Rouse, Caroline Anne

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY362274 Registered with Ofsted: 10/09/2007 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

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Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have 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

The childminder does not have knowledge of some types of safeguarding concerns, including the 'Prevent' duty. She has not followed her safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure she refers concerns, such as allegations, to relevant agencies.

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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

Children are happy and settled. They enjoy their play and activities and their time in the childminder's setting. They typically demonstrate a secure understanding of the daily routines, which promotes the smooth running of the setting. For example, children understand that they must wash their hands before eating and know to sit at the table at mealtimes. The childminder is a positive role model. She typically promotes positive language and sets clear expectations through calm, respectful interactions. The childminder encourages children to talk about their feelings and to build awareness of how their actions can affect others. As a result, children are well behaved.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder develops warm, nurturing relationships with all children. Praise is used effectively to applaud children's efforts and reinforce positive behaviour throughout the day. This supports children's self-esteem, and, as a result, they demonstrate that they feel secure within the environment. Children confidently explore the resources and activities the childminder provides and make their own choices. The childminder monitors children's attendance and understands the importance of children regularly attending. This supports consistency in children's learning and development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder creates a welcoming space where children feel safe and enjoy a home- from-home environment. It is evident that children enjoy their time in the setting, and they feel comfortable and relaxed. The childminder and her assistants ensure that robust hygiene practices are in place. They provide healthy snacks for children and ensure drinking water is always accessible to them. The childminder also communicates with parents about the importance of sending children into the setting with a healthy, balanced and nutritious meal. She uses mealtimes effectively to develop children's social skills. For example, the childminder and her assistants typically make conversation with children about their meal as they eat. Mealtimes are also used to promote good manners. Children are praised for saying 'thank you' when they are given their lunch and for the correct use of their cutlery.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The positive relationships between adults and children are suitably effective, and children settle quickly due to the calm atmosphere that is created. The childminder works with parents to support and meet children's ongoing care needs. This helps her to consider how to support any changes when needed. For example, she ensures that the potty-training process is consistent with the approach used at home. This ensures a smooth transition between home and the setting.

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Achievement Needs attention

Some children do not achieve as well as they could, or make the progress they are capable of, due to weaknesses in the curriculum. For example, their language and communication skills are not sufficiently developed because they do not receive the consistent support they need. In addition, children are unable to deepen their knowledge or sufficiently develop the skills they need because activities do not build on what they already know and can do. Some children are suitably prepared for their next stage in learning. Children demonstrate independence as they feed themselves and choose what activity they would like to do next. Children enjoy playing outside, which supports their physical development. For example, they enjoy jumping safely on the trampoline and climb up the steps to go down the slide. They develop their social skills as they play together and share resources.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The implementation of the curriculum is not fully embedded. Planning for children's learning and the design of the curriculum is not yet purposefully thought out. Weaknesses in planning for children's individual next steps hinder the progress of their learning and development. This limits their ability to achieve their full potential. Although the childminder is aware of children's needs, the activities provided do not sufficiently reflect their individual next steps for learning. Teaching is not typically ambitious or responsive enough and when learning opportunities arise, the childminder fails to consistently act on these. For example, the childminder does not consistently extend interactions or enhance vocabulary, and, at times, asks rapid questions which does not support children's thinking skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Children enjoy their play and develop some key skills. For example, they develop their fine motor skills as they push, squeeze, cut and roll play dough. The childminder has a secure knowledge of each child. This is evident through positive relationships that have been created. This supports children's personal, social and emotional development, as they are able to express their feelings and emotions. The childminder offers daily activities to develop children's physical skills, including access to various outdoor equipment. For example, children develop their core strength and balance as they are supported to climb across climbing equipment. The childminder weaves mathematical language into learning, for example, through counting beads and introducing capacity when children independently judge how much water they can dispense into their cup.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder does not have sufficient knowledge and understanding of how to securely implement support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, she lacks knowledge of the graduated approach. Consequently, some children may not receive the necessary support to ensure their individual needs are met. The childminder has some basic awareness of what she might do if she has concerns about a child's progress. The childminder recognises the weaknesses in her SEND knowledge and she plans to attend further training to help her promote a fully inclusive environment for children. Despite some weaknesses, the childminder does know the children well and she

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Urgent improvement

identifies some next steps to help support their learning. However, these are not always tailored to children's individual needs to help them to make progress.

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Urgent improvement

The childminder does identify where some children require additional support, which helps to reduce barriers to their learning. For example, she learns basic key words and nursery rhymes to support children who speak English as an additional language. The childminder utilises additional funding appropriately to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Although the childminder has taken steps to improve her safeguarding practices, there continues to be weaknesses in her knowledge and understanding. She does not demonstrate sufficient understanding of her statutory responsibilities relating to safeguarding. This has resulted in breaches to requirements. There are some weaknesses in the childminder's teaching and curriculum and her awareness of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder has undertaken some professional development opportunities. However, these have not had the desired impact. For example, since the last inspection, the childminder has made improvements to her curriculum through completing some training, although, this is still under development. The childminder demonstrates a willingness to develop her knowledge, understanding and practice, including through attending further training.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder supports assistants well by having regular supervision meetings, offering training opportunities and supporting their workload and wellbeing. Positive relationships with parents and carers have been developed and they speak highly of the childminder. Parents say they are well satisfied with the activities and experiences their children receive. Parents feel well communicated with and appreciate daily updates on the app.

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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 established a sufficiently secure safeguarding culture. Weaknesses in the childminder's understanding of statutory safeguarding responsibilities, including the 'Prevent' duty and safeguarding procedures, mean that children are not adequately protected from potential harm. These safeguarding weaknesses prevent the childminder from consistently providing a high standard of care and protection.

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

Children's learning and development is not consistently maximised. Activities are not planned precisely enough to meet children's individual next steps, and teaching does not consistently build on children's interests or extend their thinking. As a result, although children make some progress, they do not achieve as well as they could or reach their full potential.

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

At times, some children's needs for additional support are identified and appropriate strategies are used in some instances, such as supporting children who speak English as an additional language and making effective use of additional funding. However, the childminder does not yet have sufficient knowledge of how to access wider support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This means that some children may not receive the timely and coordinated support they need to make the best possible progress.

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

Children are happy, settled and enjoy attending this welcoming, home-from-home environment, where they feel valued. Warm, nurturing relationships with the childminder help children to develop confidence and emotional security. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, confidently explore the environment and make independent choices about their play. Daily routines are well established, enabling children to understand expectations and contributing to calm, positive behaviour. Children attend regularly and the childminder works alongside parents to support this.

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

Children are encouraged to talk about their feelings, develop good manners and build positive relationships with others. Mealtimes are sociable occasions where healthy eating is promoted, for example, the childminder teaches the children about healthy foods. Children learn about the world around them, as they plant seeds to grow their own flowers. Children also develop early mathematical language, as they count the scoops of soil they need to fill their plant pot. Overall, children's communication skills are typically developed through varied experiences that are provided within the setting.

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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

develop knowledge and understanding of safeguarding concerns and implement policies and procedures regarding the management of allegations 31/08/2026

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Action Completion Date

develop knowledge of special educational needs and/or disabilities to ensure that children's needs are met 30/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

develop an ambitious curriculum and implement high- quality interactions to engage children in their learning to support their progress 30/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

identify and plan appropriate next steps to meet each child's individual needs to enable them to make better progress in their learning 30/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

develop further knowledge, understanding and skills to raise the quality of practice and the overall provision to support and meet children's needs more effectively 30/09/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants 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

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:30

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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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Total number of places

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. 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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Total number of places

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this 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

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