Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2834030 Registered with Ofsted: 25/04/2025 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

Children make steady progress from their individual starting points and develop well across all areas of learning. Activities are generally adapted to meet all the children's individual needs. Children who may face barriers to their learning, such as to their communication or social skills, are fully included in daily routines and activities.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children build on their communication and language skills through their responsive interactions with the childminder. They are supported to use single words and are developing their ability to combine two and three word phrases. They enjoy copying actions to familiar songs, which supports their communication, physical development and self- confidence.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress in their mathematical understanding. For example, in a cooking activity, children counted two eggs, pointing to each egg as they counted. This demonstrates their developing understanding of number.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate enthusiasm and enjoyment during activities. For example, they giggle and say 'squash' as they mash the banana during a cooking activity. They show delight when they successfully mash the banana, following the childminder's clear instructions. This demonstrates their engagement, confidence and enjoyment in learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, children develop the confidence and skills needed to move on to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has appropriate expectations for children's behaviour and acts as a positive role model. She offers praise and validation for emotions, helping children feel more confident and develop positive self-esteem. The childminder uses strategies to help children manage emotions that she knows are effective for each child. She responds sensitively and calmly to their individual needs.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder encourages the children to use kind hands, share and take turns, helping them develop positive relationships with others. The childminder promotes appropriate manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you', which supports children in developing positive social skills and respectful interactions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has well-established routines in place. She discusses the daily routine with the children at the beginning of each day, helping them to understand what to expect and supports them to develop a sense of security and confidence. The children are keen to join in with activities and demonstrate appropriate levels of concentration. They show enjoyment and enthusiasm in their learning. For example, they smile and laugh as their brick-built tower falls down.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder builds trusting relationships with the children. Her warm interactions help children to feel safe, secure and valued in her care. Children enjoy the warm and nurturing environment and invite the childminder to join in their play with role play toys.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder typically helps children understand and express their emotions and provides sensitive support in times of need. For example, when children become frustrated during play, she acknowledges their feelings and offers reassuring comments. This generally has a positive impact on children's wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder teaches children about the importance of developing healthy lifestyles. She provides a nutritionally balanced diet and offers opportunities for children to learn about healthy food choices. For example, children enjoy a fresh fruit snack and make sugar-free muffins to enjoy after lunch. The childminder encourages children to stay hydrated. Children can independently help themselves to drinking water from the dispenser, supporting their growing independence and physical skills.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are taught how to keep themselves safe when on outings. They are beginning to understand the importance of staying together and confidently recite the setting's motto, 'we stick together, we are a team'. This helps children develop an understanding of safety and the importance of looking out for one another.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works with parents to support children's care needs. For example, she liaises with them to offer children support with their sleep, carefully working to the same routines and arrangements.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder's curriculum is generally planned and implemented effectively to support children's progress in learning and development. It places a strong emphasis on developing children's independence and emotional development and preparing them for school. For example, the childminder supports children to wash and dry their hands, use cutlery appropriately and manage dressing and undressing. These everyday routines help children develop confidence, developing their self-esteem and increasingly managing their own personal needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children develop a love of books from an early age. The childminder provides an inviting book corner where children can independently choose books to explore and share with the childminder. Regular weekly visits to the library further enrich children's experiences, giving them opportunities to explore a wider range of books and develop their enjoyment of reading.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children enjoy regular opportunities for outdoor play, which supports their physical development. The outdoor area has a large swing apparatus that provides children with the opportunities to develop their strength, coordination and climbing skills. These experiences support children in building their gross motor skills. The childminder plans activities that reflect children's individual needs and interests. For example, toddlers enjoy exploring the water tray, where the childminder incorporates mathematical concepts, such as pouring and scooping. This supports children's natural curiosity while developing their early mathematical understanding and physical skills. The childminder further extends children's learning by introducing new vocabulary and a wider range of tools. However, at times, she has not considered fully if activities and resources are suitably matched to each child's age and stage of development. This can limit children's

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

engagement and opportunities to make meaningful progress in their learning and development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides an inclusive environment where all children feel valued, safe and supported. She identifies children's individual needs effectively through observations and close communication with parents and carers. She takes appropriate action to reduce barriers to children's learning and wellbeing by adapting the environment and her teaching approaches. For example, she creates a calm learning environment for children who may become overwhelmed and adapts communication strategies to meet individual needs. This approach demonstrates her positive commitment to inclusive practice and ensuring all children can access and engage in learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has a good knowledge of the progress check at age 2. This supports her in identifying any areas where children may require additional support and helps her respond appropriately to their individual and learning needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although there are no children attending with special educational needs and/or disabilities or in receipt of funding, the childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of the benefits of funding and steps she would take should concerns arise. This includes seeking advice from relevant professionals and working closely with parents and carers to ensure children receive appropriate support.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and carers to establish children's starting points and regularly shares observations. However, children's next steps are not consistently shared with parents and carers, meaning opportunities for them to support and extend their child's learning and development at home are not fully established.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder keeps all mandatory training up to date, including paediatric first aid and safeguarding. She demonstrates a strong commitment to continuous professional development and has recently completed a range of short courses to further develop her knowledge and expertise. She uses this learning to strengthen her practice and support positive outcomes for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder promotes positive partnerships with parents and carers. Parents speak highly of the care provided, the communication they receive and the range of experiences available. The childminder gathers vital information from parents when children first start attending, helping to understand their individual needs, routines and interests. Observations are shared regularly with parents and carers through an online system. However, children's next steps in learning and development are not constantly shared with parents and carers. As a result, opportunities for parents and carers to extend their children's learning at home and contribute to a more joined-up approach to children's learning between home and the setting are sometimes missed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of her strengths and areas for development and is committed to continually improving the setting and maintaining high standards. For example, she has identified the need to further develop opportunities to promote diversity and to strengthen her knowledge and skills in supporting children's speech and language 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 are happy in this warm, nurturing, homely setting and enjoy attending. They have close, trusting bonds with the childminder which makes them feel safe and ready to start the day. They benefit from the warm relationship with the childminder, who knows their routines, interests and family circumstances well. She notices when the children need emotional support and offers comfort, reassurance or a gentle distraction. This makes them feel valued and secured. They thrive from familiar routines, for example, they know what to do before mealtimes and talk about washing their hands. They learn robust hygiene routines as they develop their independence in preparation for school.

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

Children select toys, resources to play with and activities they would like to do. This develops their curiosity, confidence and independence. These routines help children get ready for their next steps in their learning. Children engage in their learning with interest. They show enjoyment as they explore activities designed to build their thinking skills. They concentrate as they fill up the watering cans from the tap and carry them back to the water tray, negotiating steps along the way. The childminder's enthusiasm and support help children to take risks, build confidence and challenge themselves and their abilities.

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

Children enjoy exploring their surrounding area, as they regularly go to the library and tour the local town by bus. This develops their confidence and understanding of the wider community, while helping them become familiar with local places and people.

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

Children benefit form clear, consistent messages about the setting's rules. They learn to take turns, share and use kind hands. Children learn how some behaviours, such as hitting, can hurt others and make them feel sad.

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Next steps

The childminder should share more consistent information about children's next steps with parents so that they understand strategies to support their child's ongoing development. The childminder should match her teaching more effectively to children's individual learning needs to support their ongoing achievement.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents 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 : 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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