Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY413865 Registered with Ofsted: 18/10/2010 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

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Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have not ensured there is an open positive culture around safeguarding. This puts children at significant risk of harm. The childminder has neglected to follow the required process to wait for suitability checks for assistants to be completed before leaving them alone with children. This lack of adherence to the safeguarding and welfare requirements compromises the safety of children.

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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

The childminder is flexible and works with parents to promote punctuality and attendance. She places emphasis on promoting positive behaviours and attitudes through well- established routines. The childminder has realistic expectations of behaviour in accordance to children's age and stage of development. She offers explicit praise to children when she recognises the kind behaviours they display. For instance, the childminder skilfully supports children as they learn to share and take turns. Children take each other's bricks when building towers. The childminder encourages them to work together. Children who are not joining in collect more bricks and place them on the table in front of the children. The childminder promptly recognises this positive behaviour and offers praise. Children show satisfaction in their acts of kindness as they do nice things for others. This helps children feel proud of their achievements.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder effectively role models good manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you'. She consistently encourages children to do the same. In turn, children are kind, polite and build strong relationships with the childminder and each other. The expectations for children's behaviour are understood and consistently reinforced. Children develop an understanding between what is right and what is wrong.

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Achievement Needs attention

The inconsistencies and weakness in the delivery of the curriculum do not help children to develop the skills they need across all areas of learning. This means children, including those who may face barriers to their learning, are not prepared as well as they could be for their next steps in learning. Furthermore, weaknesses in the childminder's teaching have a negative impact on children's learning. Consequently, younger children and those less confident are not consistently benefiting from well-considered activities and high-quality interactions that meet their needs.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children take part in activities with eagerness and willingness to learn. The childminder supports children to learn new words to add to their growing vocabulary. Children use language such as 'delicious' and 'crunchy' to describe their healthy snacks. The childminder praises their achievements, which helps build children's confidence. However, variations in the childminder's approach mean that some children may not progress as effectively as they are capable of.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Overall, the childminder knows the children well and uses assessment to recognise the progress they have made from their starting points. Although she talks confidently about children's interests and what they can do, she does not always provide the support required

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Urgent improvement

to move children on to their next stage of learning. When some children express a desire to use the toilet, they are limited by the childminder to continue using the potty. This practice restricts their opportunity to develop independence and progress to the next stage of toileting skills. The activities the childminder plans do not always meet the learning needs of all children participating. For instance, children eagerly engage in a planned mathematics activity. The childminder encourages children to use tweezers to pick up small objects, group them by colour and place them in the correct coloured bowl. While this offers an appropriate challenge for older children, the childminder does not adapt the activity to meet the youngest children's needs. As a result, they find aspects of the activity difficult, which negatively impacts their enjoyment and confidence in mathematics. The childminder does

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Urgent improvement

not ensure all children receive the same level of high-quality interactions to improve their communication and language. At times, children who are less confident in their speech receive fewer interactions, which restricts their confidence and language growth.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder has not made the improvements highlighted at her previous inspection, which has an impact on her capacity to reduce barriers to children's learning. For example, she has not strengthened partnerships with other settings to enable her to swiftly explore any areas of concern or gaps in learning and development. This does not help her to promote consistency in care and learning for children.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder is not consistent in using the information she has to best meet all children's needs. She assesses their development and progress, but does not use this information to fully support their ongoing development. Nevertheless, the childminder welcomes and cherishes children, including those who may face barriers to their learning. She has created a calm and respectful culture. Children learn and play in a caring, inclusive atmosphere. They benefit from meaningful activities that help them recognise their individual uniqueness. For example, the childminder encourages children to study their faces in a mirror. She supports them to recognise their differing features. Children are engrossed and learn that there are similarities and differences between them.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder identifies training which will enable her and her assistants to meet children's specific needs, such as for children who need support with their communication and language.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder has not made suitable arrangements to ensure children are adequately supervised while they eat. For instance, while children are consuming food she leaves the area to carry out tasks, such as answering her phone. This compromises children's safety and welfare. Children's hygiene skills are not promoted well enough. For example, children are not consistently encouraged to wash their hands after they have used the potty. This limits the progress children can make towards becoming independent in managing their personal needs. The childminder has established good relationships with children and their families. She works in close partnership with parents to ensure routines from home are followed as closely as possible, such as sleep times. She has safer sleeping arrangements in place to ensure children are monitored well as they sleep. The childminder helps children to regulate their growing emotions by labelling their feelings, such as 'tired'. This supports their

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

emotional wellbeing. Children benefit from activities that help them recognise the importance of good oral health. The childminder teaches children about making healthy choices regarding the foods they eat and ensures they receive healthy nutritious meals.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not demonstrate a clear understanding of the underlying causes of identified weaknesses and breaches to requirements. For example, she has failed to assure herself of the suitability of assistants before they are counted in ratios and have unsupervised access to children. She does not comply with requirements relating to children's mealtimes. This means children's safety cannot be assured. In addition, the childminder has not addressed the areas for development identified at the previous inspection. She has not met expectations to engage with other professionals as required. This does not demonstrate the capacity to improve and ensure effective partnership working to establish continuity of care and learning for children. The breaches to requirement have a negative impact on children's welfare, safety and overall learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder has attended mandatory training, which helps her recognise when a child may be at risk of harm and respond to concerns in a timely manner. She has improved her personal effectiveness by accessing courses, such as child psychology, to help her understand children's developing brains. She expresses commitment to continually improve the service she offers to the children and their families.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has 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 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

The childminder has allowed assistants whose suitability has not yet been confirmed to have unsupervised access to children. In addition, children are not always adequately supervised during mealtimes. This impacts on children's overall safety and welfare. The childminder has not designed the curriculum well enough to ensure children have sufficient opportunities to build on their skills across all areas of learning. Weaknesses in the curriculum mean that children's level of development is not supported well enough, which limits the progress children are making. The childminder has not yet taken steps to establish effective partnership working with other settings that children attend. This does not support the continuity of care and learning for children.

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

Children enjoy their time in the childminder's warm and welcoming home. The childminder genuinely cares about the children that attend. She is friendly and kind and has a calm nature. This helps children relax and feel comfortable in their surroundings. The childminder celebrates children's uniqueness and ensures children feel valued. Their personal, social and emotional development are supported well. Children display enjoyment of learning and are active in their play. The childminder promotes positive behaviours and attitudes through well-established routines. She is supporting children well to recognise the difference between right and wrong.

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

Children benefit from opportunities to enhance their fine motor skills. For instance, children develop their hand-eye coordination as they build towers and use mark-making tools to draw. In addition, the childminder effectively supports children as they use safety knives to carefully cut up their snack. She encourages the children to peel the skin off of their bananas. This strengthens their hand dexterity, which supports the development of their writing skills.

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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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implement a curriculum that is well structured, ambitious and meets

the needs of all the children. 01/01/2026

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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. Registration date: 18/10/2010

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 06:30 - 18:30

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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 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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