Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY500724 Registered with Ofsted: 01/06/2016 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.

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Safeguarding standards not met

The childminder is not clear about which agencies to contact and the role that they play in safeguarding children, including the local authority designated officer. The childminder does not have a good enough understanding of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child could be at risk of harm. This compromises children's safety.

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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 Urgent improvement

Children do not make consistent progress in their development, and gaps in their learning do not close quickly enough. They do not gain the skills they will require for their next stage in education, including social skills and independence. They become disengaged during stories, as they do not hold their attention, and do not have opportunities to develop a broad vocabulary. Children are not consistently given time to carry out tasks that they are capable of. This reduces opportunities to strengthen what children have already learned and can do.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

The childminder has failed to teach children effective behaviour strategies such as sharing and taking turns. He has limited understanding about how to implement behaviour management strategies and ensure children understand what acceptable behaviour is. The childminder does not challenge unacceptable behaviour such as pushing, hitting and pulling hair and offers no comfort when children are upset. This does not support children's emotional welfare and teach children right from wrong.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

Children have limited opportunities to freely access resources and activities that will support and enhance their learning and development. Most of the children's day consists of attending play centres and groups that promote their social skills and physical development. This limits the time to implement planned activities to support children's overall development. Despite this, the children are confident to seek help when needed and have a positive relationship with the childminder. When children arrive, they greet their friends with enthusiasm.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

Children's attendance is monitored daily. Contact is made quickly with parents to identify reasons for late attendance or absences and recorded in the attendance book.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not ensure that unauthorised persons are unable to access the property. The premises are not secure to prevent children leaving unaccompanied. The front garden area where children play is not secure. This compromises children's safety.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Risk assessments are ineffective and do not identify risks to children's safety. For example, the toilet seat was not secure, children were allowed to roll cars up and down a glass cabinet that does not contain safety glass, and toiletries were accessible to children in the bathroom. Children's safety and welfare are therefore not assured.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Hygiene practices are poor. Some areas children access are dirty, and dog food and water bowls are on the floor next to where children eat. Children share a hand towel for washing and drying hands. The childminder does not provide children with appropriate seating when eating snacks and meals. Children, including babies, sit on the kitchen floor to eat their food. This compromises children's health. The childminder does not ensure safer eating procedures are implemented. For example, children touch and share food from one bowl. The childminder does not always ensure children are within sight and hearing when eating. When the childminder is in a separate room to the children, he is not available to ensure children's safety, such as if they choke. This puts children at risk of harm.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder's curriculum lacks ambition and does not focus on the skills that children will need as they move on to their next stage in education. He wants the children to be healthy and independent, but does not plan experiences effectively to support these skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Children learn some information about animal care as they feed and provide clean bedding for the guinea pigs. This learning opportunity is undervalued and rushed by the childminder, who does not check what the children already know and extend their existing knowledge. Children enjoy role-play activities such as a pizza van and ice-cream stall. However, with limited interaction and intervention from the childminder when children argue and hurt each other, they quickly become disengaged.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder visits a different play group daily. This enables children to have opportunities to socialise with their peers. There is a focus on developing their physical development and some creative activities. However, the childminder has not developed a curriculum that includes time for children to explore and experience a wide range of learning opportunities that broaden their existing knowledge and skills. Any learning that takes place is incidental rather than from thoughtful and considered planning.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder does not effectively assess children's progress and accurately identify what children need to learn next, including where children have possible special educational needs and/or disabilities or face other barriers to their learning. Although he focuses on children's major milestones such as walking and toilet training, there are gaps in support for some vital learning stages of children's development. This includes learning to manage their own feelings and understand the feelings of others, how to share their toys and how to keep themselves safe.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder has not implemented effective strategies and assessment to support children's communication and language development, including for those who receive support from external agencies. This does not reduce any barriers to learning and impacts on the progress children make. Although the childminder contacts external agencies at the request of parents, he is not proactive in recognising and responding to issues that may have an impact on children's wellbeing and welfare so that possible adjustments can be made if necessary.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The provision is poorly resourced and does not meet the needs of the children attending. For example, all children, including babies, are provided with the same resources. There are no adaptations or adult support provided, which results in chaotic and often inappropriate play.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder demonstrates a poor understanding of how to keep children safe. He does not ensure risk assessments identify and eliminate potential risks to children's health and safety. He does not have a good enough understanding of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child may be at risk of harm. The childminder does not ensure that children are safe when eating and have appropriate chairs for mealtimes. This compromises children's health and safety.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not identify the weaknesses in his practice, which limits the opportunity for improvement. He has a poor understanding of how children learn, which has resulted in gaps in children's learning and development. The childminder has failed to ensure appropriate activities and opportunities are accessible to all ages of children. This impacts on the progress children make in their learning and development, including children who have barriers to their learning.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder has completed some training courses to develop his skills and knowledge. However, this has not made a positive impact on his practice.

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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

The childminder does not ensure children are safe. The premises are not secure, which presents a risk of unauthorised persons entering or children leaving the premises unattended. The childminder is not clear who to contact if he has a child protection concern or an allegation is made against himself or a family member. Risk assessments are ineffective, as potential risks to children have not been identified and actioned. This compromises children's safety.

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

Safer eating practices are ineffective and put children at risk of harm. Children are not consistently supervised while eating, which means the childminder is not always available in case of potential choking. Children are not provided with appropriate chairs at mealtimes and sit on the kitchen floor, including babies.

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

Children are not all provided with the same opportunities for learning. Babies' play is poorly resourced, and they have limited interactions in their play. When older children go outdoors to feed the guinea pigs, babies watch from the doorway. Gaps in children's learning are not identified due to the childminder's poor understanding of how children learn. Teaching of the curriculum is unimaginative and does not engage children in their learning. This impacts on the progress children make.

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

Children are happy to see the childminder and their friends on arrival. They seek comfort and help when needed, but this is not consistently reciprocated. Children do not understand how to manage their own feelings, and unwanted behaviour is not addressed by the childminder. As a result, children often lash out at others, hurting their friends, and do not understand that this is not appropriate behaviour. This does not help children build positive interactions with their peers.

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Next steps

The provider is not meeting the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare register and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action.

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Next steps

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to have taken the following actions by the assigned date:

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snacks and meals

ensure children are always supervised when eating to keep them safe 22/01/2026

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snacks and meals

implement effective hygiene routines to promote children's health 22/01/2026

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snacks and meals

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 : 07:00 - 17:30

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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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and co-childminder.

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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

We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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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

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

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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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