Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2790135 Registered with Ofsted: 14/06/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Although the childminder takes action to support children's behaviour and attitudes to learning, practise is not consistently well matched to the needs of all children. The childminder's understanding of how individual needs, particularly special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), may affect children's behaviour, routines and engagement is not sufficiently secure. As a result, children who require additional support are not always identified or responded to effectively. Expectations and support are not always tailored closely enough to individual needs, which limits the consistency of provision for all children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder provides a calm and welcoming environment, where children are generally happy, settled and secure. Relationships are warm and nurturing, and she responds sensitively to children's need for reassurance, offering comfort and calm interaction that supports their emotional security. Behaviour is managed appropriately through gentle explanations, discussion and empathy. For example, she supports children to understand sharing and how their actions affect others. Children are observed taking turns, making simple choices and engaging positively in play and daily routines.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Independence is promoted through suitable daily routines. Children are encouraged to put on their own shoes and coats, wash their hands, make simple choices at mealtimes and drink from open cups. Attendance is monitored and the childminder follows up promptly when children are absent, supporting children's safety and continuity of care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Children's welfare and wellbeing are a focus, however, support is not consistent enough for all children. The childminder does not understand children's emerging additional needs well enough or adapt care and support appropriately when concerns arise. As a result, children who need additional help do not receive timely or coordinated support to promote their wellbeing. These weaknesses limit how effectively care meets the individual needs of all children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder provides caring and attentive support that helps children to feel safe, settled and secure. Warm, responsive relationships are evident and children seek and receive reassurance appropriately. Care routines generally meet children's day-to-day needs well. For example, sleeping arrangements are suitable, safer sleep guidance is understood and children's privacy is respected during toileting routines. Children are supported to develop some independence in self-care, such as washing hands and putting on coats.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder also promotes children's health and wellbeing through daily outdoor play, active routines and discussion with parents about healthy eating. Children benefit from a safe, welcoming environment and regular opportunities to be physically active and to access the wider community. Emotional wellbeing is supported through calm interaction, comfort and reassurance, which helps children to feel valued and secure.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

While the childminder has taken action to improve children's development, achievement is not secure enough for all children. The childminder does not identify, assess or support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well enough. Concerns about speech, communication and sensory needs are not followed up with timely strategies or referrals. As a result, some children do not receive the support they need to make the progress they should, particularly in communication and language. This limits how well some children are prepared for their next stage of learning, including school.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Some children make suitable progress from their starting points. For example, young children develop confidence in play, increasing coordination as they use scooters, and build early communication and language skills, naming colours like 'yellow' and speaking some words. Children enjoy warm relationships with the childminder and benefit from experiences that support understanding in early mathematics and curiosity about the world. Some young children confidently express their needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The curriculum is not implemented with enough ambition or precision for all children. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is weak as strategies are not clearly tailored to individual needs and are not reviewed effectively. This reduces the effectiveness of inclusive practice and limits children's progress. Gaps in learning are not consistently identified or addressed, particularly for children with SEND. Teaching is not sufficiently well adapted to meet individual needs, and the childminder does not take timely or effective action to ensure that children with emerging difficulties are supported to make the progress they are capable of.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Despite these weaknesses, the childminder provides a suitable range of experiences and demonstrates some appropriate curriculum thinking. She uses play, conversation and daily routines to support children's communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. Some children engage in imaginative play, such as with dolls, which promotes empathy and social understanding. Early mathematical concepts are introduced through counting in everyday routines, and the childminder models language during interactions. Children's interests, such as the butterfly life cycle, are used to promote curiosity and understanding of the natural world.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Children's individual needs are not identified and assessed quickly or accurately enough. Although the childminder describes concerns about children's development, including speech, communication and sensory differences, these are not recorded clearly or reviewed systematically. Assessment is not used effectively to plan, adapt or evaluate support.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Actions taken to reduce barriers to learning are weak and not sufficiently well considered. Support for children with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is inconsistent and strategies are not reviewed to check whether they are making a difference. Inclusive practice is not effective and children do not receive the timely help they need. The childminder has not completed relevant SEND training and does not engage effectively enough with external professionals. Referrals to services, such as speech and language therapy, are not made or pursued in a timely way.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

There is some appropriate use of early years pupil premium to support children to make further progress and the childminder has taken suitable steps to support children known or previously known to children's social care.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not have an accurate enough understanding of her strengths and areas for development and has not taken timely action to address identified weaknesses. In particular, her understanding of her role and responsibilities in relation to special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is underdeveloped. She does not understand well enough that it is her responsibility to identify concerns, put support in place, make or pursue referrals to external professionals and contribute clear evidence to transition and multi-agency working.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder has not completed relevant SEND training and her links with other early years professionals, the local authority and specialist services are underdeveloped. This limits her ability to secure timely support for children whose development is causing concern. Her understanding of children's full funding entitlement is also insecure, including how funded places should be accessed for eligible children.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder keeps safeguarding knowledge up to date, undertakes some training from time to time and has links with other childminders, which provide some opportunity to share practice. She is also reflective when concerns are discussed. However, these strengths do not outweigh the significant weaknesses in leadership oversight, professional knowledge and action to improve practice for children with SEND.

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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

The quality of education and support for children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is not effective. The childminder does not identify emerging developmental needs quickly or accurately enough. Concerns relating to speech, communication and sensory development are not consistently recorded, monitored or reviewed. As a result, assessment practice is weak and does not provide a clear or reliable understanding of children's progress over time. This limits the childminder's ability to plan effectively for children's individual needs or to ensure that gaps in learning are closing. Appropriate strategies are not implemented in a timely manner, and their impact is not reviewed sufficiently to determine whether children are making progress. Referrals to external agencies, including speech and language services, are delayed when concerns persist. Partnerships with external professionals and other agencies are underdeveloped,

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

resulting in limited shared understanding of children's needs and how best to support them. These weaknesses demonstrate a significant lack of understanding of statutory responsibilities in relation to SEND identification, assessment and partnership working.

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

Although children are settled, happy and generally secure in the childminder's care and benefit from warm, responsive relationships, the overall effectiveness of the provision is limited by weaknesses in practice. Children engage in an appropriate range of play experiences, including imaginative play, outdoor learning and regular outings in the local community. These experiences support their physical development, curiosity and understanding of the world. Children are encouraged to develop early independence skills, for example, through dressing, handwashing, making simple choices and following familiar routines. Early language, mathematical understanding and personal, social and emotional development are promoted through everyday interactions and routine activities. However,

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 2790135 these positive experiences are not consistently built upon to ensure that all children, particularly those with additional needs, make the best possible progress from their starting points.

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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 you meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including effective partnerships with parents and professionals to promote positive outcomes for individual children 29/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

develop the appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding of the role and responsibilities of a childminder in order to provide good-quality early years provision, while also strengthening links with other early years professionals 29/05/2026

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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

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

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:00

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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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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