Chappell, Amy Louise

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2842080 Registered with Ofsted: 18/07/2025 Registers: EYR

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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 very good progress from their individual starting points. They successfully build on what they already know and can do and have personalised next steps to help them achieve their goals.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children who face barriers to their learning make good progress. The childminder makes adaptations to help them overcome these barriers and develop their confidence and independence.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are given time and opportunities to have a go and try things for themselves, helping them to develop their independence. For example, when children give the childminder dressing-up clothes to put on, she encourages them to try for themselves and supports them when needed.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are increasingly confident. The childminder plans outings and experiences, such as music and movement classes, which help children to develop their confidence and social skills. Children develop the knowledge and skills they need to prepare them for their future learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places a high priority on children's physical and emotional wellbeing. She knows children and their families extremely well and works closely with them to provide continuity of care. She uses this knowledge to provide care that is individual to each child and is highly attentive to their needs. She forms genuine and secure attachments with children, which help them to feel a strong sense of belonging. Children confidently seek her out for comfort and reassurance and know that she is there to support them when they need her.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children have daily opportunities for outdoor play, whether this is in the local community or in the childminder's garden. This supports children's physical and emotional wellbeing. The childminder visits new places before taking children there, to assess any risks and ensure that they are safe and suitable.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are supported to develop healthy habits from an early age. The childminder works with families to promote healthy choices in children's packed lunches. Oral hygiene is introduced through children's play, providing opportunities for them to learn about the importance of looking after their teeth. For example, children use toothbrushes and model teeth to help them become familiar with good oral hygiene.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is extremely proactive in changing her practice to meet children's needs. She understands the areas she wants to develop to improve her provision and provide the

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Expected standard

best possible opportunities for children. She is constantly looking to improve her own knowledge and understanding and undertakes regular learning, both online and face to face.

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Expected standard

The childminder works closely with a network of childminders and the local authority and seeks their advice and support when needed. She reflects on what she learns and adapts her practice to meet the individual needs of children. For example, she has developed her knowledge of how children learn through schemas. She uses this knowledge to provide learning opportunities that build on children's interests and shares what she has learned with parents.

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Expected standard

Partnerships with parents are highly effective. Parents receive regular updates about their children's progress, activities and learning. The childminder works closely with families to support children's next steps and shares ideas about how learning can be extended at home. She knows her families extremely well and uses this knowledge to develop her provision. For example, she introduced a book-lending scheme with props to encourage families to enjoy stories together at home.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are happy and secure in the childminder's care. They have warm and trusting relationships with her and confidently seek her out for cuddles, reassurance and support when they need it.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are developing positive social skills and learning how to play respectfully with each other. For example, children willingly hand out role-play resources to others and are learning to share during their play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are gently reminded of the rules and boundaries that help to keep them safe and considerate of others. As a result, children are typically well behaved. The childminder steps in when needed to support children through conflicts and disagreements, using strategies that are appropriate for their age and stage of development. Children respond positively to the childminder's guidance and are supported to resolve minor disagreements calmly.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes regular attendance with families, and follows up children's absences when needed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is in tune with children's individual needs and is able to pick up on their cues to adapt activities and care. Routines are generally appropriate but are not yet fully embedded. This means that some transitions do not run smoothly for children.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses children's interests to plan meaningful learning opportunities. For example, after children became interested in the leaves that they found during a visit to the park, the childminder used the leaves they collected for mark-making activities and to enhance the learning environment.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children benefit from a broad range of experiences outside the childminder's home. The childminder takes children to libraries, parks and nature reserves and considers their individual interests when deciding where to visit. This helps children to learn about their local community and broadens their experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder works closely with families to understand children's starting points and builds learning from what they already know and can do. For example, when children showed an interest in throwing and scattering objects, the childminder built on this interest by introducing smaller objects, such as pom-poms, to help children develop control and coordination in their hands and fingers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically uses good communication skills to support children's learning. She models and repeats vocabulary to introduce children to new words. For example, during dressing-up play, she encourages children to use words to ask for help and introduces words, such as 'wiggle' and 'stuck', as they try to put on different clothes. However, the childminder does not consistently make use of everyday routines, such as mealtimes, to develop children's communication and language.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides a warm and welcoming environment where all children are valued and respected for being themselves. The childminder works closely with families before children start so she can understand children's individual needs, routines and family circumstances. The childminder regularly reviews each child's development and shares this with parents. This helps parents to understand their child's progress and how they can continue to support their learning and development at home.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is reflective of her practice and makes adaptations to routines and experiences to support children's individual wellbeing and development. She works closely with parents when children need additional support and seeks advice from others when needed. She uses this advice to adapt her practice and support children's individual needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has completed appropriate training to help her identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She knows how and when to access guidance from local services and the inclusion team when children need extra support.

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

Children thrive in the care of this childminder. They are happy and settled and benefit from the warm and homely environment that she has created. Children confidently explore and play, returning to the childminder for a cuddle or reassurance when they need it, before happily continuing with their play.

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

Children enjoy a wide range of experiences. They regularly visit playgroups, parks, nature areas and the local library, where they explore books and join in with singing sessions. Children's interests are valued and often shape what happens next. For example, after children became interested in leaves at the park, they brought some back to the childminder's home. This interest was then developed further as children explored a new theme about the weather. Children also enjoy familiar experiences through their play, such as pretending to be doctors and talking about what doctors do.

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

Children enjoy learning alongside each other and are developing positive relationships with their friends. They involve others in their play, offer resources to each other, and are learning to share. They are taught good manners and encouraged to be kind and considerate of others.

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

Children are encouraged to have a go and become increasingly independent. Their efforts are noticed and celebrated, often with a 'high five' when they achieve something for themselves.

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

Children and their families are valued. Children take favourite books and props home to share with their families, helping their experiences and enjoyment of stories to continue beyond the setting. Children are known and valued for who they are. Their individual personalities, interests and needs are recognised and supported, helping them to develop confidence, feel that they belong and flourish in the childminder's care.

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Next steps

The childminder should make better use of everyday routines and experiences as opportunities to extend children's learning, particularly their communication and language. The childminder should embed new routines so that transitions run smoothly and meet the needs of all children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and parents 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 - 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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