Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2800107 Registered with Ofsted: 03/09/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder does not consistently support children's attitudes to learning and independence. At times, children disengage from activities or play alone without purposeful interaction. The childminder does not always recognise these opportunities to re-engage children, extend their concentration or encourage them to persevere. Similarly, although independence is encouraged through some daily routines, the childminder sometimes completes tasks that children could attempt for themselves. This limits opportunities for children to practise skills, solve simple problems and develop greater confidence in their own abilities.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Despite these inconsistencies, the childminder has a good relationship with children and builds warm, secure attachments. Children are happy and settled in her care. They confidently seek reassurance and affection when needed and respond positively to familiar routines. This demonstrates that children feel safe and emotionally secure. The childminder promotes kindness, sharing and good manners. Children learn to wait, take turns and consider the needs of others during everyday experiences. Appropriate behaviour expectations are generally established and understood. The childminder also promotes regular attendance effectively. She monitors absences, identifies patterns and follows up concerns appropriately. Overall, positive relationships and established routines support children's wellbeing, although greater consistency is needed to strengthen their engagement, perseverance and independence.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Children do not make sufficient progress across the curriculum. Identified gaps in communication, language and emotional development are not addressed effectively. Teaching does not consistently build on children's starting points or extend their vocabulary, confidence and communication skills. Opportunities to strengthen independence are also inconsistent. Consequently, children do not securely develop all the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. Teaching does not consistently build on children's knowledge. Activities are not always adapted to children's different developmental stages, and the childminder does not make consistent use of opportunities to increase challenge or check children's understanding. As a result, children's knowledge does not consistently deepen or build progressively over time.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Children demonstrate mathematical knowledge. The childminder regularly introduces numbers, counting, shapes and mathematical language through meaningful everyday experiences. For example, children identify numbers during number hunts, explore shapes and use numbers linked to dates and calendar activities. These experiences help children become familiar with mathematical concepts and demonstrate what they know.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not consistently meet statutory welfare requirements for hygiene, risk assessment, supervision and safer eating. She does not identify and manage risks consistently or follow effective infection-control procedures. Consequently, children are exposed to avoidable risks of cross-contamination, injury and choking, and their health and safety are not consistently protected.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Weak hygiene practice occurs across different routines. During intimate care, the childminder does not clean changing equipment between children or complete appropriate hand hygiene routines between individual changes. At mealtimes, she uses cloths to clean children's faces, then uses the same cloth to clean the table before reusing it on children. Children's handwashing is also insufficiently thorough. The childminder does not teach children to follow hygiene practices after they sneeze. These multiple weaknesses in hygiene practices show that infection-control procedures are not securely embedded and increase the risk of cross-contamination.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder also fails to recognise some significant risks as they emerge. She does not intervene promptly to teach children how to keep safe while using scissors. She does not teach children to sit safely at mealtimes, to minimise the risk of choking. Overall, children are comfortable in the childminder's care. The childminder promotes healthy food choices. However, these strengths do not mitigate the repeated weaknesses that compromise children's health, safety and wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder does not consistently meet the learning and development requirements. Teaching does not build securely on what children know, can do and need to learn next. Activities and interactions are not consistently adapted to reflect children's differing ages, stages and developmental needs. Consequently, children disengage, identified gaps in learning remain unaddressed and opportunities for purposeful learning are missed. This limits the progress children make.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder understands what children need to learn but does not consistently translate this into effective teaching. Activities are sometimes pitched at an inappropriate level, and adaptations are not made quickly enough when children lose interest or find experiences difficult. Opportunities to join play, introduce vocabulary, extend thinking and deepen understanding are also inconsistent. The childminder does not consistently promote independence. The childminder sometimes completes manageable tasks for children, reducing opportunities to practise skills, persevere, solve problems and build confidence in their abilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Children experience some positive learning opportunities. Mathematics is incorporated into familiar routines, enabling children to count, recognise numbers and revisit mathematical language. At times, effective language modelling supports communication. Music and practical experiences encourage children to explore sounds, use imagination, make connections and develop physical skills.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Children with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities and other additional needs do not consistently receive effective support. This limits their ability to engage, develop essential skills and make secure progress from their individual starting points.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Overall, the childminder identifies children's differing developmental needs and barriers to learning. She works closely with families and seeks specialist advice when appropriate. However, this information does not consistently shape practice. As a result, some children do not receive the adaptations and targeted support they need to participate fully in learning and make progress.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder does not use assessment information effectively to support children with communication and language delays. Interactions do not consistently model and extend vocabulary, provide sufficient processing time or build on children's attempts to communicate. At times, children disengage or play alone without purposeful intervention. The childminder misses opportunities to strengthen communication and sustain children's engagement. This limits the progress of children who need additional support.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder does not systematically monitor children's development or evaluate whether support improves outcomes. Although additional funding provides resources and experiences, the childminder does not check its impact precisely enough. Consequently, adaptations do not consistently reduce identified barriers to learning.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder does not have sufficiently secure oversight of her provision to identify and address significant weaknesses across education, inclusion, health and safety. She does not consistently meet learning and development or statutory welfare requirements. Consequently, weaknesses in teaching, individual support, supervision, infection control and risk management significantly affect children's safety, wellbeing and progress.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder knows the children and can describe their developmental priorities. However, she does not use this knowledge consistently to improve their experiences. She identifies suitable adaptations when questioned but does not routinely implement them. As a result, assessment does not consistently lead to effective teaching or targeted support, particularly for children with communication delays and emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder acknowledges that she struggles to meet the differing needs of all children when they attend together. This is evident in practice. Younger children do not consistently receive the adaptations they need, while older children experience reduced challenge and fewer opportunities to develop independence. Consequently, the quality of education children receive varies with the group's needs.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The childminder's oversight of health and safety is also weak. Repeated hygiene failures increase the risk of cross-contamination, while significant hazards and unsafe eating practices are not always recognised until inspectors intervene. This demonstrates that the childminder responds reactively to some risks rather than anticipating and managing them effectively. The childminder's knowledge of child protection is secure. The childminder understands the Prevent duty, monitors attendance and knows how to respond to disclosures, whistleblowing concerns and allegations. Parents also value the relationships and support she provides. Nevertheless, these strengths do not compensate for the significant weaknesses in her oversight of education and care or their impact on children.

