Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY476820 Registered with Ofsted: 12/05/2014 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. The childminder has failed to take appropriate action and continues to work over the required staff-to-child ratios. This compromises children's safety and welfare. The childminder does not understand the procedures to follow in the event that an allegation is made against any person living or working on the premises. Written policies are not stored on site and this does not help to ensure that the childminder is able to promptly take the appropriate action should the need arise. The childminder does not keep all records of the recruitment and vetting checks completed for their assistants on site. This does not help to ensure the safe and effective management of the setting.

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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 Expected standard

Children make progress across all areas of learning. They develop the knowledge and skills that they need to support their future learning. For example, children learn to manage their personal hygiene and become independent from an early stage. They learn how to dress and undress in preparation for school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop the physical skills needed for writing. This is promoted through well- planned and purposeful opportunities to develop their coordination and finger strength. For example, they regularly manipulate play dough and make marks using different materials to develop their pencil grip.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children receive the targeted support that they need when barriers begin to emerge in their development. Children benefit from the support that they receive to develop their vocabulary and speaking skills. The childminder models new words and uses objects as reference and gestures to support children's emerging language development. Children's vocabulary and speaking skills develop well.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder uses children's daily routines to help them settle in as they separate from their families. They talk to children about the day ahead and when their families will come back to collect them. This provides children with the reassurance that they need and helps them to settle in quickly. The childminder reminds children about the routines and explains what will happen now and next. This helps children to develop their understanding and concept of time.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder teaches children to be kind and considerate towards others. Children learn about different people, faiths and beliefs to help develop their understanding of people beyond their own communities. The childminder encourages children to be kind and to think about the impact their actions have on others. Children learn how to manage conflicts according to their stage of development. Children develop the skills they need to manage friendships and play alongside others well.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works well with parents to promote the importance of regular attendance. This is done through regular conversations and following up with families when a child does not arrive for their usual session.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has improved the curriculum on offer. They ensure that each child receives the targeted support they need in relation to their learning. They use their secure knowledge of child development to plan an effective curriculum that covers all areas of learning. The childminder plans activities and resources that match the individual needs and interests of each child in their care.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder wants children to develop an understanding of their feelings and emotions. They plan activities based around a book that they have been reading to support conversations and develop children's emotional literacy. The childminder teaches younger children simple words that they can use to express their emotions. They talk to older children about different facial expressions while making picture collages. They link their conversations back to the story and encourage children to explain which emotion matches their collage.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children to be critical thinkers and encourages them to have a go and test their ideas. Children develop their mathematical skills as they count different body parts when working out how many fingers to add to their drawings. The childminder encourages children to compare the different lengths of their arms and legs before they add these to their drawing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gathers key information from families about their child's individual needs when they first start at the setting. They spend time observing children during settling-in sessions to assess what children already know and can do. The childminder uses this information to plan familiar routines and learning experiences that match the individual needs of the child. They complete training from external professionals already involved in a child's care to ensure that their individual needs are met from the outset.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder considers barriers to children's learning and finds ways to support these through their curriculum plans. They adapt their approach to provide children with targeted support. For example, the childminder speaks clearly and encourages children to repeat

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Urgent improvement

single words to support their emerging speech and language development. They provide children with a narrative during their play, sings songs and read books daily to broaden their vocabulary. As a result, any gaps in a child's development begin to close.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not always prioritise children's best interests when making decisions about how they organise their setting overall. They have continued to care for too many younger children at one time. They have not given regard to how this compromises children's safety and welfare.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder broadly understands the role of the key person. They have systems in place to gather key information from families about their child when they first start at the setting. They use this to plan familiar care routines and learning experiences that help children settle in well. The childminder has ongoing discussions with parents about their child's development and how this is being supported in their setting. They work with external professionals already involved in children's care. However, they do not always promptly share information or link parents to external professionals who can provide them with additional support. As a result, children's ongoing care needs are not consistently met from the earliest point.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Children are provided with opportunities to develop their understanding of a range of different feelings and emotions. The childminder supports children to develop age- appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills. This helps to promote children's emotional wellbeing as they learn how to communicate their needs in various ways.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not place children's best interests at the heart of their decision- making. They have continued to work over the staff-to-child ratios without considering the impact that this has on children's safety and welfare. This raises concerns about their integrity and shows a limited capacity to improve their setting and practice overall.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Information and records are poorly maintained and not readily accessible to those who require access to them. The childminder does not keep accurate attendance records to ensure children's safety in an emergency. Key documents, such as policies and procedures and vetting checks, are kept off site. This does not help to ensure the safe and effective management of the setting.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The key-person system is not effectively supporting children's ongoing care needs. The childminder does not take prompt action to share information or signpost families to external professionals for support when required.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not have effective supervisions in place to monitor the performance of their assistants. They do not identify, or provide their assistants with, appropriate training, support and coaching. This does not help to ensure that they have the required knowledge and skills to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. The childminder does not keep their own knowledge and skills up to date to ensure the effective management of their setting overall.

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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 always act in children's best interests. They have failed to take appropriate action to address previous weaknesses and continue to work over the required staff-to-child ratios. The childminder does not consider the negative impact this has on children's safety and welfare. The childminder does not maintain accurate attendance records or keep required information and documentation on site. This does not help to ensure the safe and effective management of the setting. The key-person system is not effective in meeting children's ongoing care needs.

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

The childminder does not understand the procedures to follow in the event an allegation is made against their assistant. This does not help to safeguard children and protect them from the risk of harm. The childminder does not provide assistants with effective support and training. This does not help to ensure that they develop the knowledge and skills required for their roles and responsibilities.

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

Children show that they feel comfortable in the childminder's care. They seek them out to join in with play and show their achievements. Children delight in the praise that they receive from the childminder. They benefit from reassurance and cuddles, when required. The childminder reminds children to use their manners and supports them to share, take turns and cooperate. Children develop positive relationships with the childminder and the other children.

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

All children make the progress of which they are capable of from their starting points. They enjoy the range of activities and resources provided for them. Children are motivated and eager to take part in small-group activities. They are supported by the childminder to think and solve problems independently. For example, younger children learn how to use tweezers to sort coloured pom-poms into containers. Older children are further challenged to group the pom-poms into colours and count how many they add to each container. Children develop the knowledge and skills needed for their future learning across all areas of learning.

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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 that adult-to-child ratios meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage 06/03/2026

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Action Completion Date

keep a daily written record of the names of each child being cared for, the hours that they attend and the names of each key person 06/03/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that information and records are easily accessible and available to those who require access to them 06/03/2026

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

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Action Completion Date

implement an effective key-person system and make sure key information is shared with families promptly, so each child's ongoing care needs are met as early as possible 06/03/2026

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Action Completion Date

develop a secure knowledge and understanding of how to respond to an allegation made against a member of staff 06/03/2026

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Action Completion Date

monitor the performance of assistants and provide the targeted support, coaching and training they need to develop the knowledge and skills required for their roles and responsibilities. 06/03/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and their 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.

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About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection. Local authority: Leeds

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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. 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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