Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2697514 Registered with Ofsted: 09/01/2023 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 Urgent improvement

Children do not develop the skills they need for their future learning. Weaknesses in the curriculum delivery, teaching practice and children's care do not support their development. Some barriers to children's learning come from the practice they experience at the setting. For example, at times children cannot explore and learn because they are distressed, due to not having their health and sleep needs effectively met.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Some children make some progress from their starting points. For example, they learn to take steps and eventually walk and learn to use the toilet independently. However, the lack of support to reduce the barriers to children's learning, and the overall poor experiences children have, mean that their progress is significantly impacted.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

During group music and movement activities, alongside their older peers, the youngest children are expected to follow instructions and use motor skills and movements that they are not yet capable of. As a result, they are unable to engage meaningfully in these activities. Children struggle to take part in purposeful play and do not develop the language, confidence, attitudes or skills needed to support their future learning. Despite some children being capable of more, they are not set up to succeed, which also means children are not well prepared for starting school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

The childminder does not use effective strategies to manage children's behaviour and does not set out clear and consistent expectations for children. She fails to give children the support they need to manage their feelings and emotions, despite recognising that some children struggle with this and require her support. For example, when children hit her or another child, she simply tells them not to and does not give any further explanation of why boundaries are in place to help children understand the impact of their actions and what they could do better next time. This impacts negatively on children's learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

Children form relationships with the childminder and they enjoy her playful nature. The childminder offers praise at times to children, such as when they know the shape or colour of something or recognise a number, which contributes to their self-esteem. However, the childminder does not establish or maintain effective routines and fails to recognise when this begins to impact the emotional wellbeing and safety of the children. For example, children walk around with food in their mouths, which is a choking hazard. In addition, the childminder fails to provide children with the time they need to sleep. This is not conducive to the children's health, safety or learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

The childminder promotes children's attendance and keeps records of the patterns of attendance. However, the childminder was unable to have these records available and accessible for inspection, she knows what action to take to monitor a child's welfare if a child stops attending or if there are unexpected absences.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Children experience some security and receive some comfort and cuddles from the childminder. However, she fails to notice and act when some children need attention and this impacts on their overall safety and wellbeing. For example, when children are tired and distressed, the childminder does not enable them to sleep and when children are hungry and upset, she does not ensure they eat enough healthy, balanced and nutritious food. The childminder fails to risk assess the environment and routines and does not notice when children are at risk of harm. For example, she places children to sleep on beanbags, which does not comply with safer sleeping requirements. In addition, when children play outside, they climb on furniture and lose their balance. This goes unnoticed by the childminder and places children at risk of falling and injury. Supervision of children is weak. Children choose to be indoors or in the garden, which means they can be out of sight and hearing of the

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

childminder at times. In addition, children are not taught adequate skills to keep themselves safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not supervise children well enough when they eat, or follow safer eating practices. For example, children often eat on the go. There are no set mealtimes and young children eat uncut grapes. This places children at significant risk of choking. The childminder does not ensure children eat a nutritious, balanced diet while in her care. For example, children snack throughout the day on ultra processed and high sugar foods. Children's health and hygiene is not promoted well enough. For instance, children are directed to wash their hands in dirty play water without soap, and they put their dirty outdoor shoes in their mouths, which goes unnoticed by the childminder. In addition, the childminder does not maintain suitable levels of cleanliness in all areas of her setting, this increases the risk of illness and cross contamination.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder lacks awareness of how children learn best, and does not have a clear understanding of how to implement an effective curriculum to help children make progress. The childminder has some knowledge about children's needs and interests and what she wants children to learn from some of the activities that she provides. However, she does not recognise how she can facilitate play, model, extend and challenge effectively. For example, interactions focus primarily on teaching children specific knowledge, such as the shape and colour of things, and children do not develop the wide range of skills and knowledge that they need to thrive. Children's language development is not promoted adequately. Although the childminder talks to children a lot of the time, weaknesses in her teaching skills means her interactions focus on labelling things and repeating of single words, rather than promoting back-and-forth interactions to help children learn how to hold conversations.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Therefore, children are not able to make the best possible progress in their language development.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Children with barriers to their learning, such as understanding behaviour expectations and boundaries, are not always set up for success and they do not access a broad curriculum. This is because their needs are not met and teaching is not tailored to support their specific needs. For example, children are left to flit between play spaces, picking up resources and quickly discarding them again with limited interactions. This prevents them from learning how to play purposefully, and how to focus and attend. The childminder interacts with children regularly and interactions during play are friendly and playful.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder does not have ambitious expectations for all children. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not experience a high quality of education. The childminder does not have the knowledge and skills to implement advice from other professionals to ensure children with SEND or who face barriers to their learning, receive targeted and effective teaching to help them make the progress of which they are capable. For example, the childminder obtains information from parents, carers and other professionals but does not put this into practice. She is aware that some children need particular communication strategies or tailored approaches to help with their behaviour and emotions, but does not implement them. The childminder does not react to children's flitting attention or engage them in focused learning. This creates an environment that is chaotic

