Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2735279 Registered with Ofsted: 02/08/2023 Registers: EYR

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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 Expected standard

Children develop a range of skills across the areas of learning. They make progress, particularly in their speech and social skills, with increased vocabulary and more confident interactions with others. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported to develop understanding and begin to use more words, helping them take part in activities and communicate their needs.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are also developing the practical skills needed for their next stage of learning. Through daily routines, they learn to manage tasks such as tidying away resources, helping at snack time and beginning to dress themselves. These experiences build confidence, resilience and growing independence. The childminder further supports transitions by helping children with toilet training and sharing relevant information with receiving settings. As a result, children are increasingly prepared to move on to the next stage of learning with confidence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder provides a clear daily routine and helps children understand expectations so they can move between activities with increasing independence. She uses familiar signals such as songs, clapping and verbal prompts to guide transitions and group routines. This consistent approach helps children feel secure and engage positively throughout the day.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children form positive relationships with adults, seeking reassurance and responding well to praise and encouragement. The childminder develops children's emotional understanding through stories and discussion. She encourages them to identify how characters feel and relate this to their own experiences. She also uses visual resources, such as emotion cards, to help children recognise and name feelings.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder generally manages behaviour well through clear expectations, reminders and praise. She encourages children to share and take turns, although on some occasions, adults remove resources when conflict arises rather than consistently helping children resolve disagreements. She uses behaviour plans for children who need additional support with self-regulation, including strategies, such as offering choices and providing calming spaces, and shares these with parents to promote consistency. She also promotes good attendance and routines through regular communication with parents, reminding them of the importance of regular attendance for children's learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder focuses on helping children develop the key skills they need first, such as moving confidently, communicating and building relationships. Children have lots of opportunities to be active, for example climbing, balancing and using outdoor equipment, as well as taking part in activities like playdough, drawing and building, which help them

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Needs attention

practise using their hands. These experiences help children become stronger, more coordinated and confident in their movements.

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Needs attention

Activities are planned based on what children can already do, using information from parents and regular observations. This means learning builds step by step and is suited to each child's stage of development. The childminder uses this knowledge to decide what children should learn next and adapts activities so they are supported and challenged at the right level. Children learn early mathematical and language through everyday activities. For example, they count bananas at snack time, count steps on the stairs and use words like 'big' and 'small' when playing. Stories and songs are used to help children enjoy learning, with children joining in actions and talking about what is happening. Group activities are usually engaging, although at times noise and distractions can make it harder for some children to concentrate.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's individual needs through ongoing observation, informal assessment and information shared by parents at entry and throughout their time in the setting. She uses this information to plan inclusive support that reflects children's starting points and emerging needs across all areas of learning. For children with English as an additional language, she uses strategies such as modelling language, repeating key vocabulary, visual prompts and incorporating home language words to support understanding and participation. This enables children to access activities alongside their peers and build confidence in using English within daily routines and play.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Where children require additional support with behaviour or emotional regulation, individual plans are developed with parents and reviewed to support consistency between home and the setting as needs change. The childminder understands the importance of early identification of children's needs. She works with external professionals where appropriate, including the inclusion officer, to support assessment and planning. There is some variation between adults in how children's needs and development are interpreted, although this does not prevent children from receiving appropriate support. The childminder also considers the needs of children who may be known to social care or who have additional vulnerabilities, ensuring relevant information is shared and appropriate support is in place. As a result, children's individual needs are supported through tailored strategies, enabling children to participate and make progress within the setting.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

There are weaknesses in leadership and oversight, particularly in how areas for improvement are identified and addressed. The childminder has not identified weaknesses in hygiene practice. This limits her ability to take timely and effective action to reduce risks and improve practice. In addition, the supervision arrangements are not implemented effectively, with discussions about children and practice taking place informally rather than through planned, structured opportunities. This reduces opportunities to reflect on adults'

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Urgent improvement

practice and provide regular confidential opportunities for adults to discuss their wellbeing, limiting the ability to identify issues early and provide appropriate support. The childminder does not routinely gather structured feedback from parents about the quality of the provision. Although communication is frequent and parents receive regular updates, this is not systematically collected or used to inform improvements. As a result, opportunities to evaluate and strengthen provision through parental feedback are limited.

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Urgent improvement

The childminder demonstrates commitment to improving her practice. Since the last inspection, she has completed a range of training focused on teaching, behaviour and early mathematics, and has strengthened the curriculum. She has introduced more consistent behaviour management strategies. She has also developed effective risk assessments and action plans to address previous weaknesses. The childminder ensures assistants access relevant training to support a shared approach. She keeps up to date with guidance, including current safer sleep recommendations, and supports families by sharing guidance and signposting them to other services. As a result, there is a clear intention to improve, although systems to identify and act on weaknesses are not yet fully embedded.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

There are significant weaknesses in how hygiene routines are followed, which have a direct impact on children's health and safety. Children do not consistently wash their hands at important times, such as before eating, and adults do not always reinforce this. At mealtimes, some children, including babies, are not given cutlery and therefore pick up food directly with unclean hands. Tables that have been used for messy play are not disinfected before food is served, increasing the risk of contamination. During nappy changing, adults handle other children and resources while wearing used gloves before changing them, and mats are not consistently cleaned between uses. These practices increase the likelihood of germs spreading between children and surfaces, raising the risk of illness and cross- infection. As a result, children are not adequately protected from avoidable health risks and do not develop a clear understanding of the importance of hygiene in keeping themselves

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of how to support children's care needs in partnership with parents. She works closely with families to follow established routines, including weaning, toilet training and managing allergies, ensuring consistency between home and the setting. Since the last inspection, the childminder ensures that children are supervised adequately as they eat, helping to reduce immediate risks such as choking.

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

Children's experiences are affected by inconsistencies in hygiene routines which do not always support their health and self-care. Children are not consistently supported to wash their hands at key times, including before eating, and some mealtimes involve children eating with unclean hands and limited use of cutlery. Tables are not always cleaned between messy play and meals, and nappy changing routines do not consistently ensure that equipment and hands are fully cleaned between children. This increases the risk of germs spreading and does not reinforce clear expectations around keeping themselves healthy.

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

The childminder has made some improvements since the last inspection. Children benefit from a curriculum that now effectively supports their personal, social and emotional development, as well as mathematical knowledge. Training completed means that adults are more confident with managing behaviour. Children are generally settled and form positive relationships with the childminder. They seek reassurance from familiar adults and respond well to praise and calm interaction. Children are beginning to develop friendships and learn to share and take turns with adult support.

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

Children follow their own interests across activities such as playdough, mark making and imaginative play. For example, they use playdough to create simple shapes, press tools into it to make patterns, and talk about what they are making. The childminder encourages children to explore what happens when materials are mixed and supports them to make simple predictions, such as what may happen when water is added to sand or when different textures are combined. Children show curiosity as they observe changes during play and begin to notice differences in texture and consistency. Children also enjoy role play in the mud kitchen, where they mix water, soil and natural materials. They scoop, pour and stir, pretending to prepare simple meals and often talk about what they are making. These experiences support imagination, early problem-solving and an understanding of cause and effect. Children are suitably prepared for their next stage of learning.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure that hygiene arrangements are effective and protect children from cross contamination, including handwashing procedures and the sanitation of equipment after nappy changes 21/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure there are appropriate arrangements in place for the supervision of all assistants to help improve 21/05/2026

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 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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Action Completion Date

personal effectiveness, promote the interests of children and maintain a culture of continuous improvement.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistants, the 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.

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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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