Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2785963 Registered with Ofsted: 03/06/2024 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. While she obtains references and disclosure and barring checks for staff, they are left unsupervised with children before all suitability checks by Ofsted are completed. They are also counted in ratios, which is a breach of the statutory requirements, and comprises children's safety and wellbeing.

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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

Overall, all children make progress from their starting points. However, at times, older children become disengaged from their learning due to staff meeting the care needs of younger children. This does not consistently support children to develop high levels of attention.

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Achievement Needs attention

When children are able to access toys and resources that interest them, they focus their attention, listen and respond to others through purposeful interactions. They develop effective communication and language skills when they talk about their resources that include a crab and an octopus. They discuss recycling and what can happen if rubbish is not disposed of correctly. Children build confidence and independence ready for their move on to school. They dress themselves and begin to manage their own personal care. Children have secure social skills and establish friendships. They develop resilience as they learn to negotiate and resolve disputes amicably.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children begin to understand healthy eating and why exercise is good for them. They develop physical skills when they practise different ways of moving, such as stretching, crouching and jumping. Babies build their coordination skills when they feed themselves and have time on their tummy, which helps develop core strength. Children develop their understanding of the world when finding out about their community during visits to local shops and the library.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder has age-appropriate expectations for children's behaviour. Children learn about feelings and emotions, which helps them begin to manage their own behaviour. The childminder reminds them about rules and boundaries and why some behaviour is not acceptable. However, she does not always take swift action to resolve the issues that prompt unwanted behaviour. For example, she does not ensure children always have enough room to play and access to age-appropriate resources to prevent them becoming bored.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Staff are positive role models. They teach children to be kind and caring. Children build resilience when they learn to play cooperatively and negotiate with their peers. Children's achievements are recognised and celebrated, which enhances their confidence and self- esteem.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder understands and considers children's individual needs and circumstances, including those of disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works with parents and other professionals to make adjustments and promote children's regular attendance, such as flexible start and finish times. Any absences are followed up promptly to ensure children are kept safe and well. Children's transition into the setting is planned effectively, which means they settle quickly and soon form secure attachments with staff.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder obtains information about children's care routines at home. In the main, care practices and routines support children's emotional development and self-regulation. However, at times, routines become disorganised and children's needs are not met promptly. For example, babies wait too long to be taken out of their highchair after meals, which results in them becoming unnecessarily unsettled.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder provides a welcoming environment where relationships between children and staff are positive. Overall, staff are caring and responsive to children's needs. Children are self-assured and confident to communicate their wants and needs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder is proactive in identifying children who might need additional support, especially disadvantaged children, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff help children to develop their physical and emotional health. They support children's understanding of healthy food choices, and the importance of rest and exercise. Children have plenty of time outside where they have space to move and build on their physical skills. Babies sleep in the fresh air in suitable equipment, snuggled up in cosy blankets.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Children begin to understand why good hygiene routines are important. They develop independence in self-care ready for the eventual move to school. Staff teach children to identify hazards and manage risks, such as crossing the road safely and using large play equipment in the local park. The childminder shares information with parents to help them keep their children safe online.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The delivery of the curriculum is not consistent. This means that at times, children's play and learning are not supported well to ensure they continually build on their knowledge and skills. For example, on occasions when older children are engaged in adult-led learning, younger children wander with little focus. They push toys around the garden, but do not have the positive interactions they need to extend their play and learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Overall, the childminder's curriculum promotes children's communication, emotional development and readiness for school. She uses her assessments of children's progress to identify their next steps in learning. The childminder extends their mathematical knowledge when they look for numbers on signs, explore sequences of numbers, and pretend to use a telephone to call a plumber.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Children learn to solve problems when they build a tower with large blocks. They learn to place larger, more stable blocks at the base. They create bridges using arched shaped pieces. Staff model positional language, such as 'over, and 'on top' to build vocabulary and understanding. Children build on their social skills as they begin to play cooperatively and to share ideas.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Children develop early literacy when they explore print in different formats, such as sharing stories and reading labels on plants. All children, including those who have barriers to their learning, demonstrate communication and language skills appropriate to their age. Younger

