Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/07/2013 09/05/2011

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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 knowledge of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She accurately tracks children's development and consistently offer tailored support so that all children make very good progress.  Children are well-prepared for school and the sharing of progress records with the next setting supports a seamless move to the next stage of learning.  High quality care practices mean children are very well-supported in securing the skills they need to be confident and independent.  The childminder continually seeks out opportunities to learn from others and puts ideas into practice that build on children's interests and extends their learning experiences. This keeps them motivated and eager to learn.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to extend the children's understanding of the world by providing resources to support them in exploring the features of the natural environment.  There is scope to enhance reflective practice to identify more precisely the improvements that have the most impact on improving experiences and achievements for children.

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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 sitting room and garden and conducted a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector and the provider had conversations at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation related to the management of the setting, children's progress and self-evaluation.

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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 2010 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and two children aged 12 and six years in a house in Stevenage, Hertfordshire and uses the whole of the ground floor and the rear garden for childminding.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a childminder group and the local children's centre. She visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the pre-school.

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Information about the setting

There are currently two children on roll, both are in the early years age group who attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder is open all year round from 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Wednesday, except for family holidays.

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

 extend children's understanding of the natural environment by providing further exploration resources

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

 expand self-evaluation/reflection to precisely identify the most effective improvements to the provision for children.

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who attend

The childminder has a detailed and thorough understanding of how children learn. As a consequence, she offers a varied programme of interesting and inspiring activities for each child. The childminder supports children's learning effectively by using a variety of teaching methods to ensure children become independent and enthusiastic learners. Children are well motivated and their natural curiosity and eagerness to learn are well supported by the broad range of resources provided. The childminder promotes children's language and communication skills extremely well. Her use of the interactive story sacks has children thoroughly engrossed. They explore the props and books recalling the story both in their own words and using phrases they remember from listening to it on previous occasions before they share the story together with the childminder. This has a positive impact on children's love of books, their literacy, communication and language skills. The

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who attend

childminder's inspired use of props means children participate fully. As the story involves food the childminder has small pieces of cherry pie and plums that children eat as their snack. This helps them develop their understanding of the world as they talk about the foods and their own personal development as they decide on the tastes and flavours they prefer.

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who attend

The childminder uses children's interests and events in family life to create further opportunities for learning. In addition to the story sacks the childminder has topic sacks. One bag is full of items related to the seaside. The children put on the sunglasses and sun hats and lay out the rug. They explore the mix of natural materials, stones and shells and the play items, the buckets and spades. The children look at the album of seaside photographs, pointing out pictures of the childminder's children. This prompts a discussion about age, as in some pictures the children are much younger, similar in age to the minded children now. This helps the children to prepare for their own up and coming seaside holiday but also helps them understand the passage of time and how people change and grow. The childminder uses open questions well to promote further learning, always giving children plenty of time to think and work out their response. Opportunities

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who attend

are seized to develop mathematical understanding as they count the stones, laying them out carefully to avoid a mis-count. Children confidently demonstrate their knowledge of numbers by correctly counting the five stones. Children enjoy outdoor learning and resources are generally plentiful. There is however, scope to further extend children's knowledge of the world by providing additional resources to help them investigate the natural world more fully.

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who attend

The childminder provides a highly appropriate balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning. Plans based around her precise observations and assessments of children means there is a range of exciting and interesting activities that covers each of the seven areas of learning. By matching activities to children's individual stage of development the childminder ensures all children are making very good progress in their learning and development. The childminder is flexible and adapts plans to suit children's needs and interests each day. This means they are always ready to learn, developing the positive disposition and attitude that will support learning in the future.

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who attend

The childminder shares children's learning with parents, making sure they are fully aware of the progress that is beginning to be made. Parents particularly like the photographs of their children as they can see exactly what they are doing. This means parents are kept in touch with their children's learning and are well placed to support further learning at home. The childminder is equally interested in children's home experiences and includes these in her planning as well. Parents have opportunities to look at their children's learning books and the childminder provides a summary of progress regularly. Consequently, parents are well informed about their children's learning and children are making rapid progress towards the early learning goals.

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

Children settle quickly into the childminder's warm and caring home environment. Relationships are built on mutual respect and care for one another. As a result, child are confident, happy and ready to learn. The childminder and parents work in a highly successful partnership to support the continuity of care for all children. Children are very well-behaved and extremely polite, saying please and thank you, unprompted. The childminder supports children very well in learning about sharing and turn-taking. For example, when they use the rhyme bag each child takes a turn to choose a prop and song to sing with the others. The childminder reminds them of how quickly their turn comes round when they do it home compared to when they are at the singing group where there are a large number of children meaning a long wait. This helps children learn to be patient and to consider the needs and feelings of the other children. The

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

childminder is a really good role model and this helps to develop children's understanding of how to behave in a gentle and reassuring way.

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

Children are developing their independence skills, learning to manage self-care tasks, such as, using the potty, getting a tissue for a runny nose and washing their hands at appropriate times during the day. The childminder supports them effectively because there is a regular routine for tasks, they always talk about what to do and why so children understand the importance of hygiene to their own good health. The childminder offers a healthy and balanced diet taking account of individual needs. She encourages children to try a variety of foods agreed with parents. Following the success of their daffodil growing in the spring the children and childminder have planted tubs with strawberry and tomato plants. The childminder helps the children care for the plants and hopes this will not only teach children about where foods come from, how it changes as it grows but also encourage them to try the food they are growing.

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

Children are physically active in the home and garden. They negotiate the step from the house into the garden and compare its size and height to the one at their own home, which is smaller. When using the slide children hold on to the rail as they climb the ladder, demonstrating their awareness of how to keep themselves safe. Children are rapidly acquiring a range of skills to support their independence and ability to manage in a group setting as part of the next stage in their learning and development.

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provision

The childminder has a secure and well-developed knowledge of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She ensures all of the legal requirements are met to promote children's safe care and effective learning. This is underpinned by the clear and informative policies and procedures that support the effective day-to-day running of her setting. All are shared with parents so they too, are clear about the childminder's role and responsibilities. The childminder's knowledge of safeguarding children means they are well protected while in her care. She has all of the relevant documentation to ensure any concerns are referred correctly. The childminder takes children's safety seriously, she provides a risk assessed home and steps are taken to reduce potential hazards. All adults in the home have undergone the appropriate checks and the childminder is careful to check the identity of all visitors. Therefore, children are protected and their well-being is

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provision

The childminder has attended further training to develop her knowledge of practice and is proactive in seeking out opportunities to learn more. She has addressed the recommendations from the previous inspection successfully, so children's learning is monitored and tracked effectively. The childminder reflects on her practice and takes ideas from others working in the early years field. For example, she has developed the various themed bags, which delight the children and provide superb learning experiences. The childminder takes into account the views of parents and children when reflecting on the provision of activities so their needs and wishes are given full credence. As a result, the childminder demonstrates her strong capacity to secure improvements. Nevertheless, there is scope to enhance and refine reflective practice to identify more precisely the most effective improvements to support children's learning.

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provision

Well-established and purposeful partnership working with parents means children's care and learning needs are fully promoted. Communication is effective as it ensures the two- way daily exchange of information to meet children's needs. The childminder has begun working with another setting that the children are due to attend shortly by sharing children's recent developmental assessment records. This means there is continuity for the children, which promotes their on-going developmental achievement.

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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 EY415551 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 879867 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 2

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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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