Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2856597 Registered with Ofsted: 23/10/2025 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 Strong standard

Children build securely on their individual starting points and develop breadth and depth in the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. They communicate their needs confidently in ways appropriate to their age and stage of development. Children benefit from well-targeted support, including signs and visual prompts, which helps them to express themselves and participate fully.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children show positive attitudes to learning. They are curious, persevere with challenges and take pride in their achievements. They increasingly manage aspects of their own self- care and confidently take responsibility during everyday routines.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children remember what they have learned and apply this knowledge in different situations, demonstrating that learning is becoming secure. For example, they recall previous learning about safety, healthy routines and familiar songs and use this knowledge independently.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop a broad range of knowledge and skills across all areas of learning and are very well prepared to build on their skills and knowledge at their next stage.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder establishes clear, consistent expectations and models the respectful behaviour she expects from children. Children behave very well. They are kind and considerate towards one another, learn to share and take turns and respond positively to gentle reminders when they need support to manage their behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children develop positive attitudes to learning. They are curious, engaged and willing to persevere when something is challenging. The childminder uses praise meaningfully to recognise children's efforts, kindness and achievements, which helps them to develop confidence and pride in what they do.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children benefit from calm and predictable routines. Familiar songs and prompts help them move successfully between activities, tidy away resources and prepare for everyday experiences, such as meals and outdoor play. Even children who are relatively new to the setting quickly become familiar with these routines. The childminder also helps children recognise and talk about their emotions, supporting them to develop self-regulation and empathy for others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has clear arrangements for following up unexpected absences and understands the importance of maintaining communication with parents.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children benefit from warm, responsive care that supports both their physical and emotional wellbeing. They form secure relationships with the childminder and confidently seek her help, reassurance and comfort when they need it. The childminder knows children well and responds sensitively to individual cues, helping them to feel safe, settled and understood.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are supported to develop healthy habits and increasing independence. Everyday routines are used effectively to help them understand why handwashing, drinking water, healthy eating and looking after their teeth are important. The childminder follows safer eating and safer sleeping guidance and works with parents to promote consistent approaches to children's care. She reviews and adapts care routines as children's needs change. For example, close work with parents helps her to adapt sleep routines as children settle into the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are encouraged to think about safety and manage appropriate risks for themselves. The childminder uses questions and discussion to help children consider what might happen and make sensible choices, rather than unnecessarily limiting their exploration. Care routines are adapted to children's age, stage and individual needs, while opportunities for physical activity, outdoor play and community experiences further support their wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's emotional development is given high priority. They are helped to recognise and express different feelings and to understand that all emotions are valid, supporting growing confidence, resilience and self-regulation.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of what she wants children to learn and uses her detailed knowledge of their starting points, interests and individual circumstances to shape the curriculum. She regularly reflects on children's development and adapts resources and experiences so that learning builds progressively on what children already know and can do. For example, she extends children's emerging interests in space, shape, capacity and self- care through carefully chosen resources and everyday routines. When children developed an interest in oral health, the childminder adapted the role-play area to provide further opportunities to explore tooth brushing and healthy routines.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching is purposeful and responsive. The childminder introduces and repeats a rich range of vocabulary, models language clearly and gives children time to think and respond. She uses signs and visual prompts alongside spoken language to strengthen communication and reduce frustration. Children are encouraged to recall previous learning, solve problems and develop their ideas through play.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum gives children frequent opportunities to develop across all 7 areas of learning, with appropriate emphasis on the prime areas for the youngest children. Regular community experiences and outings broaden children's knowledge of the world, while familiar routines provide further opportunities to develop mathematics, communication, independence and physical skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder adapts teaching effectively when children's needs or interests change, helping all children to remain engaged and make progress.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has high expectations for every child and is quick to identify emerging needs or barriers to learning and wellbeing. She uses her detailed knowledge of children, discussions with parents and careful observation to decide what support is needed. When children show sensitivity to loud noises, she seeks advice promptly and follows this through until the underlying cause is understood.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Adaptations are purposeful and individual. The childminder uses visual prompts, signs and carefully chosen resources to support children's communication and emotional security. She has also adapted play experiences sensitively for children experiencing changes in family circumstances, helping them to understand and talk positively about their home lives. These approaches reduce barriers and help children participate fully in the setting.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children's individuality, cultures and family backgrounds are valued. The childminder works closely with families to incorporate children's traditions and experiences into everyday learning, helping all children to develop respect for difference. Although no children currently have identified special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive additional funding or are known to children's social care, the childminder understands how to seek appropriate support and work with other professionals should additional needs emerge.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has a clear vision for providing high-quality, individualised care and education. She sets high expectations for her own practice and reflects carefully on what is working well and what could be developed further. This reflective approach leads to meaningful changes to the environment, resources and experiences so that provision continues to meet children's changing needs.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is committed to developing her professional knowledge. She keeps up to date with changes to requirements and proactively seeks training and guidance that strengthen her practice. For example, professional learning about safer sleep and communication has increased her confidence and expertise and is evident in children's day- to-day experiences. She also shares ideas and strategies with other childminders in the local community.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnerships with parents are highly valued. The childminder regularly exchanges information about children's development, settling and next steps, helping to provide continuity between home and the setting. She works constructively with other professionals and seeks external advice promptly when this may help her to understand or address an emerging need.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder makes effective use of local community opportunities to broaden children's experiences and maintains positive links with other providers and services. Her thoughtful decision-making consistently places children's needs, wellbeing and development at the centre of the provision. She is committed to continuing this reflective approach so that effective practice is sustained and refined as the setting develops.

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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, confident and secure in this nurturing and inclusive setting. They develop warm, trusting relationships with the childminder and readily seek her reassurance, help or comfort when they need it. Children who are new to the setting are sensitively supported to settle and develop confidence. When children experience changes in their lives, they receive thoughtful, individualised support that helps them to feel understood and valued.

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 2856597 Children thoroughly enjoy their learning. They make choices, follow their interests and benefit from purposeful interactions that build on what they already know and can do. Children hear a rich range of vocabulary throughout the day and are encouraged to communicate through speech, gesture and signs. They remember and apply previous learning. For example, children recall how to handle utensils safely when preparing fruit and use what they know about healthy lifestyles when talking about handwashing, food and brushing their teeth.

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About this setting

Children become increasingly independent. They serve drinks, manage aspects of their personal care and help with everyday routines. They understand the setting's expectations and behave very well. Children learn to share, take turns and consider how their actions affect others. They are supported to recognise and talk about different emotions and increasingly manage these appropriately.

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About this setting

Children develop a strong sense of belonging. Their families, cultures and individual circumstances are reflected positively in their experiences. Regular outings and involvement in the local community broaden children's understanding of the world and help them to develop confidence, curiosity and positive relationships with others.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to evaluate the impact of changes to practice over time, so that the most effective approaches are sustained and developed further to realise a transformational impact.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children, 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 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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:00

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About this inspection

Local authority: Cheshire West and Chester

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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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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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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