Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY421169 Registered with Ofsted: 31/12/2010 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.

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Safeguarding standards not met

She has not provided Ofsted with the information required to enable the necessary suitability checks to be carried out on any assistants she employs, as required. Additionally, the childminder does not follow sufficiently robust arrangements for recruitment. For example, she does not obtain references as required. Furthermore, the childminder does not ensure any assistants she employs have sufficient safeguarding knowledge. This does not adequately protect children as assistants are, at times, left in sole charge of children. The childminder has a poor understanding of her legal duty to notify Ofsted of significant events, which may impact on her registration. These weaknesses compromise 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 Urgent improvement

Children, including those who face barriers to their learning, are not achieving well enough. This is because they are not exposed to meaningful learning in key learning and development areas, such as communication and language. Children spend most of their time engaged in free play in the garden without effective teaching from the childminder. Although they enjoy spending time outdoors, they do not become deeply engaged in meaningful learning. Children do not develop effective listening, attention and concentration skills. As a result, they are not prepared well for their next stage of learning, such as going to school.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Children enjoy each other's company and share some back-and-forth interactions. They develop self-initiated friendly relationships and often seek each other out for play. Children develop their core muscles as they use the swings and see-saw. Children identify different colours in their environment, such as the green trees, as they swing up and down.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

Children, including those who face barriers to their learning, do not benefit from well- structured and planned routines. Too often, the disorderly environment and lack of consistent routines impact on children's learning and behaviour. Children are not supported well enough to develop positive habits and strong foundations for learning. Additionally, on occasion, the conflicting messages children receive leave them confused. For example, the childminder asks children not to talk when eating and then talks to them and asks them questions. As a result, children do not always understand what is expected of them. The childminder has not established a high-quality curriculum that focuses sharply on what children need to learn next. This results in children becoming disengaged, which impacts on their attitudes towards learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

The childminder does not promote children's behaviours to a consistent high level. For instance, rules and boundaries are not clear and do not effectively support children as they learn right from wrong. The childminder does not record incidents where physical intervention has been used, which may hinder effective monitoring, review and communication with other professionals. This is a breach of the statutory requirements.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

Children seek each other out for play. The childminder encourages good manners and generally supports children as they learn to share. However, expectations for sharing are not always applied fairly and consistently, leaving some children feeling frustrated.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not ensure her arrangements for safe eating are fully embedded. On occasion, the childminder leaves children without direct supervision when they eat. Mealtimes are not well planned, and children freely snack on foods, including sugary foods, throughout the day. This significantly affects the oral health and wellbeing of children, and they do not develop good food hygiene routines. Furthermore, the childminder does not recognise the risks associated with leaving leftover food out at children's level, such as choking.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not effectively promote healthy eating. For example, she does not give clear messages that foods such as cakes and lollipops should be eaten in moderation. The lack of provision and routine does not promote healthy lifestyles or children's safety or support them to develop healthy habits for future life. The childminder does, however, talk with children about drinking water in the hot weather, and they have access to fresh drinking water.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not ensure that assistants, who are occasionally left unsupervised with children, hold the required paediatric first-aid qualification. This does not ensure children's health, safety or wellbeing. Additionally, the childminder does not recognise and respond effectively to potential risks. For instance, children run around and use apparatus while eating. In addition, the indoor environment presents many trip hazards and unsafe items, such as knives and cleaning fluids that are left in children's reach, which the childminder fails to identify. Consequently, children do not play in an environment which promotes their safety or their understanding of how to identify risk independently.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder has not ensured that her curriculum is ambitious and meets the individual learning needs of children in her care. She does not clearly identify what she wants children to learn and why. Teaching is not focused precisely on supporting children to develop their skills and knowledge in a sequenced and coordinated way. Overall, children lack enjoyment and focus in their learning because their interests are not carefully considered.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Children with barriers to their learning and development do not experience suitable adaptations to help them develop in the areas needed. The childminder does not support children's communication and language well enough. Her interactions with children do not support their learning. The childminder lacks clarity when interacting with children. This causes children to become confused when trying to process the information that the childminder provides. This is because the childminder has poor knowledge and understanding of how children learn.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder's lack of focus for planned activities limits children's confidence and independence. There are occasions when the childminder completes tasks that children can do independently. This does not support children to develop their confidence and problem- solving skills. The childminder encourages children to count and use positional language, such as 'up', 'down' and 'sideways'. She provides books for children to enjoy and look at independently.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder does not ensure all children are fully included in her provision effectively. There are weak arrangements to ensure effective ongoing assessments and monitoring of children's progress, including for children with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities. This means that opportunities to provide early help are missed, leading to delays in ensuring specialised support when required. The childminder does not carry out the mandatory progress checks for children aged between 2 and 3 years. As such, children and their families do not benefit from a written summary that identifies strengths and achievements, alongside detecting developmental concerns early. This compromises children's learning and developmental progress. Furthermore, this does not support parental partnerships, such as by providing reassurance, advice and guidance.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder does not effectively identify and address anything that gets in the way of children's learning. This means she is unable to align her teaching and learning with children's individual needs. For example, children who speak English as an additional language do not benefit from tailored support to help them develop their communication and language skills. As a result, children, including those who face barriers to their learning, do not make suitable progress in line with their abilities.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not fully understand the requirements of her registration. She does not ensure that those who care for children are suitable, or that they have the skills, knowledge and training to carry out their roles effectively, including safeguarding children. The childminder does not recognise risks in her provision and, at times, leaves children unattended when eating. This compromises their safety. Furthermore, she does not have effective arrangements in place to identify and assess children with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities. This means children and parents and carers do not receive swift support and guidance, which negatively impacts on children's overall care and education. The lack of well-considered activities and assessments and an ambitious curriculum means children do not make the progress of which they are capable. Children are not prepared well enough for their next stage of learning, including school.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder links with other settings that children attend. However, these arrangements are weak and not implemented effectively, which does not support a fully consistent approach. The childminder maintains positive relationships with parents. They view her as supportive, flexible and a member of their extended family. Although children do not consistently make positive progress, they demonstrate a sense of belonging and feel safe in the childminder's 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

