Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2803562 Registered with Ofsted: 11/09/2024 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 notable progress from their unique starting points across all areas of the curriculum. They demonstrate high levels of engagement, curiosity and growing confidence in their physical independence. Older children safely navigate outdoor steps during play. Younger children benefit from gentle support, such as holding the childminder's hand when transitioning outside, to build confidence.

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Achievement Strong standard

Communication and language skills flourish over time as a direct result of targeted language support. Children who previously relied on vocalisations to communicate now successfully combine 2 or more words to express their needs. Personal care skills develop rapidly through consistent routines. Children who were not previously toilet trained, learn to use the toilet independently and manage their hygiene with confidence.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well. Due to tailored guidance, individualised strategies and timely early intervention, no child falls behind in their learning. As a result, all children are consistently well prepared for their next stage in learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. Embedded daily routines provide children with a sense of emotional security and structure. The childminder actively promotes attendance with parents and carers, to ensure children access these routines consistently. The childminder maintains high expectations for behaviour and addresses any unwanted behaviour swiftly and calmly. She uses gentle, positive reminders to help children understand rules and boundaries. For example, when reminding about appropriate behaviour, she asks what feet are for, prompting children to answer, 'kicking balls'. Children quickly learn to manage their own emotions and understand the reasons behind boundaries.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children are encouraged to try tasks themselves to build confidence and independence. For instance, when children struggle to cut fruit, the childminder suggests holding the fruit with one hand and safely cutting with the knife in the other. As a result, children persist when difficulties arise. Familiar inclusive routines help children manage their own personal needs smoothly. Younger children know to wait to be seated, while older children climb independently into chairs. Children line up to wash their hands before snack time and wait patiently for the childminder to call them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder models good manners continuously, gently reminding children to use polite language throughout the day. As a result, children are consistently kind, share resources and offer warm affection to one another. During threading activities, children offer peers a bead, saying, 'you need the pear.' Other children respond politely, asking, 'can I have the ice cream, please?'

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder acts as a secure base for children. They seek her out for reassurance, and she warmly gets down to their level to support their emotions. For example, when children splash one another in the water tray, she encourages them to look at facial expressions. She labels emotions, explaining that a peer 'doesn't like it'. Consequently, children begin to see the impact of their actions on others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides additional settling-in sessions for new children or those returning after an absence. This targeted and inclusive support ensures children feel safe, secure and emotionally supported throughout transitions. Weaning practices carefully follow advice from parents and carers to maintain consistency between home and the setting. Healthy habits are promoted continuously throughout daily routines. The childminder provides healthy, home-cooked meals, remaining mindful of prevalent, local health issues to help combat childhood obesity, for instance. Oral health is supported, using large models of teeth to teach brushing techniques. The childminder gathers information at the outset to ensure children are registered at a dentist. Furthermore, she offers screen time advice to parents and carers to help manage usage and promote healthy choices.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's sleep routines are managed safely and effectively. The childminder has completed recent safe sleep training and purchased new floor mats to create safe resting spaces. Fresh drinking water is freely accessible and children learn to access their own drinks independently. Handwashing routines are embedded firmly to support hygiene and overall wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder designs an ambitious and inclusive curriculum that covers all areas of learning. High-quality teaching is differentiated carefully to ensure learning is age- and stage-appropriate. The childminder uses her assessments of children to identify the skills they need to learn next. During interactive story sessions, younger children put a gingerbread man toy into the oven, to boost engagement. Older children expand their thinking by sharing creative ideas, such as suggesting the gingerbread man walks over a bridge. As a result, children develop a love of books and independently select them during play.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder promotes personal, social and emotional development, by encouraging children to take turns during group play, for example. Mathematical understanding develops naturally alongside language, as children name shapes together, such as 'circle' and 'rectangle'. Children build rich vocabulary, learning new descriptive words, such as 'fierce', during story time, and 'mangetout', during conversations at lunchtime. The childminder introduces these terms through consistent language modelling, clear explanations and targeted questioning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Literacy skills are embedded in the environment, as older children identify familiar signs and symbols. They recognise the letters in their own names during daily activities and routines. Activities are planned purposefully to stretch children's curiosity and deepen their understanding. Physical development is supported as children practise filling and emptying sand during sensory play. They squeeze pegs onto letter boards to strengthen finger control. As a result, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning, master new skills. They build firm foundations for their next steps in education.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder consistently provides an inclusive environment where children's individual needs are identified and addressed well. Precise assessment systems allow the childminder to track development accurately. She knows exactly what children know, understand and need to learn next. Progress is reviewed termly and shared regularly with parents and carers. This ensures families remain fully involved in their children's educational journey. Targeted progress checks for two-year-old children establish clear, manageable steps to address any emerging gaps in development quickly. The childminder collaborates with external health professionals and specialists to coordinate early intervention and guidance. Effective strategies, such as clear language modelling and individualised physical support, help children build confidence across all learning areas.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Resources are thoughtfully adapted for every developmental stage. Older children use age- appropriate knives to slice fruit at snack time, while younger children use hand-held cutters to build independence safely. Activities are tailored further during play-dough sessions, using specific tools to build finger control and strength. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning, participate fully at the setting, making consistent progress from starting points. The childminder works closely with parents to understand home routines. She gains specialist knowledge regarding the care and use of specific equipment, ensuring children receive the support they need. Currently, no children receive early years pupil premium funding. However, the childminder is prepared well, to involve parents in planning how funding is spent to close any gaps in

