Childminder in KnowsleyOfsted report card, 24 Sept 2026

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2855520 Registered with Ofsted: 26/09/2025 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children consistently behave well and show kindness towards each other. Older children independently and without prompting help to look after younger children by passing them their belongings before outdoor play and drinks at mealtimes. Children are taught to take turns and share. The childminder purposefully provides opportunities for children to practise waiting for their turn. Children are praised with 'good waiting' as they wait patiently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder helps children to understand and express their feelings. She talks to children about emotions and encourages them to use words to communicate what they need, for example, asking for help when they become frustrated. Children are encouraged to persevere with activities and to keep trying, helping them to develop resilience.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is reflective of the routine and makes changes to meet the needs of the children, ensuring that they have uninterrupted opportunities for play and learning. She talks to children about what is happening next in the day and uses familiar songs during routines and transitions to help children move calmly between activities. This helps children to feel settled and understand what is expected of them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder understands the importance of regular attendance for children's future learning. She follows up unexplained absences with families when necessary.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children have their own peg to place their coats and bags. They have photos of themselves displayed alongside their self-portrait drawings on the wall. This helps to give children a sense of belonging.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children have daily access to the outdoors and are provided with puddle suits and wellies so that they can enjoy being outdoors in all weathers. The childminder plans outings based on children's interests. She visits places beforehand and risk assesses them, choosing quieter locations that allow children to explore their surroundings safely and confidently.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder has warm relationships with the children, and they enjoy seeking her out for comfort and a cuddle. She is in tune with children's individual needs and anticipates when they may need additional support. She adapts routines accordingly, such as having activities ready for when children come indoors to help them settle into the transition.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder gives careful consideration to children's individual care needs. She follows safer sleep guidance and carries out regular checks while children sleep. Personal care routines are warm and responsive, with the childminder talking and singing to younger children during nappy changes to help them feel comfortable and secure.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Mealtimes are used as a further opportunity for learning. Children can bring a healthy packed lunch or have a home-cooked meal. The childminder knows children's preferences and talks to them about making healthy choices. Children are introduced to new tastes and

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Expected standard

dishes from different cultures. As a result, they are increasingly willing to try unfamiliar foods and enjoy a varied diet.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children enjoy a curriculum designed around their interests, which builds on what they already know and can do. For example, when looking at pictures around the environment, children spot a picture of a bus and are encouraged to share their experiences of travelling on buses. The childminder then builds on this by singing songs about buses with them.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder uses everyday experiences and routines to support children's learning across all areas. Mathematics is explicitly taught through purposeful activities and then revisited during everyday situations to embed learning. For example, after looking at numbers displayed in the environment and children talking about how old they are, children have other opportunities to use their counting skills, such as counting the grapes on their plates at snack time.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching, activities and experiences are thoughtful and reflect what children need to learn next. For example, for children who are learning to become independent in using cutlery, spoons are added to areas in the outdoor environment. This gives children lots of opportunities to practise holding and using cutlery.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children are supported to develop their communication and language skills through meaningful conversations, where new vocabulary is introduced and repeated. For example, when younger children struggle with a task, the childminder models the word 'help', encouraging them to use language to communicate what they need.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make progress from their individual starting points and develop the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. They become increasingly independent and are able to dress themselves ready for outdoor play. The childminder prepares children for their next stage by encouraging their independence, resilience and perseverance. For example, when children find it difficult to operate the water butt independently, she encourages them to keep trying and celebrates their achievement when they succeed.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their language skills from a young age. They independently choose their favourite books and bring these to the childminder to read together. They use props and soft toys to bring familiar stories to life, helping them to develop a lasting enjoyment of books.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make progress in their physical development and become increasingly confident in exploring the outdoor environment. They draw on a large scale and enjoy filling and emptying containers during water play. Younger children are supported to explore more independently, with the childminder holding their hand when needed to help them develop their confidence.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides an inclusive environment where she takes time to get to know children and their families before they start. This helps her to understand children's individual needs and make assessments of their development to plan their learning accordingly. The childminder carefully plans and adapts activities so that children of different ages and stages can take part. For example, newly mobile children are able to access outdoor resources, such as stepping stones, with the childminder holding their hand and supporting them as they develop their balance and confidence. This helps to ensure that experiences are inclusive and accessible for all children.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder regularly reviews children's progress and shares this with parents. As a result, barriers to children's learning are identified and strategies are put in place to support their learning and development. The childminder works with outside professionals such as health visitors to help support children. She seeks advice when she has concerns about children's learning and development and shares information about children's progress with them. She knows where to go for further advice and support when needed, helping to make sure that children get the support they need.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective about her provision and makes changes when she identifies improvements that will benefit children. For example, she recognises when children are reluctant to come inside for snack when highly engaged in their outdoor play. The childminder acts upon this and changes the routine to give children more uninterrupted opportunities to play.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for children and wants them to become confident and independent. She reflects on the progress children are making and uses this to consider what they need to learn next.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and regularly shares updates with them about what children are learning. She shares the progress children are making and works alongside parents, particularly where children have barriers to their learning. This means that parents are involved in their children's learning and understand how they can support their continued progress at home.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder prepares children for their next stage in learning. However, she has not yet established partnerships with children's next settings to share information about their learning and development. This means that information to support continuity in children's learning is not routinely shared when they move on.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder keeps her knowledge up to date through local authority training and guidance and uses online childminding groups to gather ideas. However, her professional development is not always focused on the needs of the children currently attending. As a result, she does not always develop her knowledge and skills in the areas most relevant to the children she cares for to further enhance their development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her workload and wellbeing and has recently adapted her home to create a designated space for childminding. This helps her to maintain a healthy balance between her work and family life.

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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 settled in the homely environment that the childminder has created. They have a strong sense of belonging, with their own space for their personal items and their pictures displayed around the setting. Children confidently seek out the childminder for cuddles and reassurance when they need it, showing that they feel safe and secure in her care.

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

Children thrive outdoors and have daily opportunities to explore independently. They explore natural materials such as water, sand and flowers in the mud kitchen, using their imagination to create pretend food and sculptures. Children are encouraged to use all their senses, from listening to aeroplanes overhead to smelling the lavender growing in the garden. These experiences encourage children to be curious and interested in the world around them.

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

Children enjoy outings in the local community. The childminder carefully considers where they visit, choosing places of interest to the children and visiting at quieter times so that children can confidently enjoy and explore their surroundings.

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

Children are kind and thoughtful towards each other. Older children help to look after younger children, while all children learn how to share, take turns and wait patiently. This helps children to develop positive relationships with each other.

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

Children learn throughout their everyday experiences. They help to care for the childminder's pet guinea pigs, learning how to look after small animals. Mathematical learning is woven naturally into these experiences as children count and use positional language to talk about where the guinea pigs are hiding.

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

Children make progress from their starting points. The childminder works closely with families and outside professionals so that children receive the support they need to continue to learn and develop. Children are developing their independence and the skills they need for future learning. They are encouraged to do things for themselves, persevere when they find things difficult and feel proud of their achievements.

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Next steps

The childminder should ensure that her professional development is focused on the needs of the children currently attending, to develop her knowledge and skills in the areas most relevant to them. The childminder should establish partnerships with children's next settings to share information about their learning and development and support continuity when children move on.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and parents during during the inspection.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:30

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About this setting

Local authority: Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

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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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3

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 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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