Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2797996 Registered with Ofsted: 20/09/2024 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 steady progress across all areas of learning. They show curiosity and sustained engagement, applying what they know in different contexts. Children's communication and language skills develop securely. They use increasingly complex sentences, respond confidently to questions and initiate conversations with adults and peers. Children express ideas with growing clarity and use newly acquired vocabulary accurately during play.

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Achievement Strong standard

Early literacy skills are developing well. Children experiment with pencils, chalks and brushes to form early shapes and patterns, and they begin to recognise familiar letters, including those in their names. They demonstrate secure comprehension skills, recalling events, characters or information from texts and showing enjoyment in exploring books independently. Mathematical understanding builds steadily, with children counting with accuracy and noticing and describing differences in size, amount, pattern and shape during practical play.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children who face additional barriers, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make sustained progress from their starting points because support is well matched and consistently reviewed. Targeted strategies such as breaking tasks into smaller steps, modelling language linked to children's needs and adapting activities to ensure full participation enable children to build secure foundations. As a result, children develop independence, curiosity and readiness for their next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave consistently well and thrive in an environment where expectations are calm, clear and embedded. The childminder models kindness and respect, and children mirror this in their interactions. They take turns during play, offer help during routines and use polite language naturally, reflecting the positive culture she has established.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder teaches children how to care for their environment and each other. She supports them to recognise when someone may need help and guides them to respond appropriately. Through clear explanations and sensitive prompting, she helps children understand how to work together safely, negotiate turn-taking and organise resources so that activities remain purposeful and enjoyable. Her consistent practice enables children to develop cooperation, social awareness and confidence in managing shared spaces.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Routines are well established and promote children's emotional security. Children recognise familiar cues, follow guidance confidently and take pride in contributing to shared responsibilities. The childminder considers children's age and stage of development carefully, offering reassurance when needed and adjusting expectations sensitively while encouraging children to think independently and make considered choices.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children respond to clear explanations about why rules help keep them safe and apply this understanding during play and outdoor exploration. The childminder supports children to recognise and express their feelings, helping them manage emotions calmly. Community experiences and outdoor learning further strengthen confidence, cooperation and social awareness.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children experience warm, responsive care that consistently meets their individual needs. The childminder builds secure relationships through calm interactions, attentive listening and sensitive reassurance. Children show confidence in exploring, seek comfort when unsure and naturally involve the childminder in their play, reflecting the trust they have developed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder embeds health and self-care routines purposefully throughout the day. She teaches children how to manage familiar expectations, such as wearing sun hats, washing hands and staying seated while eating. She models and guides safe eating practices, supervises closely and uses clear, age-appropriate explanations to help children understand how to keep themselves healthy. Her consistent practice enables children to develop secure habits, including accessing handwashing stations independently and engaging positively in sociable snack routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The environment is organised thoughtfully to promote children's safety and emotional security. The childminder carries out regular checks, adapts spaces to reduce risks and explains safety rules clearly so children understand how to keep themselves safe. Adaptations ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, feel secure and able to participate fully. Her reflective practice is evident in recent changes, such as replacing a closed playhouse with an open teepee to maintain visibility while supporting children who enjoy hiding. Her nurturing, reflective approach creates an environment where children develop confidence and a strong sense of belonging.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder provides a carefully planned and well-designed curriculum. Learning is carefully sequenced and rooted in children's interests, including themes such as dinosaurs, environmental sounds, sensory and physical play. She uses daily planning to respond to what children know, can do and enjoy, adapting activities when children's engagement changes so that their learning remains purposeful and meaningful.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Communication and language are prioritised throughout the day. The childminder models new vocabulary, narrates children's actions and asks questions that deepen children's understanding. Children explore mark-making with chalks, developing control and beginning to recognise familiar letters, including those in their names. They engage with stories and language-rich interactions that build secure foundations for future reading and writing. Mathematical language is also embedded, with children exploring concepts such as more, less, empty and half full during sensory and outdoor activities.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching is responsive and skilful. The childminder checks children's understanding and tailors her interactions to extend their learning, whether by encouraging problem-solving, supporting early writing movements or exploring patterns and textures in the outdoor environment. She adapts teaching sensitively for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, ensuring they access all areas of learning through well-matched adjustments. Children sustain concentration for extended periods, showing deep involvement in activities such as transferring materials, exploring sounds or building obstacle courses. As a result, children experience a curriculum that is coherent, engaging and joyful.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has established a deeply inclusive culture where children's individual needs are identified early and supported with care, precision and warmth. She knows children well and uses close observation, progress checks and regular discussions with parents to understand children's emerging or changing needs. This includes those of disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Support is thoughtfully adapted so that children can participate fully in all aspects of the setting. When children show uncertainty or hesitation in an area of learning, experiences are introduced gradually and paired with familiar routines to build confidence securely over time.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder seeks external guidance when needed and implements advice consistently. This contributes to children's sustained progress. Her partnerships with external professionals ensure that strategies are well matched and responsive.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children's uniqueness is valued. Adaptations such as changes to the environment or consistent routines are used purposefully to reduce barriers and promote children's full participation. The childminder monitors children's progress systematically, reviewing adjustments and refining support as children's needs evolve. Partnerships with families and external professionals are positive and coherent. Parents describe the childminder's communication as clear, responsive and reassuring, contributing to a highly inclusive environment in which children feel understood, supported and able to flourish.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates reflective and well-organised leadership. She has a clear understanding of her statutory responsibilities and ensures that policies, records and safeguarding procedures are maintained accurately and reviewed regularly. This creates a consistent and well-structured provision where routines run smoothly and children's wellbeing is prioritised.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Self-evaluation is embedded in daily practice. The childminder reflects on what works well and identifies areas to strengthen, drawing on professional guidance, training and feedback from families. She makes purposeful adjustments to the environment and resources to support children's emerging needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. External advice is sought when appropriate and implemented effectively to ensure support is well matched and inclusive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Professional development is used meaningfully to refine practice. The childminder engages in relevant training. She applies new learning to strengthen teaching, adapt resources and introduce strategies that support children's communication, sensory needs and independence. She evaluates the impact of changes carefully, ensuring that adaptations such as new resources, environmental changes or targeted strategies lead to improved outcomes for children. Partnerships with parents and external professionals are secure. The childminder communicates clearly, shares information about children's experiences and works collaboratively to support continuity of children's care. She reviews the impact of changes carefully and adjusts her provision as children's needs evolve. Her calm, reflective approach ensures the setting remains safe, nurturing and focused on children's development.

