Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/02/2013 05/11/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children are motivated and keen to learn in this inclusive and welcoming setting. They show high levels of curiosity and demonstrate positive relationships with their peers and the childminder.  The childminder is sensitive to children's thinking and learning when deciding when to interact and when to value children's independent play.  The childminder is keen to develop her service. She acts on advice and attends training to enhance her knowledge. Her plans for improvement are well-targeted to strengthen her practice.  Partnerships with parents are effective as the childminder is committed to working together with them to ensure continuity of care and learning for children. She keeps them well-informed both by written information and daily verbal communication.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder seeks the views of parents and children in her self-evaluation but does not demonstrate how these views are used in the drive for continuous improvement.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the main room.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journeys, planning documentation, a selection of policies and children's records.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2008 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her daughter aged nine years in a ground floor flat in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. The childminder uses the whole of the flat for childminding and there is a communal garden. The family has a cat and goldfish.

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Information about the setting

There are currently six children on roll, three are in the early years age group, who attend for a variety of sessions and three are school-age children, who attend after school. She is open all year round from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 use the views of parents and children more effectively to inform the plans for improvement, so that the drive to improve is strengthened and practice is clearly targeted to help children reach the highest levels of achievement.

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who attend

The childminder provides educational programmes that cover the seven areas of learning and focuses on the prime areas of learning for the young children in her care. She completes detailed observations of the children, which are evaluated and identify the next step in their learning. Activities are planned to fully embrace children's individual needs and interests in addition to their identified next steps. Children are interested and keen learners who are working within and above the typical range of development expected for their age.

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who attend

Children are supported well in their acquisition of communication and language skills. The childminder engages children as they play, describing what they are doing and asking questions appropriate to their level of understanding. Babies respond by smiling and show their understanding by reaching for the toy the childminder offers. They are beginning to follow instructions as the childminder rolls the ball to them, asking 'where's it gone?' and 'can you find it?' Children continually babble as they try to fit the figures in the tractor and use some single words such as 'dada'. They squeal with delight as they notice the cat outside and bang on the window, attempting to say the cat's name. Children attend a music group and are beginning to recognise familiar songs and move their bodies to music. They copy the childminder's actions and begin to point to the parts of their body in response to the song. Young children show great interest in the musical instruments, they

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who attend

select them from the box and favour the cymbals. The childminder comments that banging them together is a newly acquired skill and develops this by showing them how to use the stick to also make a sound.

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who attend

Young children's physical skills are promoted as the childminder ensures that she provides an enabling environment for this to happen, for example as they use low level furniture to pull themselves up. Children have recently started walking and the childminder extends this further by encouraging them to use the doll's pushchair as support as they walk around the room. She helps them to learn how to turn it around and steer around obstacles.

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who attend

Babies are able to stack up to three beakers independently and show high levels of curiosity as they lift the beaker to find the toy hidden underneath and discover how to stack them inside of one another. They explore textures as they squeeze their sandwiches together and experiment with cooked spaghetti and enjoy making marks with their fingers in the tray of flour. They show interest in books with textured pages, repeatedly going back to find a specific page.

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who attend

Children persevere with some activities, for example, as they repeatedly put the doll in and out of the doll's pushchair and explore the safety straps. The childminder uses this opportunity to reinforce children's understanding of keeping safe as she helps the child to do up the straps. She talks to them about keeping the 'baby' safe, and reminds them of the straps that they wear in the pushchair. Young children watch the childminder as she shows them how to press the button on the toy to make it light up and play music. They then try this for themselves, clapping their hands when the music stops. Children's progress in the prime areas of learning ensures they have the key skills they need for the next steps in their learning.

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who attend

The childminder supports engagement with all parents. They are encouraged to contribute their observations from home, for example, one parent sent a text message to say that her child had taken their first step. Parents, who attend a baby signing class, share what they have learnt, with the childminder, enabling her to use signing with all children to further promote their communication skills. Parents of children, who are new to the setting, are asked to contribute children's starting points and the childminder is considering using a document similar to the progress check at age two, in order to record this information. The childminder recognises the importance of sharing information with all those involved in the children's care and learning in order to use effective strategies and interventions to support learning that matches children's individual needs.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children are familiar with the routine and form secure attachments with the childminder, promoting their well-being and independence. Babies separate from their parents and carers happily when they arrive at the childminder's home for example, they wave goodbye and attempt to close the door when their parents leave. The childminder uses consistently applied strategies and clear guidance about what is acceptable behaviour, using language appropriate for the child's stage of development.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children's behaviour shows that they feel safe and secure in the setting. Babies confidently approach the inspector, sharing toys and display affectionate behaviour, as they cuddle the doll and the childminder. The childminder discusses with the older children how germs spread, and good hygiene procedures, such as wearing gloves for nappy changing promote children's understanding of how to keep healthy. Although parents provide all the meals, the childminder offers suggestions for a healthy diet and is able to meet any specific dietary needs of children. Young children are becoming independent, they enjoy eating finger food and are encouraged to use a spoon to feed themselves. They are able to drink from a beaker independently.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children gain an understanding of road safety as the childminder asks them to tell her when and where it is safe to cross the road. The childminder carries out regular fire drills so that children become familiar with how to evacuate the premises in the event of an emergency. Children use some ride-on resources on the patio area outside and often visit the park on the way back from school, where they practise physical skills, such as throwing and catching a ball and climbing on the equipment. The childminder gives clear messages to children to promote their understanding of the need for physical exercise as they walk to and from school.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The childminder provides appropriate support to prepare children for their transitions to other settings and school. She asks to visit the setting with the child and parent and talks to the children about what to expect when they start. She shares books reflecting first experiences, with children, for example, reading a story about the 'new baby' to a child who has a new sibling. The childminder asks parents to draw up a rota of who will be collecting the child each day so that she can reassure children when they ask and alleviate their anxieties.

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provision

The childminder has a secure understanding of the areas of learning and how children learn. This enables her to provide a broad range of experiences that help children to progress in the prime and specific areas of learning. She regularly reviews her planning and assessment and tries to modify her practice through her observations and evaluation. The childminder uses the document 'Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage' to monitor whether children are working at the expected levels of development.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding are strong. The childminder has attended safeguarding training and understands the procedure to follow if she has concerns. Effective risk assessments and daily visual checks enable children to move around in a safe and secure environment. Clear policies and procedures are reviewed regularly, shared with parents and implemented consistently.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are well established and make a strong contribution to meeting children's needs. The childminder has a detailed exchange of information at collection and keeps parents informed of any new skills and how these can be extended at home, such as practising songs they are learning. Parents are provided with information about the Early Years Foundation Stage and completing the progress check at age two. The childminder is fully aware of the importance of establishing links with external agencies and other providers. However, none of the children currently in her care, are involved with other professionals or attend other settings delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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provision

The childminder is committed to improving her practice. She is clearly able to identify areas for development through her self-evaluation and has plans to target these improvements. Although she seeks the views of parents and children, there is scope to use these further to enhance continuous improvement. She is keen to extend her knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and childcare issues through training and discussion with other childminders.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted 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.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY373093 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 821321 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 5

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration. Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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