Sayer, Charlotte Natalie

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2866724 Registered with Ofsted: 22/01/2026 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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

Children do not participate in planned purposeful play as activities do not sustain their interest as they are not age- and stage-appropriate. They are happy to join in a group painting activity. However, this does not engage their interest and they quickly move on to play with other toys. Children show little perseverance and concentration in their play as the activities do not spark their interests and curiosity to explore further.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children make some progress from their starting points. They show their enjoyment as they develop their physical skills running around the garden together. Children demonstrate confidence to explore freely and make choices in their play. However, their learning is not always extended during adult-led activities. They are not developing the knowledge and skills for their future success to progress on to the next stage of their learning.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children happily play with the plastic sea creatures and generally interact with each other. This helps to develop their social skills as they take part in role play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder does not always effectively embed expectations for behaviour for all children. For example, when children display unacceptable behaviour, or respond negatively, the childminder does not always know how to react. She attempts several different strategies to try to instil positive behaviour, but this does not always work. This means that her time is taken away from other children as she tries to manage behaviour. She attempts to explain why some behaviours are not acceptable. However, these behaviours are repeated, which impacts on the learning environment for others. The childminder uses praise when children behave well.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder knows her children well and builds secure relationships with them. She is kind and caring and understands and acknowledges when children are unsettled. She offers lots of cuddles and attention and attempts to support children to understand their emotions. They look at the 'emotion faces' on the wall together and talk about how they are feeling.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder promotes the need for regular attendance and punctuality to parents as part of her settling-in process. She recognises the importance of following up any absences to ensure children's safety and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder does not always help children to understand their actions and the impact they have. Children can, at times, display repeated poor behaviours, which impacts on others and on the learning environment. The childminder does not always promote children's self-care needs well. She does not consistently meet children's individual needs for rest and sleep. Although she recognises when children are tired and encourages them to rest, this is not always effective and children get back up and continue to run around. Consequently, children's individual needs for sufficient rest are not consistently met. The childminder does not always consider all children's individual needs, particularly when it comes to mealtimes. For example, some children are given breakfast, halfway through the morning session. Other children look on expectantly but do not receive any food and are not distracted with any alternative activities. This does not support children's emotional

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder wipes children's hands and faces after meals and following any messy play. She promptly uses tissues to wipe children's noses but does not explain to children the importance of good hygiene practices. The childminder talks to children during personal- care routines, reassuring them as she changes their nappies.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

She supports children's independence and follows their lead as they make choices about what they would like to play with. Children develop warm and positive relationships with the childminder. The childminder is very patient and children benefit from a calm and nurturing environment where they generally appear settled and comfortable. She offers cuddles and reassurance when children become unsettled. Children develop their physical skills in the safe, well-equipped garden area.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder's knowledge of the curriculum is weak, and she does not have a clear understanding of what she wants children to know or what she wants them to learn next. She has progress charts, but these are in their infancy as she has not yet fully embedded assessment into her day-to-day work. This does not ensure that children always make sustained progress from their starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder places a focus on children learning to write letters, rather than building on their gross and fine-motor skills to help to prepare them for writing in the future. She does not always give children the opportunity to communicate effectively. She has not considered the impact of the use of dummies on children's communication and language development.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder counts with children to help to extend their understanding of numbers. She encourages children to count on their fingers to show how old they are. However, the curriculum for mathematics is limited. The childminder does not provide any further activities to develop children's understanding of mathematical language.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder is enthusiastic in her planning and delivery of activities. For example, she plans a theme of 'pirates' and introduces the names of sharks to the children, but this is too advanced for their age and stage of development. The childminder shows genuine interest in the children and interacts well with them, joining in with their role play. Children make some progress and are learning to become independent and confident, but the learning is mainly incidental rather than a planned and sequenced approach. This does not help children to develop their knowledge and skills in all areas of learning.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder's lack of an appropriate curriculum limits developmental opportunities for all children, including those who may face barriers to their learning. She does not plan or provide learning that is age- or stage-appropriate to ensure that all children make the best possible progress from their starting points. The weaknesses in her practice have a negative impact on children, particularly those who face barriers to their learning, as they are not engaged in sustained purposeful play.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder is just beginning to use observations and plan next steps. As this is not yet embedded, she does not consistently identify potential gaps in children's learning or provide effective support. She generally knows the process to follow if she has concerns about a child and has recently started to engage with the local authority and access training.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder struggles sometimes to manage children's behaviour. This impacts on her ability to meet the needs of all children and the time she has available. This does not ensure that children are always included, as some children play by themselves with less interaction from the childminder.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder gets to know children well and builds secure relationships with them. She understands the requirement to complete progress checks for all children between the ages of 2- and 3-years-old. She also completes transition records for children moving on to the next stage of their education.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder recognises her strengths and has some understanding of her areas for development. She has sought advice and support from the local authority and other childminders.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder understands that she needs to develop her curriculum further to meet the needs of the children she cares for. She knows that she should provide age- and stage- appropriate activities, to support children's learning and development. Her knowledge of child development requires further improvement to raise the quality of her teaching to an expected level, particularly regarding children's communication and language development and early mathematical knowledge.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

She has addressed the actions raised at the regulatory visit and has improved her risk assessments. She has made significant changes to the indoor and outdoor environments to support children's safety and wellbeing. Hazards have been removed and she recognises the importance of risk assessments to keep children safe. She also now understands the importance of accurate registration and maintains a daily register of attendance.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder generally works well with parents and carers and regularly shares photos of the children taking part in activities. She also provides ideas for parents to support their children's learning and development at home. She has produced information to support children transitioning on to the next stage of their education. She understands the need to develop relationships with other providers in the future when children attend other settings.

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

There are weaknesses in the childminder's knowledge and children do not benefit from an ambitious curriculum that supports their learning and development. Children do not always engage in planned, purposeful play. Their learning is not always extended, despite there being a range of resources available, particularly in the outside area. Learning is incidental and does not ensure that all children make the best progress from their starting points.

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

Children do not always behave well, and their behaviour is not managed effectively to ensure that they understand expectations. As a result, the childminder spends significant time managing behaviour and is not always able to give other children the interaction and support they need.

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

Settling-in sessions are tailored to meet individual needs, enabling children to develop a sense of belonging and attachment. Children benefit from the information shared by their parents, including details about their interests and home circumstances.

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

Children are generally happy, safe and settled in the childminder's home. They are welcomed enthusiastically on arrival and invited in to play. Children confidently explore the childminder's home and demonstrate that they feel secure. They are beginning to develop friendships and enjoy looking at books together. Children enjoy playing with the cars and dolls indoors. They have opportunities to develop their physical skills in the outside area, climbing on the climbing frame and running around together. Children like to make 'cups of tea' in the role-play area and share with the childminder.

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 2866724 Children go on outings to the local park and visits to the library. This helps children to learn about the community in which they live.

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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 covers all areas of learning, offering all children engaging experiences that build on what they already know and can do 30/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

strengthen knowledge of child development to ensure next steps are age- and stage-appropriate to help all children achieve well 30/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

consistently focus on supporting children's communication and language development 30/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

manage children's behaviour consistently so that all children understand rules and expectations 30/09/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the 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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 06:00 - 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

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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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