Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY542195 Registered with Ofsted: 10/04/2017 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 Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for children's behaviour. Children learn how to be respectful to others and be kind to their friends. They politely use their manners, and play well alongside others. Throughout their play, the childminder is a positive role model, modelling expectations to the children in a loving and positive way.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has a consistent routine in place. This helps children understanding what is happening and what may happen next. Young children know they need to line up before they go outside. They quickly run to join the line and then carefully walk into the childminder's garden. Children are learning about boundaries and how to keep themselves safe. Children are happy and settled in the childminder's presence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children show positive attitudes to learning. Overall, children demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. For example, children engage for a sufficient period of time during activities.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder implements strategies effectively, which help to remove barriers for children to access learning. For example, children who speak English as an additional language have focused time with the childminder, where she helps extend the children's English language through flash cards and stories. This gives children a sense of belonging and they develop ways to express themselves. Although, the childminder's curriculum and teaching need further improvements to fully support all children, the childminder is able to effectively identify and swiftly support children who may have barriers to their learning. For example, children who speak English as an additional language are making positive progress in their communication and language development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder promotes the importance of attendance. She is flexible with families to help ensure that the sessions she provides best supports the needs of the whole family, to allow for consistent attendance. This helps to support children, who may struggle with their emotional development, to settle quickly into the setting.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of working with other professionals. She has experience of working closely with children's health visitors to help adapt experiences and activities for them. For example, she adapts the food that is offered to children during mealtimes to meet children's dietary needs. This helps children to feel included among their peers.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children are not supported to achieve as well as they could. For example, children's learning is not always extended enough to help them to fully engage in activities. During group times, singing simple nursery rhymes does not challenge older children, which result in them sometimes losing focus in the activity.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children make some progress in their mathematical development. Older children are beginning to recognise numerals and are developing an understanding of different quantities. Younger children are starting to use some number language. At lunchtime, children can independently feed themselves.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children demonstrate that they are developing an understanding of keeping themselves healthy. As they wash dolls in the water tray, older children explain how they have to 'wash away the germs'. Younger children explore activities that help develop their small-motor movements. For example, babies carefully place rings on to a wooden pole, and smile happily as they achieve this. The childminder promotes children's literacy skills. As a result, children happily select books off the shelf and can read favourite books from memory to their peers.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder's risk assessments are not robustly effective in all areas of her daily practice, particularly during hot weather. For example, water bottles are placed on high shelves, where children cannot access them independently, and they rely on the childminder to provide opportunities to drink water throughout the day. Although the childminder has measures in place to check the temperatures of food before serving to children, this is not always fully effective. During the inspection, the childminder took swift action and discussed how she will introduce a food thermometer to check the food before placing it in front of children. This will help to minimise the risk to children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder supports children's care routines well. Children are supervised at all times while sleeping to ensure they remain safe. The childminder provides healthy and nutritious food for the children daily. Additionally, hygiene practices have improved since the last inspection. Both the childminder and children regularly wash their hands, particularly before mealtimes. This helps children to stay healthy.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder creates warm and loving relationships with the children. Children happily seek her out for cuddles and express warmth towards her. Children develop confidence and show they feel secure in her care.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The implementation of the curriculum is not fully effective. Activities do not consistently consider the individual needs of the children. For example, during a role-play activity, the childminder did not consider how to implement the learning intentions for older children. Although some learning was achieved, this was limited. Since the last inspection, the childminder has made some improvements with how she implements her curriculum. However, these changes are not yet embedded to have an impact on the learning outcomes for children. For example, at times, the childminder does not provide activities that challenge children to progress further in their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Children enjoy reading stories with the childminder, which is developing a love of books. The childminder encourages them to strengthen their listening and attention skills during stories. Children enjoy singing their favourite nursery rhymes, which helps develop their language skills. Children's starting points, and ongoing communication with parents help the childminder plan for the children's next stage in their development. The childminder regularly shares information with parents to help learning to continue in the home environment. However, the childminder is not always able to reflect appropriately on the quality of the teaching and learning she provides to children. This does not help children to reach their full potential in their learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Since the last inspection, the childminder has taken some positive steps to improving the care and education children access. However, there are still areas where further improvement is required. For example, the childminder has developed a curriculum that includes all areas of learning but her ability to reflect on explicit teaching and identify areas for improvement hinders children meeting their full potential. Additionally, risk assessments are not fully robust in supporting children's welfare. As a result, children cannot consistently be independent in supporting their own wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has made improvements to her safeguarding knowledge. She has recently completed child protection training alongside any assistants she works with. She is now able to demonstrate she would be able to act appropriately and in a timely manner if she had a concern a about a child's welfare. The childminder has placed a stronger emphasis on training and support for her and any assistants she works with. Additionally, she has improved her knowledge of safer recruitment procedures to ensure any newly recruited staff are suitable.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Parents express how well their children settle at the setting and have formed a loving relationship with the childminder. Through regular communication with parents, there is a consistent approach to children's daily experiences and routines. This helps support a smooth transition into the setting.

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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 does not consistently and effectively monitor risks to children. For instance, during hot weather, she does not recognise that food takes longer to cool. As a result, at times, children are given food that is too hot for them to eat. This does not always support children's health and wellbeing.

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

Children settle quickly into this homely and welcoming setting with ease. They gain comfort and reassurance from the childminder, which helps them to be independent in expressing their wants and needs. All children have formed a nurturing relationship with the childminder. Children learn about showing care and empathy to others. They play nicely with their peers, and are developing the ability to take turns. Children develop positive listening and attention skills. Through the childminder's consistency within her daily routine, all children are included. For example, visual cues help support all children's understanding and what they need to do now and next. Children demonstrate a sense of pride. They happily clap their hands as they find named letters. Typically, children demonstrate enthusiasm towards learning and achieving.

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

Overall, children make suitable progress. They demonstrate an eagerness to learn and join in with all experiences on offer to them. However, the implementation of the curriculum is not effective enough to support children to make the best possible progress. Reflections on teaching do not always support adaptations in activities to ensure they appropriately support children of all ages and developmental stages. As a result, the childminder does not consistently offer the right level of support and challenge for individual children. Children express enjoyment from their experiences with the childminder. They happily practise their mark-making skills as they copy different patterns, using a range of resources. Children are developing early writing skills.

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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

improve ways to reflect on the effectiveness of teaching to ensure experiences are being shaped to the children's individual abilities 10/08/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure children can freely access water at all times 13/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure all risks are appropriately considered when serving and preparing food for children 13/07/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, 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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:30 - 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

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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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