Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2552658 Registered with Ofsted: 06/09/2019 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

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Safeguarding standards not met

The childminder does not ensure that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that adequately protects children from harm. She does not have sufficient oversight of the statutory safeguarding and welfare requirements. For example, she does not record accurate information about children's accidents and injuries or monitor children's attendance. As a result, patterns of concerns may not be identified. The childminder's safeguarding training is significantly out of date, and she is unaware that this needs to be renewed every 2 years. Although the childminder demonstrates some knowledge of different types of abuse, her understanding of current safeguarding legislation, guidance and procedures is not up to date. This reduces her ability to recognise, respond to and report concerns to the appropriate agencies. As a result, children may not receive timely protection if safeguarding concerns arise.

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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 do not achieve the progress they are capable of because weaknesses in teaching limit their learning and development. The childminder does not consistently identify and respond to children's individual needs, which restricts opportunities to build on what they already know and can do. Children receive limited high-quality interaction and, as a result, do not develop their communication, language and vocabulary skills effectively. The childminder often focuses on keeping children busy rather than encouraging them to think independently, express their ideas and engage in meaningful conversations that extend learning.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Children show an interest in early mathematical concepts, such as counting with blocks, and work with the childminder to count as they stack blocks. However, the childminder does not use these opportunities to further extend children's learning or praise their achievements. Consequently, children become less motivated to share their ideas and opinions.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Limited planning and lack of varied learning experiences hinder children's physical development and exploration. Cluttered environments reduce opportunities for children to practise skills and investigate their interests independently. For example, children try to push prams but find this hard due to the number of toys on the floor. Overall, children do not develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to make the best possible progress and be prepared successfully for their next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

The childminder does not demonstrate a clear or consistent approach to promoting positive behaviours, attitudes, and daily routines. Children do not always know what is expected of them and do not receive the support they need to develop positive attitudes to learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

The childminder does not support children to understand and manage their behaviour. She overlooks minor disagreements and does not recognise when children would benefit from help to understand how their actions affect others. For example, when children take toys from others, the childminder does not talk to children about how this might make their friends feel. Children do not always learn how their actions affect others or how to regulate their own behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

The childminder does not always prepare the learning environment before children arrive. She does not plan activities and resources well enough to match children's ages, stages of development and interests. As a result, children lose interest quickly and do not maintain focus on their learning. Daily routines are not well embedded. The childminder does not effectively organise mealtimes and does not encourage children to wash their hands before eating. This does not help to promote children's independence, social skills or help them to develop positive self-care habits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not place children's wellbeing and welfare at the centre of her practice. She does not know children well enough to understand their individual needs or to provide them with the support they require. As a result, children do not develop secure relationships with the childminder and, at times, do not receive the reassurance they need to feel safe, settled and emotionally secure. The childminder does not always recognise when children are upset. This means children's emotional needs are not always responded to promptly or effectively.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not implement policies and procedures effectively to support children's welfare. Weak supervision during mealtimes compromises children's safety. Children are allowed to leave the table while eating and they are occasionally left unsupervised. This does not adequately prevent the risk of choking. The childminder does not hold an up-to- date paediatric certificate, which further weakens arrangements for keeping children safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not promote healthy lifestyles effectively. She does not typically teach children about healthy food choices and hygiene practice is poor. For example, children do not wash their hands before eating, surfaces are not always clean, and children do not have suitable facilities to wash their hands after using the toilet.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder's limited knowledge of safe-sleep practices mean that sleeping arrangements do not typically support children's safety and wellbeing. She has taken some steps to improve practice, such as purchasing sleep mats and booking onto a safe-sleep training course. However, the childminder has not yet gained the knowledge needed to embed this learning into her practice and further improvements are required to ensure that children's welfare, safety and wellbeing are consistently promoted.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder does not provide a curriculum that supports children to make the progress they are capable of from their starting points. Curriculum planning lacks clear intent and does not identify the knowledge, skills and understanding children need to learn over time. Limited use of observation and assessment means that teaching does not build on what children already know and can do. Consequently, activities and resources fail to match children's developmental needs and interests.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The quality of teaching is weak. The childminder focuses primarily on supervising children and keeping them occupied rather than supporting their learning and development. Children spend extended periods of time disengaged from learning, wandering around the environment and some comment that they are bored. While some children build blocks with adults, other children sit for long periods of time watching television without meaningful adult interaction. As a result, children miss valuable opportunities to develop their communication and language skills, social skills and physical development needed for future learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder engages children in occasional conversations, such as counting blocks as they stack one on top of the other and commenting on the lovely cup of 'tea' they make in the role-play kitchen. However, these interactions are limited. They do not consistently build on, or extend, children's thinking, vocabulary or understanding. As a result, children do not engage deeply in learning, barriers to learning remain unaddressed, and children do not gain the knowledge and skills they need to prepare them for future success.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder does not promote an inclusive environment that meets the needs of all children. Her limited understanding of children's strengths, interests and developmental needs prevent her from identifying when additional support may be required. As a result, she has low expectations of what children can achieve and does not adapt teaching to help them make the best possible progress.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder does not use assessments effectively, including statutory 2-year progress checks, to identify any possible emerging needs or to plan targeted support. When concerns about children's development arise, she does not seek timely advice from relevant professionals. This limits opportunities for collaborative working and early intervention. As a result, children may not receive the support they need at the earliest opportunity, which can negatively impact their learning, development and wellbeing.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder finds out about some children's home languages and uses this information to aid communication with children. She learns key words, such as 'water', and uses these to help children understand and express themselves. During cultural celebrations, the childminder provides opportunities for children to share their own traditions, experiences and customs. When this happens, children feel valued and recognised, as their individual cultures and home languages are acknowledged and respected.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not have sufficient oversight of her setting and does not routinely reflect on her practices. She does not have a secure knowledge of the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the early years foundation stage or her responsibilities. There are breaches of both the safeguarding and welfare requirements, and the learning and development requirements. The childminder does not plan or deliver an ambitious curriculum and does not provide children with a safe or suitably hygienic environment. Despite previous actions issued through a welfare requirement notice, the childminder has not made sufficient progress in addressing the weaknesses identified. This has a significant impact on children's safety, wellbeing and ability to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder shares some information with parents. She communicates through messaging systems, sharing photos and details of what their children have been doing. Parents share that they receive some information about their children's development and value the information they receive about their daily routines. However, the childminder does not gather essential information from parents before children start at the setting. She does not record key details for all children, such as who holds parental responsibility, children's full names or information about their skills, knowledge and development. Incomplete records reduce the childminder's ability to safeguard children effectively, respond to emergencies quickly, and ensure that care is tailored to each child's individual learning and safety needs.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder has not completed mandatory training in a timely manner, and this limits her understanding of key aspects of promoting children's safety and welfare. Although she has taken some steps to improve her knowledge, such as booking training in safeguarding and safe sleep, she does not yet have the knowledge to apply this learning in practice.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not maintain effective systems to monitor attendance. She does not record the hours and days children attend, as required, or demonstrate an understanding as to why this is important. These weaknesses reduce her ability to safeguard and promote children's welfare effectively.