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Urgent improvement

children use single words and physical gestures to communicate their wants and needs. Older children extend their vocabulary when they learn new words, such as seahorse, starfish, and turtle.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder is not always able to meet children's needs because the organisation of daily routines and access to resources does not always ensure inclusive care and education. For example, at times, children are supervised in one room where they do not have enough room to play and older children do not have access to age-appropriate toys and resources. As a result, some children become bored and begin to show unwanted behaviour. This disrupts play and learning for other children.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder works closely with parents and other professionals to assess children's individual learning needs. When she identifies gaps in children's progress, she takes positive action to ensure they receive the right support. The childminder makes suitable adjustments to ensure children can participate and enjoy the learning experiences on offer. For example, flexible start times make it easier for children to attend regularly.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those with other barriers to their learning are supported to make positive progress. Children who have English as an additional language are encouraged to use their home languages in the setting. This means they make effective progress in developing their communication skills. Children enjoy plenty of time outdoors where they develop their coordination and build on their physical skills. This helps children who have gaps in their physical development to catch up.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder has a weak knowledge of her statutory duties to ensure staff are suitable to carry out their roles before they commence working directly with children.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

There is a clear plan in place for staff's induction and professional development to help them build on their knowledge and skills. The childminder ensures their workload is manageable. She conducts her own research to improve her knowledge of high-quality teaching. She provides a welcoming environment where children generally have opportunities to lead their play and learning. This means that, overall, children benefit from educational experiences that support their continuing progress.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder works with parents and other professionals effectively to promote children's education and emotional wellbeing. This includes smooth transitions into the setting and on to school. The childminder ensures relevant information is shared, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who have other barriers to their learning to ensure children settle quickly. The childminder promotes successful communication with parents, such as daily handovers, communication books, and sharing of children's progress and next steps. Parents say the childminder keeps them well informed about children's activities so they can continue children's learning at home.

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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

Children are not kept safe at all times because staff, for whom suitability checks have not been completed, are permitted to have unsupervised contact with them. Daily routines are planned to reflect those that children enjoy at home. However, at times, these become disorganised which means children's individual needs are not met consistently.

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

Overall, children enjoy their time in this home-from-home setting. In general, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to their learning, make secure progress from their starting points. Children become confident to lead their learning and initiate play with their peers. Although this is, at times, inhibited when their space is restricted, ratios are exceeded and they cannot easily access resources.

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

Babies smile when older children share sensory books with them, helping them turn the pages and feel different textures. When activities capture children's interests, they engage well and are keen to share their knowledge and understanding. For instance, children consider how rubbish in the sea impacts on the creatures who live there. Children demonstrate effective communication and language skills and are beginning to build their vocabulary.

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

Recognition of children's achievements, praise and encouragement help children to build their confidence, self-esteem, and resilience. They begin to understand their feelings and emotions, and the impact their behaviour has on others. In the main, unwanted behaviour is managed in an age-appropriate way that helps children to understand why some behaviour is not acceptable.

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

Families feel welcomed in the setting and supported. Flexible sessions help children to attend regularly. Parents' views are sought and their role in developing ways to support children both at home and in the setting is valued. For example, children are encouraged to use their home languages in the setting. The youngest children develop their independence when they learn to feed themselves. Older children learn to dress themselves and take responsibility for tidying away their toys.

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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 that any person who may have regular contact with children is suitable 22/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

do not allow anyone whose suitability has not been checked by Ofsted to have unsupervised contact with the children being cared for 22/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure the required staff: ratios are met and exceptions are only made if they can demonstrate that the care, safety and security of children is maintained at all times 22/05/2026

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 19:00

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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

ensure the premises and equipment are organised in a way that meets the needs of all children at all times 22/05/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants, parents 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.

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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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