Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2775619 Registered with Ofsted: 15/03/2024 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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Achievement Needs attention

Children do not consistently achieve the best possible outcomes across all areas of learning. Although all children make some progress, overall, they are not fully prepared to move on in their education. At times, they lose interest in activities and lack stimulation. However, children, including those that face barriers to their learning, develop appropriate social skills. They become increasingly confident to make their likes, interests and feelings known. Children are kind, considerate and demonstrate empathy as they offer support to one another, such as helping their friends to take off their coats when they can see they need support. Children show pride when their kind gestures are praised. Children take part in daily routines and complete age-appropriate tasks. For example, they put on their shoes, use the toilet and wash their hands independently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder does not have effective arrangements to support children to develop positive attitudes towards learning. Weaknesses in the curriculum and teaching mean that, at times, children do not engage well and do not benefit from the intended learning. In addition, at times, children receive inconsistent support to understand boundaries and expectations within the setting. For example, the childminder gives children clear instructions to help tidy up but completes this task on her own. As a result, children become confused and do not learn these practical skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder promotes the importance of punctuality and regular attendance. She has established regular and consistent routines for children and their families. This effectively supports children that are new to the setting and those that face barriers to their learning to feel comfortable and settle in quickly. Children respond well to the childminder and have formed positive relationships with her and with each other. The childminder creates a respectful environment, and children demonstrate kindness to the childminder and to each other. They display positive social behaviours as they play together well.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Children's welfare and wellbeing are not promoted effectively. Although the childminder has suitable policies and procedures to follow, she does not consistently implement these. In particular, the childminder does not recognise opportunities that arise to help children to make healthy choices in relation to food and drink. For instance, the childminder does not provide children with the option of fresh drinking water.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder has created a safe environment for children to play in. However, she does not always help them to assess risk and dangers for themselves. This does not fully support children to develop the skills needed to identify potential hazards and make informed decisions to keep themselves and others safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder is caring and considerate towards children. She generally meets their care needs and recognises and responds to their unspoken cues, such as when they are tired or hungry. Children develop secure attachments with the childminder. They seek comfort and play with her and show they are happy in the childminder's care. The childminder supports children's developing independence. For example, she teaches them the importance of washing their hands before mealtimes.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

There are inconsistencies in the childminder's curriculum and teaching that have a negative impact on children's overall development. For instance, there are limited opportunities for children to take part in activities, such as singing, rhymes and listening to stories, to enhance their language development further. Overall, the childminder knows what she wants children to learn. However, her teaching and the delivery of the curriculum do not fully challenge children's thinking and meet all of their needs. For example, group activities are not always well matched to reflect the children's varying stages of development and to promote their progress. Learning experiences sometimes lack challenge, and therefore do not engage children's interest and maintain their attention. This does not fully support all children, including those who face barriers to their learning, to achieve to the best of their ability.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

On the whole, the childminder supports children's mathematical development during their play. For instance, as children skilfully stack wooden blocks on top of one another, the childminder encourages the children to count. She supports children to use positional language, such as 'on top', 'under', 'in' and 'out'. Consequently, children develop their spatial awareness and mathematical understanding. Furthermore, children are encouraged to strengthen their memory by recalling past events. For example, children talk about the loud noises the thunder makes when excitedly talking about watching a storm together the previous day.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder is not fully effective at recognising and incorporating individual children's needs into all aspects of provision. Although she completes some professional development, she has not maintained an up-to-date knowledge of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those who face barriers to their learning or are disadvantaged. However, the childminder's caring nature helps children new to her setting settle and form positive and trusting relationships.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder monitors children's progress through observation and assessment. However, this is not fully effective in identifying potential barriers to children's learning. For instance, she does not have fully effective arrangements in place to identify when children may need additional support to develop their communication and language skills. This does not ensure children get the support they need at the earliest opportunity. In addition, the childminder does not always consider the varying ages of children taking part in adult-led activities. She does not always make carefully considered adaptions to ensure all children receive tailored support. On occasion, children are not engaged or included in learning activities, and they are left to occupy themselves.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder does not ensure that all statutory requirements are consistently met. She does not provide children with a sequenced and ambitious curriculum. Children, including those who face barriers to their learning, are not supported to make sufficient progress to achieve their full potential. In addition, the childminder does not have fully effective arrangements in place to promote children's health, in particular in relation to food and drink. There are also weaknesses in the arrangements for identifying children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder is passionate about working with children and has clear aims to provide them with a stable and caring environment. She demonstrates genuine pleasure in spending time with the children and celebrates their individual characters and personalities. The childminder has given some consideration to areas of improvement and generally makes decisions with children's best interest in mind. The childminder works well with parents and ensures a consistent two-way flow of communication, offering help, support and guidance where she can. Parents value the childminder's friendly nature and the consistency she provides.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has 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 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

The childminder is kind and caring towards the children. She talks to children with respect and comforts them when needed. Children feel comfortable in the childminder's home and demonstrate a sense of security. The childminder recognises the importance of regular attendance to ensure children feel safe and establish a sense of belonging. Although the childminder has taken some steps to support children's healthy eating habits, such as growing vegetables, these are not embedded in the curriculum and daily routines. Consequently, children are not supported to develop a secure understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle.

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

Children are not fully supported to build on their existing knowledge and skills. At times, activities lack the appropriate level of support and challenge to encourage children's thinking and deepen their levels of engagement. Children are initially attracted to the activities on offer and immerse themselves in play. However, they frequently disengage and revert to their own play agendas. In contrast, the childminder provides some learning opportunities for children of varying ages. For example, children have daily access to fresh air and explore the outdoors in all weathers. Children learn cause and effect as they place a water pistol into puddles, pull the leaver back and draw water up. They demonstrate good hand–eye coordination and deliberately push the handle down to release the water and squirt the plants. Children develop problem-solving skills and mathematical awareness.

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

The childminder does not swiftly identify possible barriers to all children's learning and development. This means children are not supported to make suitable progress in every area of their learning, including their communication and language development. The childminder has not maintained her own knowledge to ensure she has the necessary skills to monitor and assess children's learning. This means some children are not fully prepared for the next stages in their learning, such as starting school.

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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 appropriate arrangements are in place to swiftly identify, monitor and support all children with special educational needs and/or disabilities 22/06/2026

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Action Completion Date

devise and implement an ambitious curriculum that reflects children's stages of development, and effectively builds on their individual next steps in learning 22/06/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure children consistently receive high-quality teaching and meaningful interactions so that they can achieve in all areas of their development 22/06/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure clear messages about healthy food choices are provided and ensure children always have access to fresh drinking water 22/06/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and parents.

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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

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

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

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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