Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2652974 Registered with Ofsted: 14/04/2022 Registers: EYR, CCR

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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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 consistent progress from their starting points across all areas of learning. This is because children sometimes get bored and lose interest in what they are doing. As a result, the childminder does not always prepare children well for their next stage of learning, such as school.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children develop in confidence as they engage in back-and-forth conversations with the childminder. Children talk about how to wash a doll and use the sponge to scrub the different parts of the body. They look at similarities and differences, and talk about long and short hair. Children talk as they load the shopping into the trolley, learning mathematical reasoning skills as they fit the cartons and food into the spaces available. Children are keen to welcome visitors and take them by the hand, inviting them to play. This means children develop confidence, independence and self-esteem.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder does not always consider children's age or stage of development, for example, when planning activities for learning. This affects children's attention and they sometimes become a little restless and lose focus. As a result, children do not consistently form positive attitudes to learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Children behave well. They follow the childminder's rules for how to behave. The childminder reminds children about waiting and to sit safely when eating. This helps to create a positive environment, where children feel secure and understand what is expected of them. The childminder forms nurturing relationships with the children. She shows love and care towards them. For example, the childminder cuddles children when they are tired and praises them when they succeed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder is kind to children. She gets down to the children's level and engages in meaningful conversation with them. The childminder supports children to learn about playing together with others. This also helps children to learn how to cooperate. The childminder demonstrates an understanding of the requirement to check children's absences in a timely manner. For example, she knows to contact parents and carers if a child is absent from her provision without notice.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder does not consistently support all children to develop their independence skills. For example, she feeds children their breakfast and pours their drinks. As a result, children's opportunities to learn new skills is sometimes hindered. The childminder does not always teach children how to make healthy choices effectively. For example, she does not provide opportunities for children to learn about oral health in an age- and stage-appropriate way. This means children do not always understand how to keep themselves healthy and safe. The childminder does not always know her children well enough to implement effective routines, for example, in relation to sleep times. Children benefit from opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, children use utensils to stir food in the play kitchen and balance food on trays in the oven. This helps to develop children's muscles as they mimic daily routines. Children settle quickly with the

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

support of the caring childminder. They form secure bonds and build strong relationships in the calm and nurturing environment. This helps children feel safe and develop a sense of belonging. Children are encouraged to show their feelings and the childminder responds to children's individual emotional needs. For example, the childminder cuddles children when they are tired. This helps children to develop a sense of emotional wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder does not always provide a curriculum that meets the individual learning needs of all her children. She does not know all her children well enough to plan precise next steps in their learning. This means her teaching does not consistently build on what children know and can do. Consequently, the childminder does not fully support children to progress across all areas of learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder does not fully understand how to best support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or who have additional barriers to their learning. This means she does not always adapt her teaching appropriately to meet each child's age and stage of development. The childminder has recently begun to use assessment tools to help her understand children's starting points in language. However, this is not yet consistently applied for all children.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder does not always teach mathematics explicitly. Children count ducks while playing on their own and any misconceptions are not always identified. This means learning is sometimes incidental. The childminder supports children's physical and personal, social and emotional development skills generally well. She plays with children and provides opportunities for them to pour water together and brush their doll's hair.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder has limited knowledge of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including how to reduce barriers to their learning. This includes children who may be in receipt of additional funding. As a result, adaptations to practice are not always implemented and children with barriers to their learning are not consistently catered for.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder has begun to put systems in place to assess children's progress. However, these are not yet embedded into practice and it is too soon to review and measure any impact these have made. Consequently, children's individual and emerging needs are not always identified and they do not make as much progress as they could.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder is not aware of how partnerships with other agencies can improve outcomes for all children. For example, the childminder does not routinely contact other settings that children attend in order to gain important information. At times, this limits consistency of care and does not foster a shared approach to children's learning. However, the childminder has established partnerships with parents and/or carers and works with

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Urgent improvement

them to support learning at home, for example with potty training. This helps children feel supported and valued.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder has failed to recognise and address weaknesses in the quality of the provision. She demonstrates a poor capacity to make and maintain the necessary improvements. The childminder does not ensure safe and efficient management of her provision. Her records relating to children are disorganised, incomplete and not readily available. For example, attendance records are not accurate, which poses a risk to children's safety. This is because in the event of an emergency, the childminder is not clear about the children in attendance.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not always act in the best interests of the children in her care. She has limited knowledge of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including how to reduce barriers to their learning. This includes children who may be in receipt of additional funding. The childminder does not share information with other settings that children attend. This limits the support and care children receive and hinders their progress.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Since the previous inspection, any actions taken by the childminder have been insufficient and have not been brought about swiftly enough to have had a positive impact on children's experiences. The childminder has not addressed the previous weaknesses identified in the quality of education and care. She has not ensured that the professional development programme is embedded to support the practice of any assistants. As a result, assistants do not understand the requirements of their role. This means they are not able to implement the childminder's curriculum. This hinders the progress children make. However, the childminder meets regularly with assistants to discuss their wellbeing.

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

Due to weaknesses in the leadership and governance of this setting, children's best interests are not always prioritised. This is because the childminder does not consistently maintain required documents to ensure safe and effective management of her provision. Since her previous inspection, the childminder has failed to show a secure understanding of the areas of weakness and bring about the improvements required. For example, weaknesses in the curriculum do not build sufficiently on what children already know and can do and children's individual learning needs are not always met. As a result, children sometimes lose focus. Not all children, including those who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, make consistent progress from their starting points.

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

The childminder is not fully aware of how partnerships with other agencies can improve outcomes for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children's independence skills are not consistently supported. For example, children have drinks poured for them and are fed their food. This means the childminder does not always prepare children fully for their next stage in learning, for example school.

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

Despite identified weaknesses, children are welcomed with a smile and enjoy spending time with the childminder. They share cuddles together and have formed secure attachments. Children laugh as they wash dolls in the soapy water and play with the rubber ducks together. This helps children to grow in confidence and develop a sense of belonging. Children have access to a range of books and giggle as they press the buttons to make the sounds. They turn the pages carefully and look intently at the pictures. Children are happy as they push the pretend shopping trolley and stack and fill the shelves. As a result, children make real-life connections and develop physical 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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Action Completion Date

maintain accurate daily records of children, including their hours of attendance and ensure these are readily available 18/03/2026

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday,Saturday : 07:30 - 20:30

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Action Completion Date

provide children with a curriculum that builds on what they already know and can do 18/03/2026

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Action Completion Date

provide a programme of professional development opportunities to support the practice of assistants 18/03/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure there is a two-way flow of information between other providers when children attend more than one setting 18/03/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and 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. 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. 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

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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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