Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 225362 Registered with Ofsted: 28/06/1996 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

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Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding. This puts children at significant risk of harm. The childminder does not prioritise children's safety and welfare. The childminder is aware of the procedure to follow if an allegation is made about herself or a household member. She also has an awareness of signs of abuse and understands the procedures to follow in the event of concerns about a child's welfare. However, she does not implement this consistently in her practice. The childminder indicates she would not always report concerns about a child's welfare as she is worried about the impact of parents being upset and this affecting her business. The childminder is not sure what to do if she became aware a child was accessing inappropriate content online. This places children at risk of potential harm.

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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 Needs attention

Children are making some progress from their starting points. However, the childminder has not put in place an ambitious curriculum that precisely targets the needs of individual children. For example, she does not always accurately identify possible gaps in children's learning. This delays necessary early intervention that children need to support their learning and development. Children develop some independence. However, there are times when the childminder steps in too quickly. This means children do not learn to persevere with activities when challenges occur. Children do not consistently develop a secure foundation to learning to help them thrive. As a result, some children are not supported to make sustained progress and be ready for their move on to school when the time comes.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Children mostly behave well and develop positive interactions with one another. Overall, the childminder has appropriate expectations for children's behaviour. At times, she models to children how to share toys with each other. For example, the childminder talks to children about how they could ask for construction bricks that other children are playing with. However, the childminder is not consistent in her expectations of children. She does not always explain to children how their actions impact others. Consequently, children are not given clear messages about how to behave.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder talks to parents about the importance of children attending regularly so that they have consistency in the daily activities they do with the childminder. This helps prepare children for attending school regularly.

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Children's welfare and well-being Needs attention

The childminder is responsive to children's needs and supports them to develop a healthy lifestyle. She provides daily opportunities for children to access the outdoors where children learn about how to keep themselves safe. The childminder recognises that some children are reluctant to try new foods so provides nutritious, home-made food to children. Over time, children begin to try different fruit and vegetables. Lunchtime is a social occasion, and the childminder and children engage in conversation about their day. The childminder recognises the importance of supervising children when they are eating. She talks to children about not getting up from the table during mealtimes. The childminder encourages children to follow good hygiene practices, such as washing their hands before eating and after they use the toilet.

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Children's welfare and well-being Needs attention

Children are keen to make their own choices and confidently explain to the childminder what toys they would like to play with. The childminder supports children to develop some independence skills. For example, children know to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. However, the childminder does not always give children the opportunity to have a go at developing new skills. For example, allowing children to take responsibility for their own self-care. Therefore, children do not always make progress in their personal development.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

At times, the childminder plans activities to build on children's prior learning. For example, she visits different playgrounds so children can explore new outdoor equipment and develop their physical skills. However, the childminder does not consistently plan and implement a curriculum that is ambitious and well sequenced, to help children make secure progress. For example, when children ask to play with stacking cups, the childminder explains what she wants children to learn, such as developing fine motor skills. However, she focuses on recognising numbers, despite acknowledging this is too advanced for the children taking part. The childminder does not accurately recognise what children need to learn next. She does not effectively adapt her teaching to suit the individual learning needs of children.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Many natural, relaxed conversations take place between the childminder and children throughout the day. The childminder repeats words and sentences back to children as they speak, which helps them develop some aspects of their communication and language development. The childminder asks children questions and gives them plenty of time to gather their thoughts and ideas before responding. The childminder prioritises some independence and self-care skills to help children become ready for their next stage in their learning.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Although the childminder completes some observations of what children know and can do, the information she gathers is not always an accurate reflection of children's development and is not always used to plan the curriculum. For example, when the childminder recognises children have gaps in their learning relating to speech development, she does not consistently plan activities to help support children to make progress. The childminder completes the statutory progress check at age two. If there are concerns about children's development, she shares this information with parents to discuss with professionals, such as health visitors.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder is able to demonstrate, through discussion, how she would adapt activities to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, she explains how she would provide focused support to children or different resources to enable

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Urgent improvement

children who have physical disabilities and need more support with fine motor skills to join in with different activities.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not routinely reflect on and analyse her practice. Therefore, the childminder has not accurately identified strengths and weaknesses in her provision. She does not prioritise making improvements in her own practice to update her knowledge and develop her skills, in order to meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage. The childminder does not take part in any professional development opportunities to update her knowledge. As a result, there are gaps in her knowledge and understanding of how to plan an ambitious curriculum for children. This means the childminder is not driving improvement successfully and ensuring children make the best possible progress.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Parents are complimentary about the service the childminder provides. However, the childminder does not work consistently in partnership with parents, or other settings that children may attend, to support children with their ongoing development. The childminder does not always follow children's routines from home, such as toilet training. This can lead to confusing and inconsistent messages for children.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has not 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 not 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's safety and welfare are potentially compromised due to weaknesses in the childminder's safeguarding practice. The childminder does not consistently make accurate assessments of children's development or obtain information about children's care and learning needs from parents and other settings that children attend. The curriculum lacks the precision needed for children to make secure progress, so at times, the learning that takes place is incidental rather than from thoughtful and considered planning. The childminder does not fully recognise the weaknesses in her practice.

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

Children enjoy spending time with the childminder. They demonstrate they feel safe and comfortable in her home. For example, when they feel tired, they fetch a blanket and lie down to have a rest. Children invite the childminder to join in with them as they play. Children play alongside each other as they build different constructions using blocks and talk about what they are building. They enjoy exploring the range of different toys that the childminder provides. For example, children spend time exploring lentils and scooping them into a variety of containers. When children accidentally spill the lentils on the floor, they tell the childminder and work with her to clean up. The childminder encourages children to use manners and say 'please' and 'thank you', which they begin to do without being prompted. There are times, however, when children receive mixed messages, for example, about sharing toys. Children are developing some aspects of their independence skills throughout

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

the day, although this is not always consistent. The childminder supports children with their communication and language skills. She talks to children as they play, giving them plenty of time to respond to questions and share their own thoughts and ideas. The childminder has an awareness of how to adapt activities to include children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children 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.

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About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00

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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 standards 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 standards 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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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