Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26/03/2013 30/06/2010

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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

 The childminder has a good understanding of how children learn and she provides a rich and varied educational programme underpinned by precise assessment and planning for individual children. Consequently, children make good progress in their learning.  The childminder places a high priority on helping children to acquire communication, language and literacy skills. She helps all children make rapid improvement in their learning from their starting points.  There are strong partnerships with parents and others who are involved in the care and learning of the children which ensure that children receive relevant support and continuity in their learning and development.  The childminder promotes children's self-esteem and confidence through her consistent use of praise and encouragement.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder provides fewer opportunities for children to investigate the natural world with particular regard to observing and handling natural objects.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled 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 living room and playroom.  The inspector talked with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at professional development records, a range of policies and other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents from information provided by the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2009 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The whole of the property is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. She takes children to a childminder group; the children also participate in activities at the local children's centre.

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Information about the setting

There are currently six children on roll, four children are in the early years age group and all children attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder is able to provide care on weekdays during term time and during the school holidays.

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

 provide more opportunities for children to investigate and explore the natural world through the use of a wider range of natural resources in order to consolidate their learning.

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who attend

The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop. She is skilled at promoting children's learning through interesting activities that engage children. Children's independence is successfully promoted as they are able to make choices about what they play with. The childminder provides a stimulating range of activities tailored to the interests and needs of each child. She is careful to achieve a good balance between activities that she initiates and those chosen by the children.

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who attend

The childminder ensures that the children have plenty of opportunities for developing an interest in and love of books. The childminder selects books that she knows will interest the children and ones that they will enjoy. The children settle closely with the childminder to listen to a story. They are attentive and enjoy being read to. The childminder encourages the children to engage with the story by talking about the pictures and saying the words for the things that the children recognise and are familiar with. The childminder and children count the objects on a page helping them to learn about numbers. The children handle books and printed material with interest and have some favourite books and are making good progress in relation to age expectations. The childminder ensures that the children are helped to develop early reading skills, consequently, they are being helped to acquire the necessary skills and a positive disposition towards learning. The

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who attend

childminder is committed to ensuring that children are ready to benefit when starting school.

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who attend

The children enjoy playing with baby dolls. The childminder joins in the play and helps to stimulate role play and to encourage children to pretend. The children use their imaginations and their own experiences to bathe and feed the doll. The children strap the doll into a baby seat and manage to manipulate the clasp to secure the doll. The children are clearly very pleased with their achievements. The childminder offers praise and encouragement. This supports the development of self-confidence and encourages children to persevere when faced with a challenge.

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who attend

The childminder ensures that the children have fun in her setting. She blows bubbles and the children watch the bubbles float up and disappear. The children stretch up as high as they can to touch the bubbles. The childminder introduces vocabulary, such as 'catch' and 'float', to describe what is happening. She is using this fun experience to support the development of language and speech and, consequently, children are making good progress in communicating and using language.

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who attend

The childminder makes regular observations and assessments of the children's progress. This information is used to plan next steps and, therefore, to meet children's learning and development needs. Each child has a 'Learning Journey' which contains observations, photographs and samples of work. The childminder ensures that this information is easily accessible to parents. She discusses each individual child's learning and development with the parents, in this way parents are kept informed about their child's progress. The areas of learning are well planned for, but the childminder provides fewer opportunities for children to investigate the natural world with particular regard to observing and handling natural objects.

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

The childminder knows each child very well. She exchanges relevant information with parents and so has a good understanding of each child's needs, interests and abilities. The childminder praises and encourages the children, in this way she is helping to develop their self-esteem and confidence. She is sensitive to their emotional needs and supports the children to develop secure attachments to her. The children feel safe in her care.

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

Children are encouraged to be independent, they can choose what they want to do and toys and resources are easily accessible to them. They have the opportunity to mix and play with other children of different ages and interests, both in the setting and during visits to the childminder group and children's centre. These experiences ensure that the children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning and for transition to pre- school or school. The childminder is careful to ensure that children are supported to lead a healthy lifestyle. She frequently takes the children for walks and they enjoy playing in the garden. This ensures that they get plenty of fresh air and exercise to promote their health and well- being. The indoor environment is spacious and children move around freely and independently. Children learn the importance of basic personal hygiene, they know to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet, each child has their own towel to

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

prevent the spread of infection. The childminder provides healthy snacks with fresh fruit and a cooked meal for the children in the evening. Water is accessible to the children throughout the day so that they do not get thirsty.

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provision

The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and child development. She has the experience and skills to effectively meet the needs of young children. She provides a stimulating and enjoyable range of activities for the children in her care. A wide and varied range of resources is available to the children and they are encouraged to make choices and to be independent learners. Visits to the toy library enhance the diversity of the resources available.

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provision

There are strong partnerships with parents and this close link makes an effective contribution to ensuring children's needs are met. Parents are able to share information about their children with the childminder. The childminder has a clear understanding of her responsibility to work in partnership with other childcare providers and professionals to enhance learning opportunities. She liaises closely with the staff at the local pre-school and school where she knows a number of the teachers. She is able, therefore, to provide continuity of provision for the children between the settings. The childminder also has links with a childminder group and with the local children's centre. These links benefit children's care and learning by providing a source of professional advice for the childminder and enabling the children to experience different types of learning environments.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of how to protect children in her care and is vigilant about their supervision. A daily risk assessment is carried out of the areas where the children play. Stair gates are fitted at the entrance to the kitchen and the stairs to keep the children safe. A policy for fire evacuation is in place and regular fire drills are carried out. In the event of a child protection issue the childminder has the necessary information and telephone numbers to contact appropriate services. She has a first aid qualification and has been suitably vetted to work with young children.

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provision

The childminder is committed to offering the best possible provision for the children and looks to ensure that the children learn and develop to their potential. She has evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of her setting and has identified improvements that she plans to make in the future. Feedback on the quality of her provision for children is obtained from parents and they are extremely positive about the setting.

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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 action. 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 EY403016 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 879458 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 3 Number of children on roll 6

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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.

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Type of provision

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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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