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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's safety is not assured. The childminder does not put appropriate safeguarding measures in place. For example, she does not maintain up-to-date safeguarding knowledge, accidents and incidents are not reliably logged, and children's attendance is not recorded or monitored. This means any emerging patterns of concern about a child's welfare are not identified swiftly. The childminder does not typically ensure that hazards are risk assessed and removed. Wires are left out on the sofa where children sit to watch television and excessive resources reduce space for children to move freely as they play. As a result, their safety is compromised.

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

Children do not make secure progress because of the significant weaknesses in teaching and learning. The childminder's understanding of child development is poor and her curriculum lacks ambition. Subsequently, children do not experience well-planned opportunities, and their learning does not have clear purpose or progression. When children start at the setting, the childminder does not ensure that she gathers key information from parents and carers, reducing how well she knows each child. As result, children do not receive support tailored to their individual needs. For example, children of all ages take part in a drawing activity. The childminder talks to the children about the colours they use and children repeat these back. However, children are then left to make marks on the paper without clear guidance or support to develop their vocabulary, build on their existing knowledge or extend their physical skills. At these times, children begin to watch the

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

television and disengage with any learning. This hinders children's achievements and their motivation to learn.

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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 safeguarding training is regularly updated to reflect current legislation and guidance 14/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure safeguarding procedures are implemented at all times, with particular reference to recording and reporting concerns in relation to children's welfare, to the relevant agencies in line with local safeguarding partners procedures 14/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure paediatric first-aid training is up to date 14/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

implement an effective key-person system to ensure that children's individual needs are identified and planned for from the start and build secure relationships to help children develop a positive sense of belonging 14/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that children are always within sight and hearing when eating 14/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure areas for food preparation are in a clean and hygienic condition 14/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure a record is kept of all accidents and injuries sustained by children 14/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure children are placed to sleep in line with current safe sleep guidance 14/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure an accurate daily record of children's attendance is maintained 14/07/2026

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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 actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

implement an ambitious curriculum which takes into account children's ages and stages of development and builds on their next steps for learning 14/07/2026

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00

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Action Completion Date

ensure the curriculum consistently fosters all children's communication and language skills 14/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

undertake regular and relevant professional development to develop the skills and knowledge needed to promote children's learning and development in line with the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the early years foundation stage 14/07/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, the co-childminder, children and parents 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 inspection

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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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. 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

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