships with other providers, childminders and schools. When children attend more than one setting, she communicates clearly to ensure consistency. The childminder plans transitions carefully, so children move to school smoothly and confidently.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder sets high expectations for herself and manages her workload and wellbeing effectively. She regularly reflects on her practice and is committed to continually developing her knowledge and skills. Training is always targeted to meet the needs of individual children and/or groups of children. The childminder attends regular special educational needs and/or disabilities training so she can signpost parents to up-to-date guidance and local support.

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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 flourish through the childminder's highly ambitious and carefully sequenced curriculum. The childminder skilfully delivers it through purposeful teaching and high-quality interactions. She creates a motivating, inclusive and flexible environment where children engage deeply in consistently meaningful play. Children explore with confidence, immerse themselves in activities, and develop strong imaginations and creativity. Older children enthusiastically choose to make 'potions' in the garden. They decide which equipment they need, gather resources independently, and confidently request additional items. They thoughtfully explain their ideas to younger children and demonstrate how to use graters to grate chalk into water to create different colours. Babies beam as they select favourite books, turn pages independently, and attempt to make animal sounds as they lift flaps to reveal pictures. Through these rich experiences and the childminder's warm and nurturing

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

engagement, children build a secure foundation for every stage of learning.

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

The childminder's thoroughly responsive approach helps children settle incredibly quickly. Babies new to the setting form strong attachments and explore the stimulating environment with confidence. They wake from naps happy, smile when they see the childminder, and enjoy cuddles and stories on the sofa. Older children eagerly call the childminder to ask her to watch them balance outside. Children grow with pride when the childminder praises their efforts and values their ideas.

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

Children understand expectations and follow clear, embedded routines. They behave well, and they continually show care and respect for the childminder, her home and each other. For instance, children remove their shoes without being promoted when they return from the garden. Older children thoughtfully include younger children in their games and carefully negotiate space around babies playing on the floor.

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

The childminder builds trusting, positive partnerships with parents. She gathers detailed information and uses it to tailor care routines, dietary requirements and medical needs. Parents value the childminder's open communication, which helps them support learning at home. The childminder promotes regular attendance and reinforces its importance with families.

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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 inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and parents 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: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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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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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