Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY411080 Registered with Ofsted: 31/08/2010 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. Leaders do not have sufficient oversight of statutory safeguarding requirements. Safeguarding training for assistants is significantly out of date. The childminder is unaware that safeguarding training must be renewed every two years. The childminder's failure to ensure that staff have current safeguarding knowledge and understanding means they are not able to fulfil their responsibilities and this compromises children's safety significantly.

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Safeguarding standards not met

The childminder and staff do not understand or follow correct procedures for managing allegations. For example, they lack understanding of referring concerns about adults to relevant agencies without delay or discussion. The childminder has not ensured those working with children have secure knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities, including aspects of the 'Prevent' duty and mandatory reporting requirements.

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Safeguarding standards not met

Although the childminder demonstrates some knowledge of different types of abuse, their understanding of correct procedures is inconsistent. The childminder does not ensure staff receive training and support to effectively implement safeguarding expectations. These weaknesses indicate gaps in leadership oversight and a failure to maintain a fully effective safeguarding culture.

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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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are happy and settled in the setting. Parents say their children build positive relationships with staff quickly, which helps them feel emotionally secure. This supports children to take part in activities and daily routines and encourages regular attendance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are encouraged to follow routines and practise developing independence. For example, they have a go at putting on their own coats and boots before going outside. Staff offer gentle encouragement and praise, which motivates children to keep trying. Children wait calmly by the gate until everyone is ready, showing that they understand and follow simple routines well.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children also learn and rehearse early social skills. Staff use warm, playful reminders to prompt polite language, such as please and thank you, helping children communicate clearly and respectfully with others. These interactions support positive relationships and promote considerate behaviour.

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Achievement Needs attention

On occasion, younger children are not given opportunities to practise important skills for their next stage in learning, such as walking. Children are unable to explore an environment that suits their needs and abilities. For example, older children run in the same small, limited space, preventing younger children from practising walking and they lose interest in persisting with this. Young children do not benefit from consistently structured play. Activities are either too simple and repetitive or too challenging, which does not help children focus, explore or develop new skills so that they achieve well.

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Achievement Needs attention

Older children make some progress when the childminder plan purposeful activities and staff interactions are warm and supportive. For example, during a small-world play activity, a member of staff encourages children to act out a story with figures, helping them use their

