Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2798418 Registered with Ofsted: 12/08/2024 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 Expected standard

All children make progress from their starting points. Those requiring additional support benefit from appropriate specialist help, where needed, enabling them to continue making progress alongside their peers. All children develop confidence, particularly in their speaking and listening skills. Children are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are happy, thrive and build on what they already know and can do. They regulate their emotions and engage successfully in learning. They smile and play alongside peers with growing confidence, demonstrating emotional security. Children try new foods, such as blueberries and yoghurt, drink water regularly and independently feed themselves with spoons. They develop healthy eating habits.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children explore the community, enjoying rich experiences. Their knowledge of the world broadens and deepens through real-life opportunities, such as visiting parks and farms. Children share memories and enjoy time with their friends. This contributes positively to their achievement and wellbeing.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well. They enjoy outdoor play and are encouraged to stay safe and to drink plenty. Children develop skills in pouring their own drinks, with guidance. For example, the childminder offers hand-over-hand support and praises efforts. Children learn to drink independently from open cups, developing control and coordination. Where children attempt to play with drinking water, expectations are reinforced. Children are sensitively redirected to water play for practising their pouring skills. Children begin to follow instructions well.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are supported in managing their self-care, including toileting. The childminder narrates routines, supporting children to understand and follow steps such as washing and drying their hands. However, when reminded of expectations, such as remaining inside the bathroom for privacy until they have finished and are appropriately dressed, the childminder does not always explain why this is important to add depth to their understanding.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is caring, sensitive and responsive, adapting play routines to support individual needs. The childminder provides reassurance, comfort items and familiar resources to help children regulate emotions and remain settled. However, care routines are not always fully effective in consistently meeting children's needs, for example, where lunch is delayed due to changes in routines. Children sometimes become too tired and more emotional at mealtimes, as a result.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children benefit from healthy and safe mealtime practices. Meals are safely prepared and meet dietary requirements, including allergy needs. Children are encouraged to develop independence by feeding themselves. They learn appropriate manners and safe-eating practices, such as saying please and thank you, and taking time to chew their food. These routines support the development of positive lifelong habits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Experiences are enriched through community visits, such as to farms, libraries and play centres. This supports children's curiosity, early love of books and understanding of the world. Those receiving additional funding, benefit from targeted planning that offers new experiences and addresses gaps. Children build on their confidence within new environments.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Partnerships with parents and carers are positive, and the childminder monitors attendance effectively. This supports readiness for school. The childminder generally demonstrates understanding of individual care needs, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This enables her to support emotional regulation effectively. However, explanations around care routines do not support deeper understanding. While routines are modelled, explanations are not always extended to support older children's understanding of why expectations are in place. For example, the childminder does not explain why they should dress before leaving the bathroom.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder delivers a well-sequenced curriculum that builds on children's individual stages of development, through purposeful, engaging experiences. Children enthusiastically explore activities that encourage them to fill, empty, pour, squeeze and investigate, developing their physical skills. They develop concentration and understanding through repeated practise. Children confidently ask for support when needed, demonstrating secure relationships and positive attitudes to learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder extends learning by including mathematical language throughout play. For example, she encourages children to identify objects by size, colour and name. The childminder gives simple instructions and uses clear questioning to deepen understanding. She introduces new vocabulary, such as 'melting', and encourages children to repeat and use new words in meaningful contexts. Children count caterpillars, describe actions, such as 'squish', and begin to form short sentences as they play. This supports children to be active learners.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder carefully builds on children's interests by suggesting new ideas and encouraging perseverance. For example, when children find tasks challenging, she reassures them and supports them to build resilience and to succeed. The childminder helps children to build confidence in readiness for future learning. She generally manages behaviour well, reminding children to share, take turns and respect others, through clear expectations.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder adapts her teaching effectively for individual children, using interventions, slower speech, simple language, gestures and visual cues. As a result, all children remain engaged in play.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children are supported through daily experiences. The childminder knows children well and tailors her interactions, teaching and care to meet their individual needs. Children with speech delays access all areas of the setting confidently because of thoughtful adaptations. For instance, the childminder uses clear reminders of routines using visual aids, eye contact, slower speech and simple instructions. Support and repetition promote children's understanding and participation in play and routines.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is patient and typically supports children sensitively during transitions. For example, she uses gestures and reassurance when narrating routines and encourages children to be independent at every opportunity. The childminder praises children's efforts while providing sensitive guidance. She helps children recognise when their shoes are on the wrong feet and encourages them to correct this independently. Her high expectations help to build children's resilience and self-help skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder generally identifies and assesses children's emerging needs and acts promptly to secure appropriate support. She works proactively with outside professionals, makes timely referrals and implements specialist advice effectively to ensure children receive the support they need. The childminder shares practical strategies for care and learning that promote continuity between home and the setting. She is sensitive to individual family circumstances and ensures support is personalised and responsive. As a result, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make appropriate progress from their individual starting points and develop the confidence and skills needed to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates commitment to securing positive outcomes for all children. Children form trusting relationships within her home, which support them to feel safe, settled and able to thrive. The childminder closely monitors children's development and ensures that any emerging needs are identified promptly. Where additional support is required, appropriate intervention is sought in a timely manner. This helps to promote children's welfare and support families effectively.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder shows a proactive approach to professional development and continuous improvement. The childminder engages with her local authority, attends webinars and makes effective use of the guidance and information shared through family hubs. This strengthens her knowledge, practice and provision. However, practice does not consistently promote deeper thinking for children or fully support the needs of all children during routines.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder uses reflective tools to evaluate her practice. She ensures her understanding is up to date and in line with current guidance. This supports her understanding of areas for improvement and helps her maintain a focus on safe, effective and consistent practice. As a result, children benefit from a nurturing environment where their welfare, development and emotional wellbeing are prioritised.

