Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY345709 Registered with Ofsted: 26/01/2007 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

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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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder does not promote high expectations for behaviour and attitudes to learning. Children do not always demonstrate positive behaviours. For example, when children throw a spoon across the room after eating, the childminder does not address the behaviour and children see this as a game. Therefore, they do not learn behavioural expectations and to follow instructions. The childminder does not establish routines for children to follow that support their age and stage of learning, so children do not develop an understanding of their day and do not know what to expect. As routines are inconsistent, children do not develop the concentration and listening skills needed for learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Children form a warm, positive relationship and attachment with the childminder. They begin to develop skills needed for turn-taking as they play with the ball. This helps children to learn how to wait and persevere. The childminder uses praise to motivate children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder promotes attendance and punctuality with parents. She keeps written records of when children attend. The childminder adopts a flexible approach to support parents, so they can attend work commitments.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder does not accurately assess children's needs well enough to meet and/ or extend their learning, so children do not make progress. The actions the childminder takes are ineffective in reducing and/ or removing the barriers children may face. For example, the childminder watches children play, but does not engage in quality interactions that support children to achieve. Although the childminder can explain how to assess children's needs, identify gaps in learning and set next steps, she does not implement this. The childminder does not implement strategies or seek support from other professionals to meet children's individual needs. As a result, children do not meet their milestones. For example, she is not aware that she is not meeting children's needs and does not realise the impact this has on children being ready for their next stage in learning.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder does not have appropriate understanding of how to access additional support and funding. Therefore, children who may face barriers to learning and/ or wellbeing, do not receive the targeted support they need to access learning and make progress across the curriculum.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

All children, including children with special educational needs and/ those who may face barriers to learning and/ or wellbeing, do not achieve well from their starting points. Children do not develop skills across the curriculum that matches their age and stage of development. They engage in activities they enjoy, such as playing with a toy laptop, repeatedly pressing the keys. Typically, children spend extended periods without meaningful interaction or challenge, so children are not supported to practise and develop language. This means progress across the curriculum is impacted. Children pick up balls and post them into a container. This helps strengthen children's small-hand muscles, however, poor interactions mean that children are not encouraged to extend their skills and critical thinking. They briefly look at books but without interaction they quickly lose interest. This does not help children develop a love of books and storytelling or to develop sustained attention. The

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Achievement Urgent improvement

childminder does not accurately assess what children know and can do or set next steps for children to make progress, so children do not achieve their best outcomes.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not meet some of the requirements of the early years foundation stage that support children's individual emotional, welfare and health needs. She does not ensure her premises are fit for purpose and suitable for the age of children cared for. For example, when she takes children outside to play on the rocker she does not ensure the outdoor space is a safe place for children to play. In addition, the childminder does not take all reasonable steps to ensure children are not exposed to risks. For example, the childminder leaves children unattended in a low-level feeding chair to find resources. This means children are not always within sight and sound. She does not support children to develop an awareness of personal safety. These compromise children's safety. The childminder does not stay up to date with changes in early years requirements with regards to children's intimate care. She does not ensure children have privacy when changing

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

nappies. She does not establish routines that support children to sleep so children do not rest and are unable to engage in their learning. This impacts children's progress and development across all areas of learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder creates a space, where children choose toys they want to play with and this keeps them occupied. Children form positive attachments and relationships with the childminder. They know to seek comfort from the childminder when they feel upset. The childminder supports parents to provide children with a healthy lunch. She helps children to feed themselves using a spoon to help children learn to eat independently.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder does not meet the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage curriculum. She does not have a well-sequenced, ambitious curriculum that supports children who may face barriers to learning and/ or wellbeing to meet their milestones. The childminder's low expectations mean that children do not consistently benefit from interactions that support their learning and development. She considers children's interests, but she does not accurately assess what children already know and can do or set personalised next steps. This means teaching does not give children the best start in their learning and development. The childminder shares observations with parents monthly to keep them informed of what children have enjoyed.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder rarely interacts with children, so children do not learn new words or develop conversational skills. For example, the childminder starts to sing a song with children and encourages children to join in but does not continue or encourage children's engagement. The childminder does not routinely read with children. This means she does not teach children new words, reinforce known words, or establish story routines. This leads to gaps in children's communication and language development and does not prepare children well for their next stage in learning. Children learn some social skills, such as to put toys away when they have finished.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not demonstrate a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for improvement. Therefore, she does not know what actions she needs to take to improve the quality of her provision. The childminder does not ensure that she attends training that equips her to make accurate assessments of children's learning and development needs. This means she does not have a clear understanding of what children know and can do and what they need to know and be able to do next. Furthermore, the childminder does not personalise children's learning to meet individual needs, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing. As a result, the information parents receive about what children know and can do is not accurate, so children do not have the best possible outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not demonstrate an understanding of how to meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage. She does not establish policies and practices that ensure the setting is suitable for the age and stage of children that attend. She does not carry out risk assessments that support her to maintain the setting and keep children safe. Although the childminder attends some training, she does not follow revised guidelines for intimate care routines. The childminder does not always supervise children as she should. This means that children's welfare and safety are compromised.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder forms positive partnerships with parents. She is flexible to support the needs of parents, while numbers are low.

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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

There are weaknesses in meeting the early years foundation stage requirements. The childminder does not prioritise children's safety and wellbeing. Children do not always play in a safe environment that is suited to their age and stage of development. For example, the childminder does not carry out checks of the outside area before children play. After eating, children sit unattended in a low-level feeding chair while the childminder looks for resources in other areas of the home. This means children's safety and wellbeing are compromised.

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

There are weaknesses in meeting the learning and development requirements. Children do not have access to an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum that supports them to meet their milestones. Children, including those who may face barriers to learning and/ or wellbeing, do not achieve well from their starting points. For example, children have little or no interactions with the childminder, so children's language development and progress across the curriculum are impacted. Routines are not well established and children do not learn behavioural expectations and develop age-appropriate social skills.

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

Children settle and happily explore independently, with little support from the childminder. Typically, they are free to choose what they want to play with, so they feel content. There is a kitchen role-play area with a cooker, where children pretend to cook food. This helps children to begin to develop their imagination. Children make marks with mark-making tools in the creative space. This develops their small-hand muscles. Children like to play with small balls on the floor. They choose balls and pass them to the childminder. Children form positive attachments with the childminder and feel at home. They learn how to take turns and feel confident to explore their surroundings. Outside, children develop large muscles

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About this setting

rocking on the rocker and kicking a ball for a short time, however, there is little choice for children to practise these skills further.

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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

use knowledge of what children know and can do to identify next steps in learning and shape teaching and learning experiences to help children progress 31/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that interactions with children are of high quality to support children's communication and language development 31/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve organisation of the environment to ensure children are not left unattended and that they are not exposed to potential risks 31/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

follow guidelines during intimate care, particularly to ensure children's privacy 31/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

consistently embed routines that support children's understanding of behavioural expectations 31/05/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children 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): EY345709

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About this inspection

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

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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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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