The childminder has not fulfilled her safeguarding responsibilities to ensure that all assistants working directly with children have their suitability confirmed by Ofsted. She demonstrates poor understanding of safe recruitment processes and her responsibility to ensure the suitability of those who work with children. Assistants do not receive relevant up- to-date training to make sure that they are well equipped with the knowledge and understanding to effectively manage safeguarding concerns, should they arise. In addition, there are weaknesses in relation to risk assessment, the supervision of children who are eating and arrangements to promote children's health. As a result, children's safety and welfare are not assured.

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

Children do not benefit from a curriculum that meets their individual learning needs, supports their development or provides meaningful experiences. They do not become active learners as they do not experience a broad range of activities to meet their needs. The childminder has ineffective arrangements in place to ensure children's learning and development, including for emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities to be identified and managed with care and precision.

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

Children often become bored and disengaged from play because planned activities are not consistently provided to support their interests, curiosity and individual learning needs. They are not supported well enough to make the progress of which they are capable. Children are polite and are beginning to build positive relationships with each other. They enjoy each other's company and run around open spaces in the childminder's garden with freedom and pleasure as they excitedly pop bubbles. The childminder offers flexible hours to support families' needs and helps promote consistent attendance.

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Next steps

The provider is not meeting the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action.

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Next steps

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to have taken the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure any assistants receive ongoing support and effective safeguarding training, and maintain up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures 20/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure there is always at least one person present with a valid paediatric first-aid qualification 20/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

take action to improve recruitment and suitability checks, including obtaining references and providing 20/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

Ofsted with all required information to verify the suitability of those caring for children

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Action Completion Date

ensure children are adequately supervised when eating to ensure their safety 20/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve risk assessments to ensure children are protected from potential hazards 20/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure children's behaviour and attitudes to learning are appropriately supported and managed, and maintain records of any physical intervention incidents 20/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have their needs assessed, including completing the required progress check at age 2 to address any barriers to learning at the earliest opportunity 20/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure children are provided with healthy and nutritious meals and snacks 20/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following action by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

focus the curriculum intent more sharply on the individual needs of the children, so learning opportunities build on what the children know and can do already 28/08/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants, children and their parents and carers 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,Saturday,Sunday : 08:00 - 20:00

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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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12

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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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. 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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