Minee Monkeys

Minee Monkeys

Unique reference number (URN): EY474844 Address: The Old School House, Birchfield Lane, Oldbury, B69 2AS Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 25/07/2014 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Minee Monkeys Ltd

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Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that adequately protects children from harm.

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Safeguarding standards not met

Although staff receive training, leaders have failed to ensure that all staff have a secure understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures, including how to recognise, report and respond to concerns about a child or allegations about colleagues. Staff knowledge is inconsistent and some staff, including those in leadership roles, do not demonstrate a clear understanding of how to take appropriate action when concerns arise. This means that concerns may not be identified, recorded or reported in a timely and appropriate way, placing children at risk of harm.

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Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have not ensured that all staff understand the importance of confidentiality when handling safeguarding information. Weaknesses in staff knowledge mean that sensitive information about children may not always be managed appropriately, which further compromises children's safety and protection.

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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 Needs attention

Children do not consistently develop the knowledge and skills they need across all areas of learning. While some children make progress, this is not secure for all groups of children, especially younger children. As a result, not all children achieve as well as they should from their starting points.

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Achievement Needs attention

Some older children demonstrate age-appropriate skills. They communicate confidently with others, talk about their experiences and engage in simple imaginative play. They develop a 'can-do' attitude and listen attentively during story time. These skills support their readiness for the next stage of learning. However, this is not consistent across the setting. Babies and younger children do not always develop skills appropriate to their age and stage of development. They do not consistently develop their communication or exploratory skills due to reduced interactions by staff to engage them in purposeful learning.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not consistently make the progress they are capable of. This is because support is not implemented effectively enough to reduce barriers to their learning, such as to develop their communication and language skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that daily routines are organised effectively to support children's learning and engagement. At key points in the day, particularly in the morning, children spend too much time waiting during transitions, such as snack, lunch and toileting routines. Although children wait patiently, this reduces the time children have to play, explore and engage in purposeful learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Children form positive relationships with staff and their peers. Older children cooperate with one another during play and follow simple expectations, such as sitting at the table and taking turns. Staff support children to begin to regulate their feelings and behaviour and help them understand how their actions impact others. Children attend regularly and leaders communicate with parents to understand and support any absence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The quality of provision to support children's attitudes to learning is variable. Children are more motivated and engaged, when staff provide learning experiences that are matched to their stage of development. However, this is not consistent across the setting. At some times of the day, particularly for younger children, staff do not provide sufficiently purposeful or well-matched learning experiences. In addition, weaknesses in staff deployment reduce the quality of interactions and support available. At times, some children are not supported effectively to sustain their engagement or develop their attention.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well to support children's learning and development. While a curriculum is in place that covers all areas of learning, leaders do not ensure that teaching is adapted effectively to meet children's individual needs. Staff provide some helpful learning experiences to support children's development. Children engage in role play, such as caring for baby dolls, which helps them make links to their own experiences. Staff also use books as a key teaching tool to support children's language and early literacy development. These experiences support children's enjoyment and engagement in learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The quality of teaching is inconsistent. Staff's knowledge of child development is variable and gaps in some staff's understanding mean that learning experiences are not always matched appropriately to children's age and stage of development, particularly for babies. For example, staff provide babies with writing tools that they are not physically ready for. At times, there is an over reliance on adult-led activities, which reduces opportunities for children to lead their own play and learning, especially for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, staff read books to some children with content and language that is beyond their level of understanding. As a result, children become disengaged and are unable to access the learning intended.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Assessment is not used precisely enough to inform teaching. Staff identify next steps in learning more securely for older children than for babies. For example, activities for babies are not consistently matched to their developmental stage or emerging interests and staff

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Urgent improvement

interactions are reduced at times, due to routines and staff deployment. This means that babies are not supported consistently well to develop the communication, attention and independence skills they need for their transition into the toddler room. This variability means that learning is not consistently matched to children's developmental needs or their preparation for the next stage in learning.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive support that is implemented consistently well to meet their needs and reduce barriers to their learning. Staff identify children's needs and complete assessments, but do not use this information precisely enough. Leaders and staff engage with external professionals and put personalised plans in place for children. However, support is not implemented consistently well in practice. Staff do not always adapt teaching and interactions to meet children's individual needs throughout the day. For example, some children are expected to take part in group times that are not developmentally appropriate for their stage of understanding, language development or attention. At times, activities are overly long and staff do not adapt the content or interactions well enough to support children's engagement and participation. Staff approaches are not implemented consistently