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

and affects children's engagement and attitudes to learning. Children become distressed because their individual needs are not met.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder obtains information from parents and carers and other professionals. She has attended SEND training and knows how to apply for funding, which has been used thoughtfully. For example, the childminder has bought specific resources to help children feel calm. Overall, the weakness in the provision means that children who need additional support are not given the help they require to make meaningful progress in all areas of their learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder has not made the improvements necessary to raise the quality of the service she provides. Although the childminder has been undertaking a wide range of training and professional development opportunities and receiving significant support, advice and guidance from the local authority, significant weaknesses remain. The childminder does not evaluate effectively to accurately identify weaknesses within her provision and practice or recognise the shortcomings in her skills, knowledge and practice. This raises concerns about her ability to act as a suitable role model for any assistants she works with.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Parents and carers report that they are well informed about their children's day and what experiences they have. The childminder liaises with professionals involved with children, such as speech and language therapists to gain an understanding of the targeted provision children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) need to have in place. She has also recently completed a SEND course. However, the childminder does not use what she learns from professionals and training to influence her practice. Consequently, all children, including those who face barriers to their learning and those with SEND, do not have their needs fully met. The childminder has breached a requirement to have documents available and accessible for inspection as she was unable to produce records of children's attendance and her staffing arrangements.

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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

There are significant weaknesses in the quality of care and education. Breaches to the statutory requirements means that children do not thrive at this setting. The childminder lacks the knowledge and skills to carry out her duties effectively, which negatively impacts the quality of care, education and safeguarding practice within the setting. The childminder does not ensure children are suitably supervised when they are eating and does not prepare food appropriately, which places children at risk of choking. She also does not ensure that children eat enough food to help keep them fit and healthy. The childminder does not provide safe and suitable places for children to sleep, when they are tired. As a result, children are unable to rest or nap, which impacts on their wellbeing. Children do not benefit from a safe, calm, organised environment and frequently become disengaged and distressed. The childminder does not ensure children have the support they need to

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

participate in purposeful play opportunities. Some children display negative behaviour towards the childminder and their peers. When this happens, the childminder does not manage this appropriately, meaning children do not learn to manage their own behaviour or to understand their own feelings and emotions. Due to ineffective supervision and risk assessments, children are at risk of injury from falling equipment, which they access without the childminder being present.

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

The childminder knows children's stages of development and any barriers they have to their learning, but she does not ensure their needs are adequately supported within her curriculum and through her teaching. The childminder intends the curriculum to be tailored for every child's needs, however, this does not happen in practice and the childminder fails to identify this. This means that all children, including those who face barriers to their learning, do not make the progress they are capable of. Despite this, children arrive happy, they enjoy moving around the garden and benefit from spending time outside in the fresh air, where they practise their physical skills. The childminder understands the importance of regular attendance, which she promotes.

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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 a secure understanding of safer eating guidance, including the preparation of food to prevent choking 07/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that children are safely monitored as they eat and are always within sight and hearing while eating 07/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure children have access to safe and appropriate places to rest and sleep that are suited to their age, and are in line with safe sleeping guidance 07/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure records are accessible and available for inspection 07/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

implement daily routines to prevent disorganisation that disrupts children's focus, emotional security, and learning 15/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure children are provided with healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks, and drinks in line with nutrition guidance 15/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure appropriate strategies are used consistently to manage children's behaviour, to help them regulate their emotions, understand rules and boundaries and the potential consequences of their actions 15/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve the arrangements for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who have barriers to their learning, so that specific strategies to support their development are implemented effectively 15/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure children's health and hygiene are promoted at all times, with particular regard to handwashing and take all necessary steps to ensure the premises are clean and hygienic so that children can play and learn in comfort and safety 15/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve arrangements for risk assessment to identify, remove or minimise risk to children, with particular regard to the organisation of free-flow play between the garden and indoors so that children are supervised at all times 15/04/2026

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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

plan and implement an ambitious curriculum, offering all children challenging, enjoyable and engaging experiences that build on what they already know and can do 30/06/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve the quality of interactions to ensure that all children are well supported to make the best possible progress in all areas of learning 30/06/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and parents 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. Unique reference number (URN): 2697514

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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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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

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