Childminder in Somerset

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

The childminder does not demonstrate a positive attitude to improving her understanding of the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage. She has failed to take sufficient and prompt action to minimise potential risks to children. This has a significant impact on children's safety. In addition, the childminder does not help children to learn how to keep themselves and their friends safe, which leads to avoidable accidents. The childminder has failed to implement effective medication and safeguarding policies, which compromises children's well-being.

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The provision is inadequate

The childminder does not provide consistent support to help older children manage their emotions and understand behavioural expectations. For example, when older children struggle to wait, they throw a toy at the childminder. The childminder does not use effective strategies to help them understand that they need to wait until she is free to respond. As a result, children do not develop the skills to regulate their emotions.

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The provision is inadequate

The curriculum lacks ambition and does not build on what children already know and can do. While activities are planned around children's interests, such as art and craft, weak interactions do not challenge children successfully. As a result, children do not receive the appropriate level of targeted support. In particular, the childminder's interactions fail to extend children's communication and language skills or support them to develop independence and resilience. Children do not make the progress of which they are capable. Partnerships with parents are weak. The childminder does not share information about children's learning and development well enough to enable parents to continue children's learning at home.

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need to do better?

n The childminder has not acted promptly to minimise potential hazards within the home, particularly in the play space in the loft. Although a safety gate has been installed and children are supervised when they play, potential hazards such as large, accessible furniture, have not been assessed effectively. Measures put in place to address risks are insufficient. The cluttered play environment poses tripping hazards to children, as the childminder does not help children understand the need to put toys away. The childminder's lack of understanding to identify risk and take prompt action means children's safety is compromised. n The childminder does not provide children with clear explanations of her behavioural expectations, which will help children keep themselves safe. For example, numerous accidents occur, as well as during the inspection, while children wait in the hallway to go upstairs. Children push each other, resulting in

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need to do better?

9 September 2025 children falling off the step. The childminder does not support children well during this transition time to help them understand behavioural expectations that will keep them safe. n The childminder does not implement an effective medication policy, which compromises children's well-being. The childminder does not gain written consent from parents for all medication that needs to be administered. She has not ensured that she has essential information from parents regarding treatment plans to understand and meet children's individual medical needs. n The childminder does not implement an effective safeguarding policy. She has failed to record and monitor possible safeguarding concerns over time, such as injuries children may arrive with. The childminder does not understand the importance of building a picture of children's experiences and know when these, alongside other information, may meet the threshold to refer to other agencies.

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need to do better?

This failure compromises children's welfare. n The childminder fails to use her assessments of children's next steps in learning, to inform her planning or to tailor her interactions to help children achieve well. As a result, children are not sufficiently challenged. While children enjoy their creative activities, the childminder does not use high-quality interactions to extend children's learning. For example, she provides basic commentary to their actions, which is not age or capability appropriate, and does not expand children's vocabulary. She does not question children effectively to encourage their thoughts and ideas, for example to talk about the designs they create and to recall what they learned about the weather previously. She does not support children to solve problems independently, for example how to ensure that pom- poms remains stuck to the paper. As a result, children are not engaged in their

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need to do better?

learning and, at times, become unmotivated and their behaviour deteriorates. n Children enjoy creative play and show pride in their achievements, such as using a cutter to make a butterfly. However, the childminder does not help children to persevere, when the task becomes difficult. Older children decide to use scissors to cut the tissue paper. They struggle to use the scissors and do not know how to hold them. Children give up quickly and ask for help. The childminder does not encourage children to have a go or demonstrate how to use the scissors safely. As a result, children do not have a positive attitude to learning or show resilience. n The childminder does not keep parents up to date on children's learning. She does not share children's next steps in learning or provide parents with ideas on how they can support their children at home. This does not foster strong partnerships and a consistent approach to help children succeed.

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

improve knowledge of how to assess and reduce risks, and implement robust risk assessments to ensure children's safety and well-being at all times 19/09/2025

p.4

Due date

develop an understanding of how to support and manage children's behaviour effectively 19/09/2025

p.4

Due date

implement an effective policy and procedure for the administration of medication 19/09/2025

p.4

Due date

implement an effective safeguarding policy to monitor children's well-being and keep children safe from harm. 19/09/2025

p.4

Due date

provide and implement an ambitious curriculum that meets individual children's learning needs, focuses on what they need to learn next and provides sufficient challenge to build on children's learning 10/10/2025

p.4

Due date

enhance the quality of interactions to support children to develop independence, resilience and social skills 10/10/2025

p.4

Due date

keep parents and/or carers up to date on their children's progress and development and support parents to share and build on children's learning at home. 10/10/2025

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number EY426691 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10414785 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 9 Date of previous inspection 13 June 2025

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2011 and lives in Street, Somerset. She operates all year round except for bank holidays and family holidays, from 7.30am to 5.30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The childminder holds an appropriate qualification at level 3. The childminder provides government funded places for childcare.

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Inspection activities

n The childminder showed the inspector the premises and discussed how she keeps children safe. n The childminder and inspector discussed how the childminder plans for children's learning. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the childminder's interactions with children. n The childminder and inspector conducted a joint observation. n The inspector looked at and discussed relevant documentation.

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Inspection activities

9 September 2025 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

9 September 2025 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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