Brown, Nicole

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY559201 Registered with Ofsted: 23/10/2018 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

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Safeguarding standards not met

The childminder does not ensure that all adults working with children have sufficient knowledge of safeguarding. She has not made sure that all adults who care for children know how to report safeguarding concerns about children or understand the procedure to follow if an allegation is made against the childminder. This means children's safety cannot be assured.

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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

Not all children make expected progress in their communication and language development. The youngest babies do not always hear language that is pitched at the right level to help them understand and make connections as they play and explore. They are settled, curious and willing to explore, but their progress is not secure.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children gain some skills that help prepare them for the next stage in education, but their learning is not consistently built on. Children's progress in learning and development is haphazard and incidental. They do not benefit from purposeful planning that helps them securely build on what they need to learn or know next.

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Achievement Needs attention

The childminder encourages children to play together and build on their social skills. Turn- taking skills are practised as the children play games together. In the garden area, children practise climbing stairs on the climbing frame. This builds on their physical development skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder's approach to managing children's behaviour is not always appropriate or consistent. At times, adults working with children implement different approaches to support and manage children's behaviour. For instance, not all children follow instructions to tidy up before getting ready to go into the garden. They do not receive consistent messages that help them understand the expectations in the setting. This affects how they learn to collaborate, develop motivation and positive attitudes to learning. The childminder lacks the knowledge to adapt her practice and does not consider children's age and stage of development when managing their behaviour. This impacts on children's behaviour, wellbeing and attitudes to learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Children show a positive attitude to the routines of the day. For example, children are keen to help carry food to the table at mealtimes. Children enjoy the activities that are made available to them. They demonstrate excitement when getting ready to go in the garden, proudly showing the childminder how they can put on their own boots ready to go out. The childminder monitors children's attendance and follows up any non-attendance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder does not understand the impact of children's behaviour on all those who attend the setting. Methods used to manage children's behaviour are not used in a timely way. As a result, relationships between the children at the setting are not always positive, which impacts on their welfare and wellbeing. Children often struggle with their emotions while at the setting, and the behaviour of some of their peers affects their ability to learn how to regulate how they are feeling. The childminder lacks the knowledge to create differing ways to encourage positive behaviour, and when strategies are put in place, they are not monitored. The childminder supports children to develop healthy eating habits. She provides them with healthy meals each day, which they independently serve. The childminder makes sure that children access fresh air daily and are physically active.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder ensures that children have rest when they need it in a comfortable and safe environment. She provides age-appropriate seating for children to use when they eat. She supports children to manage their self-care, such as learning how to use the toilet and use cutlery at meal times.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder's knowledge about typical child development is weak, and there are some gaps in what she intends children to learn and be able to do. She does not always consider any emerging gaps in children's learning when planning for their next steps so that learning is sequenced and purposeful. This limits the progress children make.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder's practice is inconsistent, particularly with regard to supporting younger babies' language development. She does not adapt her teaching appropriately for this group of children, as they are often facing away from her when she is talking to them.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder does not purposefully plan to help children build early mathematical skills. Planned activities do not always focus on the specific skills children need to learn next or are ready to learn. The childminder does not recognise how to help children to embed their learning. The childminder does not consistently support children to manage their emotions, which impacts on their behaviour. The childminder enhances the physical development curriculum through play opportunities in the garden, which intentionally strengthens children's gross motor skills.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder does not yet take consistent action to reduce barriers to some children's learning and wellbeing. For example, the curriculum for the youngest babies does not focus on the skills they need to learn next. This limits the progress they make in their learning and development. In addition, the childminder does not always use information about children's progress to influence activity planning and adaptations required so that all children's needs are considered. This impacts on the progress that children make, particularly those who may face barriers to their learning. The childminder does not always identify children's individual needs accurately enough, particularly the impact behaviour has on learning. The childminder has gaps in her knowledge about child development and does not adapt her practice to consider the behavioural needs of some children. This affects the progress children make in their learning and development.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder knows the children well and builds warm, trusting relationships with them. Systems for monitoring children's development are in place, such as carrying out statutory assessments. The childminder engages regularly with children's families. Partnerships with parents are positive, but information about children's learning and progress is not shared in sufficient detail.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Significant weaknesses in leadership and governance require urgent action. The childminder has not ensured that all adults working with children have adequate safeguarding knowledge for reporting concerns about a child. This means that children's safety cannot be assured. In addition, the childminder does not ensure that all those working with children use the same approaches to support their behaviour. The childminder does not have a clear and ambitious vision for providing high-quality education and care for children to prepare them for the next stage in their education. The childminder has not recognised that the curriculum does not yet meet the needs of all children who attend the setting. She has not considered how this may affect their attitudes to learning and future success.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder has taken steps to meet previous actions set. For example, she has ensured that all relevant information relating to children will be sought at the time of registration. In addition, adaptations have been made to the available space to allow for children to explore and move around more freely, and she understands the benefits of this.

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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 that all adults working with children know how to identify and report safeguarding concerns about children. This was identified as a previous weakness that the childminder has not taken sufficient action to address. This means children's safety continues to be compromised.

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

Inconsistencies in the quality of teaching impact on children's overall achievement. While most children take part in activities and have fun, the childminder does not have high ambitions for children, and teaching is not of high quality. For example, learning is not planned well for the youngest babies, and older children do not stay engaged at activities for long. The childminder has not created a curriculum that incorporates children's interests or targets their next steps in learning.

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

The childminder does not help children to understand what is expected of them or learn to manage their own behaviour effectively. She does not consistently respond to their behaviour, which gives children unclear messages about what is acceptable behaviour. Behaviour impacts on other children's ability to remain at activities and therefore impacts their overall learning.

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

Children enjoy accessing the garden space. They develop their physical skills as they climb on frames and manoeuvre around the free space available. Children enjoy exploring a mud and bug play activity and talk about the different animals they can see.

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

The childminder is attentive and caring towards the children. Children arrive at the setting happy and ready to see which activities are available for them. The childminder promotes children's independence skills as they put on their own coats and wellies ready to access

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Inspector:

the garden. Children proudly show the childminder when they have achieved this, and the childminder praises them, building on their self-esteem.

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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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Action Completion Date

ensure all staff working with children understand their safeguarding responsibilities and know where to refer any safeguarding concerns they may have about the children in their care 27/02/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure strategies used to manage behaviour are consistent and promote children's wellbeing 27/02/2026

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Action Completion Date

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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Action Completion Date

implement an ambitious curriculum that promotes all children's learning and development 27/02/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve and adapt practice to reflect the different rates in which children learn and develop 27/02/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and her assistant 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. Lisa Smith

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 19:00

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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 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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