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Inclusion Needs attention

enough to help children access learning fully. As a result, children's engagement is reduced and they do not make the progress they are capable of.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders do not monitor the impact of support precisely enough or ensure that strategies are reviewed and adapted in a timely way. As a result, support is not tailored closely enough to children's changing needs, and barriers to learning are not reduced as well as they should be.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders use additional funding to provide targeted support for children. For example, they incorporate musical sessions into the curriculum to support children experiencing language delay and to develop their listening skills. This demonstrates the intention to use funding to address identified needs and support children's development. Staff are aware of some children's home languages and use some strategies to support communication, including simplified language.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Leaders do not ensure that children's welfare and wellbeing are met effectively. They do not ensure that staff implement policies and procedures, therefore, care and supervision compromises children's safety and places them at risk of harm.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Staff do not supervise children closely enough during mealtimes. This places children at risk of choking, including the risk of silent choking, as staff are not always positioned to observe children directly. While some food is prepared appropriately, safer eating practices are not consistently followed. For example, younger children, including toddlers, are given whole sausages during mealtimes and are expected to manage cutting these independently. However, staff do not consistently consider whether this is developmentally appropriate or adapt supervision and food preparation to reduce risk. Not all staff, including those working with babies, have received training in safe food preparation. This means that food is not always prepared in a way that promotes children's safety and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Staff support children to begin to understand and manage their emotions. For example, they have introduced a 'calm area' and resources to help children self-regulate. However, in the baby room, weaknesses in staff deployment mean that staff are not always able to respond promptly to children's care and emotional needs. As a result, some children receive reduced attention and supervision during routines and play. Staff do not consistently identify and manage risks effectively, and some resources are not suitable for children's age and stage of development. This exposes children to avoidable hazards, such as choking hazards from resources with small pieces.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders have poor oversight of the setting. They have not ensured that statutory requirements are met, including those relating to safeguarding, safer eating and risk assessment. As a result, weaknesses in practice compromise children's safety and wellbeing. Leaders have not ensured that staff understand and implement policies and procedures consistently, including those relating to reporting concerns about children.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders do not monitor the quality of teaching and care precisely enough. Weaknesses in staff deployment, supervision and teaching have not been identified or addressed effectively. As a result, staff practice is inconsistent and children's care, learning and safety are not supported well enough. Leaders do not ensure that staff are deployed effectively. Although overall ratios are met, staff are not deployed appropriately within rooms. For example, one member of staff was responsible for supervising a group of 10 toddlers at breakfast while also greeting parents, requiring them to leave children unsupervised.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Professional development is not sharply focused. While staff receive some training, this is not targeted effectively to address gaps in knowledge, including child development and safe food preparation. This means that staff do not have the expertise they need to carry out their roles effectively.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders maintain communication with parents and share information about children's care and development. Staff report that leaders are supportive and consider their wellbeing. However, weaknesses in leadership and oversight mean that the setting is not providing a safe or consistently effective environment for children.

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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

Children's safety and welfare are compromised because leaders have not ensured that all staff understand and follow safeguarding policies and procedures to take appropriate action, when they are worried about a child. Children do not experience a safe and secure environment. Weaknesses in staff deployment and supervision of children mean that they are not always kept safe, including when they are eating. Food is not prepared safely enough to reduce the risk of choking. Babies access some resources that are not safe or suitable for their age and stage of development, which means that their safety cannot be assured during play. These breaches compromise children's health, safety and wellbeing.

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

Children's learning is variable. Some children enjoy activities and play well alongside others, particularly outdoors. For example, pre-school children concentrate in the mud kitchen, build with construction resources and talk with staff about their play. However, not all children benefit from learning that is matched closely enough to what they need to learn next. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive personalised planning, but this is not always implemented effectively throughout the day. This hinders children's engagement and progress.

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

Children's daily routines are not organised well enough. In the morning, children spend too much time waiting for snack, lunch and toileting routines. This interrupts the flow of their learning. It reduces the time children have to play, explore and lead their own learning.

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

Children form warm relationships with staff and often appear settled. Older children cooperate with their peers and show confidence in familiar situations. However, due to weaknesses in staff deployment, staff working with babies are, at times, too stretched to respond effectively to children's care and learning needs. This reduces the quality of interactions children receive and their progress overtime.

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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

ensure all staff have a secure and accurate understanding of safeguarding procedures, including how to identify, report and manage concerns, allegations and issues of confidentiality 22/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that safer eating practices are consistently followed, including the safe preparation of food and the effective supervision of children while eating 22/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve risk assessment processes to ensure that all resources in the baby room are safe and suitable for children's age and stage of development 22/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that staff are deployed effectively at all times so that staffing arrangements meet children's needs and staff are able to carry out their roles without compromising children's care, safety and learning 22/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

review and organise daily routines to minimise unnecessary waiting times and ensure children have sufficient opportunities to engage in purposeful play and learning 22/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

strengthen monitoring and support for staff to ensure teaching and care are effectively adapted to meet children's individual needs and stages of development 22/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

strengthen the use of assessment to ensure that staff use accurate information about what children know and can do to shape learning experiences and support children's progress 22/05/2026

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Address:

The Old School House Birchfield Lane Oldbury B69 2AS

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Action Completion Date

improve leadership oversight and accountability to ensure policies, procedures and expectations are clearly understood and consistently implemented by all staff 22/05/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners and the special educational needs coordinator 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

We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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About this inspection

The inspection started on 23 April 2026. Inspectors returned on 7 May 2026 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy.' Registered person: Minee Monkeys Ltd

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About this inspection

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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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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