Soar Childcare - Marion Walker
What Ofsted says about us!
Children flourish and are extremely well cared for in this nurturing environment. The childminder creates a well-thought-out learning environment that allows children to submerge themselves in play. The childminder and co-childminder work incredibly well to plan a curriculum to deepen children's understanding and embed their learning. The childminder ignites children's imagination as they go on a pretend journey to China to look for pandas. Children spot bamboos and the mountains in the distance. Children recall the name of the mountain as 'Mount Everest'. When they cannot find the imaginary pandas, they remember they are on the other side of the mountain, in 'Nepal'. Children practise their physical skills as they pretend to ride on 'cranes' to fly to the 'Great Wall of China'. The childminder weaves mathematical concepts into the activity. She adapts activities and teaching superbly. For example, older children count to five and then count backwards. Younger children consider the concept of fewer and more and use their fingers to display the number.
Children's behaviour is exceptional. The childminder models empathy and kindness. She teaches children that it is okay to make mistakes and pretends to get things wrong. Children enjoy making mistakes and figuring out how to achieve success themselves. Children are resilient learners.
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-Taken from Marion's Ofsted report 2025
The childminder's curriculum is ambitious and gives children the skills and knowledge that they need to make excellent progress. He works with his co- childminder creating and teaching activities that capture children's attention and keeps them focused. The childminder helps children to develop the motions they need to learn to prepare for future writing skills. For example, children stretch and use their arms to make large circles and loops in the air. They recall previous learning, remembering they are making 'squiggle' patterns. Children's sense of feeling safe and secure with the childminder is unmistakeable. They initiate thoughtful conversation with the childminder while eating their snacks. They talk about the environment and reducing waste. Children learn about the natural processes of decomposition while putting their banana skins in the composting bin. The childminder promotes mathematical development. He helps them to think about estimation skills. Children have a 'good guess' at how many sections they can cut their banana into. The childminder helps children to imagine quantities and link them to numbers. This helps children with an ability that instils confidence with numbers.
Children's behaviour is excellent. They have a good awareness of behaviour expectations such as helping each other and being kind. Older children help younger children to fasten their aprons. They praise each other when they place the jigsaw pieces correctly into the puzzle.
​-Taken from Graeme's Ofsted report 2025