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Inclusion Strong standard

learning and improve outcomes for children.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is consistently reflective and evaluates her provision to maintain high standards of care. Where she identifies gaps in her own knowledge, she proactively researches these areas to strengthen her practice and benefit children's outcomes. She works closely with the local authority early years team to enhance her practice and refine provision. Furthermore, she accesses online training regularly to inform self-evaluation and continuously elevate educational outcomes. For example, the childminder identified tidy-up time as an area for improvement within the daily routine. She successfully embedded a tidy- up song and assigned specific jobs to children, creating a smooth transition. The childminder liaises with other local childminders to share creative ideas and support mutual wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnership with parents and carers are a notable strength of this warm and welcoming setting. Parents deeply value the homely environment and the daily communication the childminder provides, both face-to-face and through digital messages, sharing next steps and home-learning ideas. To enhance provision further, the childminder has built a cabin to extend learning opportunities and routines. Children settle in well, feel part of the childminder's family and flourish in their development. Leadership ensures a safe, consistently well-managed environment, where children thrive.

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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 thrive in the care of the nurturing and patient childminder. They welcome visitors warmly on arrival, sharing their names and ages with confidence. Children recall details about peers who are not present that day, showing a rich sense of belonging. They build deep emotional security through close attachments, seeking cuddles from the childminder whenever needed. Children invite the childminder into their play, politely offering her pretend drinks during imaginative role play. They build positive social skills during regular forest school sessions, socialising confidently within a wider peer group. Children learn to negotiate, share equipment and form warm friendships while exploring outdoor environments together. Children benefit from families being warmly welcomed and valued as partners in their learning.

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

Children make rapid progress in communication, language and literacy. They join in enthusiastically with story time, animatedly repeating lines from 'The Gingerbread Man', for example. Mathematical thinking develops naturally across their play. Children spontaneously identify semi-circles and compare the sizes of objects. They count confidently up to to 9 with the childminder, while she cuts slices of banana. Children remain consistently engaged in their learning throughout activities. Physical resilience develops well. For example, children persevere when overturning toppled tricycles or mastering tools, such as knives and pipettes. They settle themselves in a calm space where accessible resources guide their interests. Children develop empathy and social awareness, taking turns and helping younger peers during routine activities.

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

Children respect social boundaries, listening to explanations and apologising to peers without prompting when accidents happen. Children take pride in active responsibilities, happily completing tidy-up missions and clearing their plates into the bin after snack. They demonstrate independence in their personal care. Children wash and dry their hands with little support needed. They follow sun safety rules consistently, wearing hats while playing in the garden, for instance, explaining clearly why they need them.

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

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning, make consistent progress from their starting points. Children attend the setting regularly as the childminder promotes attendance, ensuring they benefit fully from daily routines and learning opportunities.

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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 those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities 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, parents and carers 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 : 07:30 - 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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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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