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Urgent improvement

imagination and develop language, including those who speak English as an additional language.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Babies and younger toddlers do not always have access to activities that match their stage of development, so their individual learning needs are not fully met. The activities and resources provided often lack clear purpose and children do not make sufficient progress. Generally, the childminder and staff do not have high expectations of what children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities should they attend, can achieve. For example, the childminder does not consistently support younger children's early skills. They do not always have equal opportunities to take part in meaningful activities.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder establishes broad next steps and does not target learning goals to ensure learning builds effectively over time. Leaders and staff demonstrate some awareness of children's individual needs. For example, they understand the importance of breaking learning into manageable stages when children do not progress as expected. They work with families and refer to external agencies when necessary.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Some approaches in the setting help children feel included, particularly those who speak English as an additional language. Staff use words from children's home languages during activities and sing familiar songs in these languages, helping children feel included and valued. These practices support children's sense of belonging and help them engage more confidently in the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Children's safety is not assured because leaders do not ensure that a member of staff with a full paediatric first-aid certificate is present in the room, as required, while children are eating. At times, children who are eating are left with staff who are not qualified to manage medical emergencies, such as choking. This compromises children's wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Staff are aware of children's individual routines and respond to their needs, such as offering comfort or support when required. Staff also have detailed knowledge of children's health requirements, such as dietary needs, and ensure they follow these carefully. Children demonstrate trust in adults, readily seeking comfort or support when needed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Some practices promote children's understanding of safety in their play. For example, during small-world play with vehicles, staff talk to children about road safety and model appropriate behaviours. They encourage children to think about risks, follow rules and consider the safety of others. These interactions help children begin to understand hazards and safe practices, supporting their developing awareness of how to keep themselves safe. Staff reinforce hygiene routines during daily activities, such as handwashing before eating. They support children to follow these steps carefully, helping them understand basic health and safety practices.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder does not consistently plan or deliver an ambitious curriculum that provides meaningful learning experiences for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to learning should they attend. The childminder does not provide a curriculum that builds on what children already know to help sequence their learning. Younger children have limited access to purposeful play that supports play and exploration, especially to support their physical development. Group activities, such as story time, do not always engage or include the youngest children at their level of understanding. As a result, they have insufficient opportunities to explore, practise or extend their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder and staff know children's starting points through some observation and discussion. However, activities are often too basic to support children to develop their understanding, practise their skills or are aimed at an inappropriate level. For example, a flash card matching activity is set up with the intention that very young toddlers look at numerals and writing, which is not suitable for their current abilities. The childminder does not understand how children develop, leaving learning goals too broad and limited targeted support to help children achieve. The environment and activities do not consistently support children to make progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Some staff interactions with older children are warm and purposeful. Staff extend ideas, model vocabulary and link activities to previous experiences. For example, during a construction activity, a member of staff supports a child to connect pieces together while emphasising new vocabulary.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Governance and oversight are weak, particularly in relation to safeguarding. The childminder and staff describe investigating concerns themselves rather than following statutory procedures. Staff training is out of date, and the childminder is unaware of current requirements, such as the need for a paediatric first aider to be in the same room as children while they are eating. These weaknesses indicate poor governance and a lack of robust oversight to ensure statutory requirements are met.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder's approach to professional development and continuous improvement is inconsistent. While there is some discussion of practice and supervisions, staff knowledge and practice gaps remain, particularly in safeguarding and curriculum delivery. Training does not ensure that staff maintain up-to-date knowledge of statutory requirements or consistently implement high-quality practice.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Families do not consistently receive information about what their children are learning or how to support development at home. As a result, parents cannot support or extend their children's learning at home because they are not aware of what their children are focusing on in the setting. The childminder provides some guidance on routines, dietary needs and care practices, which supports children's well-being, but inconsistent sharing of information about learning limits the overall impact of parent partnership on children's progress and the removal of any potential barriers to learning.

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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 is not assured because oversight of the setting is ineffective. The childminder does not ensure that they or staff have up-to-date and robust knowledge of safeguarding procedures, which compromises children's safety. The childminder lacks secure knowledge of how to manage allegations against staff, putting children at further risk. She does not ensure a staff member holding a paediatric first-aid qualification supervises children as they eat, compromising their safety and wellbeing.

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

The curriculum lacks ambition and is not implemented effectively to meet the learning and development needs of all children, including those with barriers to learning. The childminder chooses activities and resources children enjoy, however, these do not amply build on what children already know and can do. Younger children have limited access to purposeful play that supports exploration or language development. Children become distracted and are unable to concentrate fully as music plays continuously in the background. This also reduces the effectiveness of teaching and adults' interactions. Children make insufficient progress. The childminder does not ensure learning goals for children are clearly defined and understood, meaning that some learning is not sequenced effectively. Parents are unclear about what their children are learning and how this can be better supported at home.

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

Children's engagement and concentration are variable. Younger children are sometimes prevented from exploring or practising new skills because older children run around in shared spaces, stopping them from participating. Outdoor play sometimes offers limited opportunities for meaningful learning. For example, younger children spend time banging blocks against a tuff tray or repeatedly opening and closing cupboards, with little adult interaction to extend their play, develop attention or build new skills.

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

Children are happy and have some positive experiences in the setting. They engage with stories reflecting diverse family structures and use mirrors to observe similarities and differences, supporting their understanding of themselves and others. They develop warm, trusting relationships with staff, which help them feel secure.

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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 setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:00

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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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and the assistants 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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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

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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