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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 this warm, secure and deeply engaging environment. They form trusting attachments with the childminder, confidently involving her in their play, sharing discoveries and returning to her naturally for reassurance. This emotional security enables them to explore with enthusiasm, sustain concentration and take pride in their achievements. They feel valued, which helps them develop a confident sense of belonging and a positive attitude to learning.

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

Curiosity drives children's experiences throughout the day. When reading dinosaur stories, they eagerly name favourites such as a T-Rex, copying new vocabulary with growing confidence. They act out the story with energetic stomping and laughter and point out familiar characters. Outdoors, children immerse themselves in sensory exploration, transferring cereal through tubes and diggers and listening intently to the 'crunch' as dinosaurs stomp through the tuff tray. The childminder enriches this play with mathematical and descriptive language, including scoop, pour, half full, more and less, helping children build secure early concepts.

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

Children collaborate well. They help each other pump soap at the handwashing station, pass cups at snack time and thank each other for their efforts. They negotiate turn-taking on obstacle blocks and work together to move equipment onto the grass after thinking about how to make play safer. These interactions show how deeply embedded kindness, cooperation and respect are within the setting.

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

Independence is a hallmark of children's experiences. They find their shoes and hats, pour drinks confidently, peel fruit and help place peel in the compost bin. Attendance is promoted positively, with the childminder working closely with families to support consistent routines. Children's uniqueness is valued, and adaptations ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, participate fully. As a result, children feel understood, secure and well prepared for their next stage of learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to build on her already strong promotion of children's independence by further enhancing the learning environment to deepen opportunities for purposeful exploration.

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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 : 07:15 - 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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