Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2721131 Registered with Ofsted: 17/08/2023 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 provides a clear and consistent approach that helps children understand what is happening throughout the day. She prepares children carefully for transitions and supports them to move smoothly between activities. Children follow familiar patterns in the day and move between experiences with confidence, showing that they understand boundaries. The childminder works in partnership with families to promote good attendance and follows procedures consistently. Children engage positively in their play within a calm and familiar environment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder sets clear behaviour expectations that reflect children's ages and stages of development. She models respectful interactions and promotes positive behaviour through calm guidance. During block play, she actively supports children to take turns, structures opportunities fairly and reinforces sharing. She manages behaviour consistently and calmly and uses praise to encourage positive interactions. Children join in with activities and remain engaged. The childminder supports children to share, cooperate and resolve minor conflicts with increasing independence. Children show kindness towards one another, for example bringing coats to their friends when getting ready to go outside. When disagreements arise, she responds proportionately and supports children to regulate their emotions, for example by helping them to identify and name different feelings. She recognises when some children need additional support to manage their behaviour and adapts her approach to help them

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Achievement Expected standard

Children listen during activities and join in with familiar language. They begin to express their own ideas and take part in shared experiences with others. As a result, children engage in their play and interact with others with increasing confidence.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children build their mathematical understanding through practical experiences and apply these skills within their play. They count in sequence and explore quantity during everyday activities. Children show increasing levels of concentration and sustain their engagement, returning to activities and building on their ideas over time. They explore different experiences with interest and show enjoyment in their learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop independence as they manage personal tasks and make choices within their play. For example, as they get ready to go outside, children organise their coats and shoes and take responsibility for their belongings, helping to prepare them for the next stage of their learning. Children choose resources, lead their own play and take part in routines with increasing confidence. They try new experiences and continue with activities, even when they are challenging. Children have many opportunities to take part in the wider community, for example attending local playgroups and visiting local shops where they meet new people and experience different environments. The childminder recognises when children may need additional support, and children, including those with emerging needs, make progress from their starting points. Children take part more confidently and engage alongside others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides care that reflects children's individual needs. She builds a clear understanding of each child through regular communication with families and responds to children's individual needs, including when they need reassurance or support to take part in activities.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder develops warm, responsive relationships and promotes children's understanding of health, safety and personal development in age-appropriate ways. For example, during story time, children sit close and snuggle into the childminder as she reads, showing they feel comfortable and secure in her care. The childminder encourages independence and supports emotional development through calm and consistent guidance, helping children to manage their feelings and behaviour. The childminder supports children's physical development through daily opportunities for movement and control. For example, children kick balls into a goal, showing coordination and control. Children use tools safely to mould play dough. The childminder supports children to understand personal safety through routines and guidance. She meets children's care needs appropriately, including supporting feeding and care routines in line with their stage of development. The childminder intends to