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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 does not take reasonable steps to ensure children's health and safety. Weak hygiene and infection-control practices increase the risk of cross-contamination. Children do not always eat safely because the childminder does not consistently ensure that they sit appropriately or notice unsafe eating positions. Care routines do not consistently meet children's individual needs or promote independence. These weaknesses significantly affect children's welfare and wellbeing.

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

Children enjoy a range of activities. However, interactions lack purpose, challenge and ambition. Children do not consistently build on what they already know and can do. They are not supported to hear new vocabulary, develop communication and deepen their knowledge. Some children disengage or play alone without effective support to re-engage in meaningful learning. Consequently, children do not make the progress of which they are capable. Children with communication delays, emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers do not receive effective targeted support. Although their needs are identified, support and teaching do not consistently reduce barriers to learning. Consequently, these children do not make sufficient progress from their individual starting points.

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

Children enjoy a range of activities. However, interactions lack purpose and challenge. Children do not consistently build on what they already know and can do. They miss opportunities to hear new vocabulary, develop communication and deepen mathematical understanding. Some children disengage or play alone without effective support to re- engage in meaningful learning. Consequently, children do not make the progress of which they are capable. Children with communication delays, emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers do not receive effective targeted support. Although their needs are identified, support and teaching do not consistently reduce barriers to learning. Consequently, these children do not make sufficient progress from their individual starting points.

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

Children develop some independence through everyday routines. However, opportunities to practise skills, solve problems and persevere are inconsistent. The childminder sometimes completes tasks for children rather than enabling them to try for themselves. This limits children's confidence and their ability to develop essential skills for future learning. Despite these weaknesses, children form warm, secure relationships with the childminder. They attend happily, seek reassurance and show that they feel comfortable in the childminder's care. Children learn to share, take turns and use good manners. Parents value the care and support their families receive. However, weaknesses in teaching, inclusion and care mean children do not consistently gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to prepare well for their next stage of learning.

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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

implement effective hygiene and infection-control procedures consistently to protect children's health and prevent cross-contamination 17/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that risks are identified and managed effectively to ensure children's safety throughout routines, activities and experiences 17/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that children are supervised effectively during mealtimes and ensure children are seated safely while eating to protect their safety and welfare 17/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that appropriate professional development opportunities are identified and pursued to address any weaknesses in knowledge and skills and continually improve the quality of learning and care for children 17/09/2026

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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

use assessment effectively to identify children's individual needs and implement plans effectively to provide targeted support that helps them make progress towards next stages in their learning 17/09/2026

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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 to assess the quality and standards of provision 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. Unique reference number (URN): 2800107

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00

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About this inspection

Local authority: Westmorland and Furness

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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

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