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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 are happy and have secure relationships with the childminder. Children confidently seek comfort, reassurance and support throughout the day, demonstrating that they feel emotionally secure. The childminder knows children well and responds sensitively to their individual needs, creating an environment where children feel safe. Children explore the playroom confidently and the childminder generally responds promptly to any changes in their behaviour. She responds with empathy when children become emotional, by offering reassurance to skilfully distract children by using familiar home comforters, for instance, engaging them in enjoyable activities that quickly restore their sense of wellbeing. As a result, children typically regulate their emotions effectively.

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

Children demonstrate curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. For example, they eagerly search for butterflies and caterpillars hidden in shredded paper, using a magnifying glass to investigate and observe closely. This engaging activity encourages children to explore, question and develop positive attitudes towards learning, through first-hand experiences. While waiting for lunch, the childminder encourages children to choose and complete favourite puzzles, promoting perseverance, concentration and problem-solving skills, during everyday routines.

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

Children play cooperatively and behave well. They immerse themselves in imaginative role play, dressing up, wearing crowns and confidently creating their own stories. Children pretend to feed their toys and imitate care routines they observe at home. They show kindness, sensitivity and consideration as they care for dolls, demonstrating growing empathy and understanding of others. They confidently share their ideas, use their imaginations creatively and involve their friends in collaborative play.

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

The childminder creates a language-rich environment where all children become confident communicators. She narrates play, introduces new vocabulary and offers frequent praise that boosts children's confidence and self-esteem. Children respond enthusiastically, engaging in meaningful conversations and expressing their ideas clearly. They display high levels of concentration during activities such as perfume-making, where they scoop, pour, stir and mix different materials. These experiences strengthen children's physical skills while encouraging exploration, sustained engagement and purposeful learning across all areas of development. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are prepared for future learning. Parents know their children feel valued and are safe while at the childminder's. Children attend regularly and have effective routines. As a result, children make progress for future learning.

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Next steps

Leaders should reflect on how routines are adapted for differing circumstances and challenges, to fully support the care needs of children at all times. Leaders should provide further clarity during care routines, such as toileting, to promote understanding for older children of why expectations are in place.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents, carers 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 : 07:30 - 17:00

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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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