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

continue to improve her practice relating to supporting children to develop healthy lifestyles by accessing further training relating to this.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder organises rest and care arrangements appropriately and supports children's emotional wellbeing through thoughtful interaction. Children feel secure and settled in the childminder's care.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder delivers a balanced curriculum that reflects children's interests and supports the knowledge and skills they need for their next stage of learning. She plans across all areas of learning and builds on children's prior knowledge. The childminder provides opportunities for children to lead their own play.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder responds to children during activities and adapts her interactions to support their learning. She models language clearly throughout the day and introduces new vocabulary in meaningful contexts. For example, during familiar stories such as 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt', children join in with repeated phrases and actions. The childminder promotes early mathematical understanding through everyday experiences and encourages children to count, compare, sort and explore quantity during play. She supports physical development through regular opportunities that strengthen coordination, such as kicking balls into a goal.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children take part in collaborative play. For example, in the role-play area, children work together to make ice creams, sharing resources and interacting with each other as they play. The childminder supports this by staying close and responding to children's ideas. She uses assessment to understand what children know and can do and adapts experiences to maintain engagement and provide appropriate challenge. She recognises when children may need additional support to access activities and makes some adjustments to support their participation. She continues to develop her understanding of how to plan targeted support for children with emerging needs. Children begin to build secure foundations across areas of learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates an inclusive environment where she knows and values every child as an individual. She has high expectations for all children, including those who may face barriers to learning. The childminder develops an understanding of each child through careful observation, reflection and regular communication with families.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder adapts routines, resources and teaching approaches to ensure children access all aspects of the provision. She recognises when children become upset or overwhelmed and responds to their changing needs. She allows children space when needed and supports them to re-engage in activities. The childminder sits close to children during play and adapts her support to meet their individual needs. For example, as children explore emotions, she stays alongside them, naming and modelling different facial expressions as they respond and engage in the activity. As a result, children feel supported and take part confidently in activities.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder maintains open and trusting partnerships with parents and shares information regularly to promote continuity between home and the setting. She has an awareness of additional funding, including early years pupil premium, and knows how to check children's eligibility. Through evaluation of her professional skills, the childminder recognises areas where she would benefit from further development. This includes accessing training to strengthen her knowledge in the graduated approach. The childminder reviews children's progress regularly and adapts her practice to ensure that all children's individual needs are met.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder provides organised leadership that supports care and education successfully. She understands her responsibilities and maintains the policies, records and procedures required to run the provision effectively. The childminder organises systems efficiently to support the smooth day-to-day running of the setting. She maintains an overview of children's care and learning and uses this to ensure the provision remains consistent and responsive to children's needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder designs a curriculum that reflects children's interests, stages of development and emerging needs. She reflects on her practice and makes adjustments that strengthen children's experiences. She considers children's starting points and uses her knowledge of their development to inform planning and identify appropriate next steps. The childminder undertakes professional development to keep her knowledge current and engages with other professionals to support her practice. She has a clear plan of identified training to continue to improve her practice. The childminder manages her workload effectively and maintains open communication with parents. She considers her own wellbeing and organises her time to ensure she can meet children's needs consistently. Parents speak positively about the provision and the relationships their children experience. They report that communication is clear and that

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

they feel well informed about their children's care and development. The childminder builds strong partnerships with families and works closely with them to support children's learning and development. She keeps a clear focus on meeting children's individual 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

The childminder creates a safe, calm and welcoming environment where children feel comfortable to play and explore. Children build trusting relationships with the childminder and approach her with ease, remaining close during play and daily transitions. The childminder establishes consistent routines, and children move through the day with growing independence.

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

The childminder provides a wide range of engaging learning experiences. Children listen attentively, join in with familiar language and explore with confidence. During story time, children sit close to the childminder and snuggle in as she reads. She uses an expressive voice, lowering and raising the tone as the story unfolds. Children giggle and make sounds related to the story. The childminder encourages children to choose books and asks thought-provoking questions throughout. Outside, children confidently build stepping stones and carefully walk across them. They take turns and move with control as they balance from one to another. The childminder supports children as they take part in a range of experiences. Children use language to express ideas, practise counting in sequence and begin to recognise and name their feelings during interactions. For example, children use tools such as rolling pins to manipulate play dough while the childminder models language

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

such as 'roll' and 'push'. She encourages them to make marks, supporting their early writing skills.

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

The childminder plans experiences based on children's interests and what they already know. She reviews development regularly, identifies emerging concerns and shares these with parents. Children manage personal tasks, such as getting ready to go outside, make choices and cooperate with others, developing independence. The childminder expects children to take part in routines and make choices during play. She supports children to share, take turns and resolve minor disagreements calmly. The childminder recognises children's individual needs and adapts her approach so all children participate fully.

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Next steps

The childminder should maximise opportunities to further develop children's understanding of healthy lifestyles. The childminder should plan professional development more strategically, particularly to develop her understanding of the graduated approach, so support for children with additional needs is planned more effectively.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection and took account of the written views of parents and carers.

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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 : 08:00 - 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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