Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY355278 Registered with Ofsted: 15/06/2007 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

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Safeguarding standards not met

The childminder has not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding. This puts children at significant risk of harm.

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Safeguarding standards not met

The childminder has recently completed safeguarding training, which has given her a basic awareness of her responsibilities. However she does not demonstrate a fully secure understanding of the signs that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm or abuse, or of the procedures to follow to refer any concerns that may arise.

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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 enjoy warm, positive relationships with the childminder, who knows them and their families well. The childminder acts as a positive role model, consistently demonstrating kindness, care and respect. The childminder uses explicit praise and encouragement to build children's self-esteem and resilience, reinforcing good behaviour effectively. Children develop trusting and respectful relationships with her and respond well to her guidance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are confident and independent. They make choices, such as selecting the books they want to read. They freely bring these to the childminder and enjoy the shared experience of exploring the stories. The childminder makes good eye contact and involves the children in conversations. This fosters a strong sense of belonging.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder sets clear expectations and consistent routines, which children follow, such as going to the changing mat or high chair at the appropriate times. She supports children in developing self-care skills, including feeding themselves and washing their hands, promoting independence while keeping them safe from germs. The childminder's gentle, nurturing approach strengthens children's confidence and contributes to high levels of contentment. The childminder promotes positive behaviour well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works effectively with parents and other settings to ensure children receive consistent care and support. This includes disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The childminder shares clear, accurate information about children's progress and contributes well to written reports used by other settings and external agencies. This coordinated approach strengthens continuity of care.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder responds promptly to professional advice and uses recommendations from relevant sources to improve the support she provides. She engages with SEND documentation and maintains regular communication with all professionals involved. This joint working helps secure timely support, including additional funding and formal assessments, which improves children's access to appropriate provision.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder recognises that further developing her practice in SEND partnership working remains a priority. She understands the next steps needed to strengthen her effectiveness and is taking action to address them. She is undertaking further training to deepen her knowledge of how to support children with SEND. This demonstrates a secure understanding of her responsibilities and a clear commitment to ongoing improvement.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children do not consistently progress well across all areas of learning from their starting points. However, they enjoy warm, positive relationships with the childminder and appreciate the praise and encouragement they receive. This helps them to develop positive self-esteem and emotional security.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children engage in conversations that support their early speaking skills effectively. The childminder talks with children about animals and the sounds they make and talks about the food they are eating. Children enjoy close, shared moments with the childminder, such as snuggling up to share familiar books. When children point to pictures, she introduces new words and supports their understanding. This helps to foster a love of books.

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Achievement Needs attention

The childminder narrates during routine care and mealtimes, helping children to make links between language and their experiences. These interactions support children's early speaking skills and encourage them to communicate confidently. Children develop their independence as they gain confidence in making choices, and as they take an active role in routines. They are settled and have a clear understanding of what is expected of them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Children do not always have access to daily outdoor activity, as required. This limits their opportunities for physical development and learning in the natural environment. While the childminder keeps records of children's dietary information and allergies, gaps in her procedures limit her ability to manage children's welfare consistently.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder builds positive relationships with children. She sits at their level and makes good eye contact. She uses a soft, gentle approach, promoting children's emotional security. Children are happy and content in her care. She offers consistent praise and encouragement, which supports children's self-esteem and confidence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder works in partnership with parents, offering guidance on healthy packed lunches and taking account of children's individual needs. She checks that food is prepared correctly, including ensuring it is cut appropriately to reduce the risk of choking. This promotes children's health. She carries out safe and hygienic nappy-changing procedures and completes daily and activity-based risk assessments, including for outings, to help maintain children's safety.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Overall, the curriculum is not sequenced or targeted well enough to sustain children's engagement or ensure they progress well. The childminder does not consistently use what she knows about children to identify clear, age-appropriate next steps. This means children do not benefit from a curriculum that carefully builds on what they already know or helps them make sustained progress over time. For example, the childminder understands her

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Urgent improvement

responsibility to promote children's mathematical knowledge but does not include this well in her curriculum or daily routines.

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Urgent improvement

The childminder provides a range of toys and resources, such as play kitchen equipment. However, she does not clearly identify what she wants children to learn from these activities. As a result, learning opportunities are often incidental rather than purposeful.

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Urgent improvement

The childminder is successful in nurturing children's communication and language development and creates meaningful opportunities for them to enjoy stories and books. Her consistent reading, talking and sharing of books help children develop a strong early interest in language and support their confidence in communicating. This is a clear strength of her practice and contributes positively to children's early learning experiences and fosters a love for books.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder has not ensured that safeguarding requirements are met, and she is not consistently effective in promoting children's learning due to weaknesses in the curriculum.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Safeguarding policies and procedures are incomplete, and the childminder does not fully understand or implement them, demonstrating a lack of oversight and ineffective governance. She does not demonstrate sufficient understanding of how to identify, record or respond to concerns about children's safety and welfare, including accident reporting and pre-existing injury forms.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not keep her professional development and knowledge up to date. This limits her understanding of current safeguarding practice and early years standards and reduces the effectiveness of her provision.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Overall, partnerships with parents are effective. Parents appreciate the childminder's communication and the way she works closely with them if concerns arise, including liaising with external agencies.

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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 consistently promoted as the childminder does not have a secure understanding of safeguarding issues. In addition, the childminder does not consistently provide an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum. She does not use assessment effectively to accurately identify children's next steps. As a result, activities are not well matched to children's individual starting points. This limits children's progress and does not fully prepare them with the skills they need for future learning. For example, children do not benefit from good enough support to develop their mathematical skills. Children do not have opportunities to spend time outdoors each day, as required.

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

Children build warm and nurturing relationships with the childminder. She sits at their level, offers gentle reassurance and provides physical comfort. As a result, children feel emotionally safe and secure. They follow clear routines, happily joining in during mealtimes and settling down to rest. This shows that they feel a strong sense of belonging. The childminder promotes children's confidence and emotional well-being effectively through consistent praise and encouragement. Children interact positively with the childminder and enjoy shared experiences such as reading books. The childminder supports children's independence and self-care skills effectively. For example, she encourages them to feed themselves using a spoon.

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

Children are content and enjoy their time at the setting. They confidently select books and share stories with the childminder, often snuggling up together. This supports children's communication and language skills and promotes a love of reading. Children respond positively to the childminder's calm, nurturing approach and enjoy the daily routines. Families feel welcomed and valued, which further supports children's emotional security.

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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 inspectors spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection.

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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 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

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 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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Our grades explained

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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