Childminder in North Northamptonshire

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is inadequate

The childminder has the overall knowledge to support children and to help them to make progress across all areas of their development. However, at times when she exceeds the adult-to-child ratios, the number of young children in the setting means she cannot provide the individual support children need. While children show signs of being content and secure with the childminder, the number of children present on some days negatively affects children's safety, education and personal development. Additionally, the childminder does not support her assistants effectively to improve their practice.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

The childminder does not assess risks effectively enough to identify hazards that arise during the day, when children are present. While the childminder attends to the needs of some children, others are being left unsupervised during play and mealtimes. In addition, the childminder does not adequately assess the risk with the resources she allows children to play with. That said, she does provide children with space indoors and outdoors to play and move about freely to support their physical development.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Despite the weaknesses, the childminder does have a good knowledge of the children who attend and, when able, she supports them in making progress. When the childminder is available to interact with the children, she is engaging and supportive. However, not all children benefit equally from the play activities the childminder provides due to her attention being needed elsewhere.

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need to do better?

n The childminder aims to support children to become independent. However, she does not always have the appropriate time or resources to engage and support all children to develop their independence skills. For example, during snack time, the childminder tries to support older children to cut their fruit, with close supervision, with a large, sharp knife that is not suitable for independent use. Children are not able to cut their fruit without help, and younger children are not provided with the opportunity at all. This hinders children's ability to develop some of the skills they need to become independent, for example, at mealtimes. n While the childminder shows a good understanding of how to support children to make progress, not all children can benefit from the activities on offer in the same way. For example, when children are hesitant to join in activities, the childminder is not always available to offer them the support they need to join

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need to do better?

in, due to the number of other children who need attention. This results in children spending prolonged periods playing with the same toys and not benefiting from a broader range of other experiences to enhance their play and learning.

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need to do better?

16 December 2024 n Children are left unsupervised with resources that are not age-appropriate, such as coins and dice. In addition, when not fully supervised, children play with the resources in a way that upsets others. For example, during the inspection, when children were playing with coins, they tipped them on other children's heads, which resulted in them being hurt. When the childminder became aware, she told the children they were being unkind and offered comfort to children who were hurt. However, she did not take immediate action to remove the coins. This put the children at further risk from harm as the coins were unsuitable for the age of the children present. n Children do not always have the support they need to understand how to make healthy food choices. Although the childminder has the knowledge to provide children with a healthy diet, the lack of planning, organisation and time means

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need to do better?

that healthy eating is not always promoted. For example, at lunchtime, children choose what they would like for lunch. The childminder prepares lunch and adds vegetables to the children's plates. When children say they do not like the vegetables, the childminder removes them from the plates without any further encouragement or discussion. n Mealtimes are frequently interrupted due to the childminder attending to the children's toileting and care needs. Food is either taken away from children or they are left unsupervised while eating. The childminder has not considered how to manage mealtimes safely when she is caring for young children who are toilet training and may need frequent visits to the bathroom. The risks of choking associated with children eating while unsupervised have not been fully considered by the childminder. n The childminder does not fulfil her responsibilities towards any assistants she

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need to do better?

employs. While she makes sure those who have contact with the children have up-to-date training in first aid and a suitable knowledge of safeguarding, she does not provide supervision for her assistants to discuss any issues that may arise or to help them to develop and improve their practice.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

p.3

Due date

16 December 2024 ensure that the needs of all children can be met when exceeding the ratios advised in the early years foundation stage requirements 17/12/2024

p.3

Due date

ensure that risk assessments are thoroughly thought out and implemented to make sure children do not have access to items that may cause them harm 23/12/2024

p.4

Due date

provide assistants with effective supervision to improve their practice 23/12/2024

p.4

Due date

provide children with the individual support they need to engage in learning activities. 23/12/2024

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number EY436322 Local authority North Northamptonshire Inspection number 10363901 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder

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inspection

Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 20 Date of previous inspection 15 January 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2011 and lives in the village of Earls Barton, Northamptonshire. She operates all year round, from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds a qualification at level 6 and occasionally works with an assistant.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The childminder and the inspector discussed how the childminder organises their early years provision, including the aims and rationale for their curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder and the children. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

16 December 2024 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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Inspection activities

16 December 2024 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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