Komba-Kpakoi, Josephine

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2785453 Registered with Ofsted: 18/11/2024 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

All children do not consistently achieve as well as they could across all areas of learning. Although they do make progress from their starting points, overall, they are not fully prepared for their next stage in learning. This includes children where there are barriers impacting on their learning and development. Children do not always benefit from opportunities to develop age and stage related skills or to practise and reinforce prior learning. For example, when they show an interest in mark making, the resources they are given do not fully support the development of their small muscle skills. This means they lose interest and look for something else to do.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children make progress in their communication and language skills. They benefit from being introduced to new vocabulary as they play, for example they hear the names of colours and numbers. They engage in some back-and-forth conversations with the childminder during mealtimes and when they are having their nappies changed. This helps to support their early language development.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder does not demonstrate effective strategies to support children to develop positive attitudes towards learning. There are weaknesses in the curriculum and teaching, especially in relation to the younger children. These result in children's lack of engagement and occasions when they struggle to regulate their emotions. The childminder responds calmly and is generally successful in diverting children's attention to more purposeful play. However, sometimes children receive inconsistent messages about boundaries and expectations within the setting. For example, while the childminder initially explains that children may hurt themselves if they climb on the furniture, later they are allowed to climb on a low-level table and jump off it. This does not fully support children to understand what is expected of them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder establishes positive relationships with the children in her care. She works with parents and carers to promote regular attendance and punctuality. She has established a daily routine, which particularly benefits older children as it helps prepare them for school. She supports younger children to gain a sense of what they will be doing next. For example, she tells them that they will have their snack after they have had their nappy changed. She recognises the importance of working with children to help them to develop the skills to play alongside and with their friends.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder describes the checks she carries out indoors and outdoors before children arrive. The premises are generally safe and secure. However, she fails to identify that there are some nails sticking out of a fence in the garden where children play. When these are pointed out, she takes appropriate action to minimise any risks to children. This does not fully promote children's safety. The childminder has established a welcoming space for children. Children develop secure attachments with the childminder. She is responsive to their needs, recognising when they are tired or hungry. They seek comfort, when needed, and giggle with delight when the childminder joins them in their play. The childminder supports children's developing independence. She provides appropriate cups for children's water and describes how she encourages older children to use cutlery at mealtimes. The childminder understands how to

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

support safer eating and collects information from parents about any special dietary needs. She ensures children are supervised appropriately when eating. Children develop an understanding of healthy lifestyles. They learn about making healthy choices, such as choosing water rather than juice, and fruit rather than crisps. The childminder implements appropriate arrangements to keep children safe during spells of hot weather. These measures support children's health and wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

There are weaknesses in the childminder's knowledge and understanding of how to plan and implement an effective curriculum, especially for younger children. While she provides a wealth of resources, both indoors and outdoors, she has not considered how these support children's learning and development. For example, in the water tray there are so many different items that children struggle to be able to scoop and pour water as the tray is so crowded. They spend very short periods of time at an activity before being attracted to something else to do. This does not support them to develop focus and concentration.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder uses observations and assessments to identify some appropriate next steps for children's learning. However, she does not then consider how to plan activities and interactions to support children to learn and practise these identified areas for development. Too much learning happens by chance, as children move from activity to activity. Learning opportunities are not sufficiently engaging to sustain children's interest, even though the childminder has recognised that children need to develop their focus and concentration. Teaching is not precise enough to ensure children, including those who may face barriers to their learning, make the best possible progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Support for children's communication and language development is generally effective. The childminder uses stories, rhymes and songs to help children develop their vocabulary.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder has some knowledge and understanding of how to identify children, who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, she does not always consider other barriers children may have to their learning and wellbeing, for example considering any impact children's home circumstances may have on their development. This does not consistently ensure that she makes appropriate adaptations to her curriculum and teaching to ensure all children make the best possible progress.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder is aware of how to seek advice from the local authority if she identifies any concerns about individual children's learning and development. She also recognises the importance of speaking to parents and carers, at the earliest opportunity, about any emerging signs that their children are not reaching their developmental milestones. She understands the need to make timely referrals to other professionals. She explains how she would liaise with these services to ensure a consistent approach to any support arrangements for children with SEND. The childminder is aware that any additional funding allocated must be used in children's best interests.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder describes appropriate strategies to support children who may speak English as an additional language. For example, she explains how she would adopt words and phrases from children's home languages in their play and routines.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder does not have a clear enough understanding of areas of practice that need attention to meet all statutory requirements. There are weaknesses in her risk assessment procedures, which are not always robust enough in identifying potential hazards outdoors. Although she has accessed training and support from her local authority, this has not yet had sufficient impact on her practice. She does not have a secure understanding of how young children learn and develop. This means that her curriculum does not always take enough account of children's ages and stages of development, nor of any barriers they may face to their learning.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder welcomes support and advice. She keeps up to date with mandatory training, for example she has recently attended a course about safe sleeping. She collects appropriate information from parents and carers, when children start attending. This includes identifying if any other professionals are working with the children, so she can liaise with them. This helps her to support children as they settle in. She establishes links with local schools to ensure that there are systems for effective communication, when children attend her setting as well as school. The childminder gathers feedback from parents to help inform her practice. Parents remark that they value the family-like feel of the setting.

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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 demonstrate they feel comfortable in the childminder's home. They are eager to explore the resources she has available. These are organised to support children to make independent choices about what they want to do. They enjoy using plastic bricks to build towers. They are starting to learn to share as the childminder explains some bricks are for others to use. Children beam with pride when the childminder praises them for being helpful, when it is time to tidy up. However, children's learning and development is not typically supported well enough. Although children are initially attracted to an activity, they quickly lose interest and wander away. The childminder does not fully consider how to develop the activities and the learning environment she provides so that children are encouraged to remain engaged for longer periods. Children, including those who may face barriers to their learning, do not always benefit from opportunities that build on what they already know and

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

Children's good health is generally promoted effectively. They benefit from plenty of fresh air and exercise, including regular trips to the local park. This supports children's physical development. Children demonstrate their increasing confidence as they manage to use the slide without any support. They have access to drinking water and healthy snacks. Children learn when they must wash their hands. Children are supervised vigilantly at all times. However, risk assessment processes are not robust enough to fully assure children's safety as the childminder does not always identify any potential hazards outdoors swiftly enough.

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

Children learn how to become increasingly independent. For example, they are encouraged to try to manage taking off their own clothes. The childminder helps them to work out how to fasten a zip. She recognises the importance of supporting children to learn how to use the toilet independently before their transition to 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

plan and implement an ambitious curriculum that reflects children's ages and stages of development and effectively builds on their next steps in learning 25/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve knowledge and understanding of how young children learn and develop so that teaching can be adapted appropriately and interactions with children are purposeful and support learning 25/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

implement consistent strategies to support children's positive behaviour and help them to understand what is expected of them 25/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

strengthen risk assessment procedures to identify and minimise any potential hazards 25/09/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children.

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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. Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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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