Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY476323 Registered with Ofsted: 18/09/2014 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. This puts children at risk of harm.

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Safeguarding standards not met

The childminder does not accurately identify children who may have barriers to their learning. She is not aware of other agencies that could provide support to children when there are concerns about their development. In addition, the childminder is not always receptive to feedback, for example, about how to prepare food that children eat.

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Safeguarding standards not met

The childminder does not take action quickly enough when incidents occur, for example, when risks are identified which impact on children's safety. She does not learn from incidents when they occur and minor accidents happen multiple times before the childminder takes appropriate action. This puts children's safety and welfare at risk of harm.

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Safeguarding standards not met

The childminder has recently improved her knowledge and understanding of the signs and indicators of abuse and who to report her concerns to. She now has a secure understanding of the processes to follow should an allegation be made against her, an assistant or a household member.

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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 are not well prepared for the next stages of their learning. Any learning that takes places is incidental, as activities are not well planned or meaningful. Children who may not be meeting developmental milestones do not receive appropriate support as the childminder does not identify delays quickly enough.

p.2

Achievement Urgent improvement

Children do not develop their communication and language skills well. The childminder often responds to them using single words, such as 'outside' when children ask to 'go outside'. This does not support children to use more words and begin to speak in sentences. Children do not receive high-quality interactions. During story time, the childminder reads at a quick pace and children quickly lose interest. They move quickly between different activities and do not maintain their concentration long enough for any meaningful learning to take place. Children do learn some independence skills. They are encouraged to take off and put their shoes on independently and to wash their hands after having their nappy changed or using the toilet.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

Children do not develop positive attitudes to learning. They do not persevere with tasks and when challenges occur, they move on as they find it difficult to stay focused. The childminder does not interact with children in a way that keeps them interested or promotes their learning and development, so they often wander around and are disengaged.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

At times, the childminder struggles to manage children's behaviour in an effective way. Children frequently have disagreements and snatch toys. The childminder resolves this by providing more toys for children to play with. This does not teach children how to share with others effectively. The childminder's expectations of children's behaviour is inconsistent. For example, when children open the door and go outside after being asked not to, the childminder does not explain why this behaviour is not appropriate.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

The childminder, at times, shows warmth and kindness towards the children she cares for. When children become tired she cuddles them. She asks parents about their routine before they start and about their likes and dislikes. The childminder understands the importance of children attending regularly.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not always follow robust risk-assessment processes. She does not take action quickly enough when risks are identified. The childminder does not always follow procedures related to safer eating. She leaves children unsupervised at the table while she completes other tasks in different rooms. When children go off to play, she encourages them to eat while they are playing, despite them sitting or rolling on the floor. The childminder does not always prepare food in a way that is suitable to prevent children from choking. This compromises children's safety. In addition, not all the mattresses the childminder provides are waterproof, which does not promote children's health.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder does not always respond appropriately to children's needs. At times, children spend too long waiting in pushchairs, observing instead of being able to join in and explore for themselves. At lunchtime, children become upset as they spend too long waiting for lunch to be prepared. When this happens, the childminder does not reassure children, or try to comfort them. Children are not yet being supported effectively to manage their feelings and emotions.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder has not developed an ambitious curriculum for children. She does not adapt teaching for children's different needs. Instead of promoting children's physical development, she often pushes children around in pushchairs and leaves them to observe other children. This does not support children to make steady progress. Children are not developing their communication and language skills. The childminder does not speak to them in full sentences or model different vocabulary. Children are not learning different words or how to build words and sentences together. The childminder does not support children to develop their communication and language skills appropriately.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder is not a positive role model to children. She does not show children how to share and take turns. When children do not behave in positive ways, she does not consistently address this with children. This leads to children being unsure of what the expectations are and does not support positive relationships with their peers.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The childminder's assessment of where children are in their learning and development is not accurate. She plans next steps which are too easy or too challenging from where children currently are in their development. Activities frequently lack purpose or direction.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder does not always identify children who may have barriers to learning. She does not accurately assess where children are in their development or identify when children may need additional support. The childminder does not consider what other agencies or professionals could help if support is needed. This means children's needs are not identified early enough and appropriate support is not put into place. This hinders the progress children make.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder does not adapt activities to meet the needs of all the children she is caring for. Activities are often too easy or too challenging for children. She does not identify this or make any adaptations to her teaching. Children are not well prepared for their next stage in their learning, including going to school.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The childminder supports children who speak English as an additional language. She finds out some key words in their home language and uses these alongside English to help children settle.

p.4

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

There are weaknesses in the childminder's practice that have a significant impact on children's learning, their welfare and wellbeing. She does not accurately identify what she needs to improve on and does not identify any weaknesses in the care she offers. The childminder has not kept up to date with recent changes to the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage', particularly around safer-eating requirements and sleeping arrangements. As a result, children are not supervised effectively and do not always sit down to eat. The childminder does have a secure enough understanding of assessing ongoing risks. Despite having robust written risk assessments in place, she does not identify risks which occur throughout the day. There are gaps in the childminder's knowledge of learning and development, which means that overall children receive a poor quality of early education.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

That said, the childminder has recently taken action to improve her safeguarding knowledge. She has worked closely with the local authority to develop her understanding in this area. In addition, she now makes sure she records the actual times of arrival and departure for children and understands the importance of doing so. The childminder makes sure she holds all the required information about children, such as emergency contact details. The childminder communicates with parents and carers and sends photographs of the activities children have been taking part in.

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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 do not receive an ambitious curriculum. Children who face barriers to learning do not receive the targeted and focused support they need as the childminder does not accurately recognise their needs. The childminder is not supporting children appropriately to make steady levels of progress from their starting points and to be well prepared for the eventual move to school.

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

Children's communication and language skills do not develop quickly enough. The childminder lacks the necessary skills and knowledge to evaluate her provision and identify what needs to be improved, such as risk assessment and safer-eating arrangements. This places children at risk of potential harm.

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

Children spend short periods of time engaging in play but quickly become unsettled. The childminder does not support them to manage their feelings and behaviour and regulate their emotions. Activities quickly become disrupted by children having disagreements. This impacts on children's wellbeing.

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

At times, children do demonstrate they feel happy and comfortable with the childminder. They show her their 'All About Me' books and share photographs of family members with her. This helps them to develop a sense of belonging. Children ask the childminder to join in with them at times. The childminder takes children out and about in the local community, to the park and to the library. She is aware of some information about children that she has gathered from parents, for example, some words in their home language if children speak English as an additional language. The childminder supports children to develop their independence skills, such as when children dress up in costumes and pretend they are doctors.

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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 all risks are identified, minimised and/or removed at all 05/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure food is prepared in an appropriate way to meet the needs of all 05/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure children are always seated in an appropriately sized chair or highchair when eating 05/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that when eating children remain within sight and hearing at all times 05/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure all mattresses provided for children to sleep on are waterproof 05/10/2026

p.6

Action Completion Date

ensure children are supported to manage their behaviour in an effective way. 05/10/2026

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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

ensure that an ambitious curriculum is planned and implemented effectively, building on what children already know and can do 18/11/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure assessments of children are accurate so that appropriate next steps can be developed 18/11/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure there are appropriate strategies in place to identify children who may need additional support, and take swift action to provide appropriate interventions to ensure they make progress 18/11/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure interactions with children are always of a high quality 18/11/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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 : 07:00 - 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.

p.9

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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