Sadler, Jennifer Siobhan

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2748492 Registered with Ofsted: 06/11/2023 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 that adequately protects children from harm. The childminder has not implemented recruitment practices and procedures that ensure children are kept safe. The childminder has failed to inform Ofsted of a change that requires notification. In addition, the childminder does not seek references for adults in the setting before they start working with children. This means adults working with children may not be suitable. This is a breach to the early years foundation stage requirements that compromises children's safety and welfare.

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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 steady progress from their starting points. The curriculum is planned to enable all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who experience barriers to their learning, to develop the skills they need for future learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop strong communication skills. For example, older children keenly explain their ideas while they play. They use words for size and colour to compare objects and solve problems, such as working out how to free a car stuck in a tube. This shows children are developing the skills to be critical thinkers. Adults help them recognise their achievements, and children show pride in their progress. Children develop curiosity and resilience. They explore tasks with interest, test different ideas and stay focused when challenges arise. Younger children enjoy learning early mathematical skills, such as building with construction toys. The curriculum and resources available promote children's imagination and creativity.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a positive and fun environment, she teaches and helps children to understand the behaviour that is expected of them. Adults set clear, simple rules and model respectful behaviour at all times. Older children act as role models for younger children. For example, they help younger children to build train tracks and remind them to share. They are proud of their achievements.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Adults typically build strong, trusting relationships with the children. When children become upset or display unwanted behaviour, adults support them sensitively and help them to solve problems. Daily routines are well established and help children understand expectations throughout the day. For example, children learn to wait patiently during transitions, such as queuing to wash their hands, and they understand what will happen next in familiar routines. The childminder works with families to keep behaviour expectations consistent between home and the setting, which supports children's understanding of boundaries.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder offers meaningful praise and children learn how to respect other people and their peers. Older children talk confidently about their feelings. The childminder promotes regular attendance and effectively monitors absences. Children are developing positive attitudes to learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are welcomed into the childminder's home and settle quickly. The childminder notices children's cues and responds with calm, sensitive care and offers reassurance. She models gentle language and helps children feel secure. Adults in the setting give extra time to children who feel anxious and use familiar items from home, such as soft toys, to provide comfort. Children receive emotional support through hugs, warm interactions and time to talk about how they feel. This helps to create a strong sense of belonging for all children. The childminder supports children to build friendships among their peers. For example, children are encouraged to share stories about their families and experiences at the start of the day. This helps children to learn about their uniqueness and their differences. The childminder supports children to listen and celebrate each other. For example, they clap, cheer, share and choose toys together. This promotes positive behaviour and respectful

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder plans daily routines to help children understand healthy lifestyles. For example, they learn about germs and how to make healthy choices at mealtimes. The childminder also helps children learn about nutritious food. She teaches children how to grow vegetables. This promotes children's understanding of healthy foods.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder values outdoor learning. Children enjoy climbing, balancing and trying new ways to use the swing. Children's physical development is promoted well at this setting.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear ambition for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She has designed a curriculum that benefits children's confidence, independence and happiness. She uses daily routines to provide simple experiences linked to children's interests. This helps her design a curriculum that reflects children's needs well. The childminder knows the children she cares for well and uses observations and assessments to plan what to teach next. She prioritises children's communication and models clear language throughout the day. For example, she names children's actions during play, introduces new vocabulary and gives children time to respond and repeat words. She adapts her practice to support and promote learning for children with SEND.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children hear and use early mathematical language during everyday play. For example, children compare sizes, notice who has more or fewer items and they learn to share resources fairly during play. They explore patterns and talk about numbers in meaningful situations.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically supports children's social and emotional development through warm interactions. However, the childminder does not work closely with other settings that children attend. This shows that the childminder is not fully supporting children's next steps in education.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's individual needs through observation. Regular conversations with families help her shape daily care so that children are understood and valued. When she notices emerging concerns, she looks for patterns over time and seeks advice from the local authority before planning next steps. On occasion, formal discussions with parents about concerns are not shared in a timely way. This means some information is not always shared as early as it could be.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder takes practical steps to reduce children's barriers to learning and wellbeing. She uses signs and gestures to support children's early communication skills. She models

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Urgent improvement

clear language, she narrates their play and encourages children to express themselves. This helps children grow in confidence and strengthen their social development.

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Urgent improvement

The childminder completes relevant training, including courses on special educational needs and/or disabilities. She uses this learning to adapt routines and experiences so that all children can participate fully. There are currently no children receiving early years pupil premium. However, the childminder is knowledgeable about how to use the funding appropriately.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder's safeguarding practice is weak. The childminder has not ensured that Ofsted suitability checks are completed for all adults who work directly with children. This is a breach of the early years foundation stage requirements. This weakness demonstrates that the childminder has not consistently maintained an effective safeguarding culture.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Typically, the childminder does not gather or share information about children's learning and next steps with other early years settings that children attend. This means that information- sharing to support children's learning between different settings is weak.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Parents are complimentary about the care and the support the childminder provides. However, she does not typically share information about children's strengths and next steps with parents in a timely way. This means parents do not always have the information they need to fully support children's learning at home.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder supports assistants well and works closely with them. They complete all mandatory training, and courses to support curriculum knowledge. This helps to keep their knowledge up to date and supports children's learning.

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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

Safeguarding is not met because the childminder has not ensured that all adults who have regular contact with children have completed the required suitability checks. This is a breach of the early years foundation stage requirements.

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

Children are happy and settled in a warm and caring setting, where they form secure relationships with the childminder. They seek her out for comfort and reassurance, and she responds with calm, consistent care. The childminder knows children well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and ensures all children are included in daily experiences.

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

Children develop positive social skills as they learn to interact with peers and adults. They take turns, share resources and engage in simple cooperative play, such as caring for dolls together or building with blocks alongside their peers. The childminder models polite language and supports children to resolve minor conflicts, helping them to begin to understand the impact of their actions on others. These experiences support children to develop early friendships and confidence in group situations.

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

Children follow familiar routines and arrive confidently at the setting. They talk about their families and experiences at home, which helps them to feel a sense of belonging. The childminder supports children to develop independence in daily routines, such as participating in tidy-up times. Children access a range of play experiences indoors and outdoors. Outdoors, they develop physical skills, such as climbing and running, while exploring space with adult support to manage risk. Indoors, they engage in imaginative play,

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About this setting

such as caring for dolls and acting out familiar family roles. This supports their understanding of the world and positive relationships.

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About this setting

Communication and language are promoted throughout the day. The childminder models clear speech, repeats key vocabulary and extends children's ideas during play. Children enjoy stories and rhymes, joining in familiar phrases and copying sounds. This promotes early communication development.

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About this setting

The childminder does not regularly engage with other settings that children also attend. This limits opportunities to fully share information about children's learning and experiences across settings which may affect consistency of support for children's development and transition planning. Parents report that their children's communication and independence have developed over time in the childminder's care.

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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 action by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure that people working with children and/or living at the premises where childcare takes place are suitable 25/03/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants, parents and carers 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): 2748492

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:30

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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

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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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