Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/11/2013 12/05/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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 uses effective teaching strategies to promote children's language and communication skills. She fully acknowledges young children's responses and encourages them to participate in meaningful discussions. Therefore, children confidently express their ideas, views and needs.  The childminder is sensitive to the children's thinking and learning when deciding when to interact. She gives the children time and space, encouraging them to explore and persevere with tasks before offering support.  Children are settled and secure because they have formed close bonds and attachments with the childminder who knows them well. She makes sure she gathers detailed information about their needs and interests and incorporates these into her daily routine.  The childminder has a good understanding of how to promote the health and safety of the children in her care. She has assessed the risks to her premises well and has

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This provision is good

minimised these so children are able use all areas of the premises safely.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for children to further increase their understanding of healthy lifestyle practices are not maximised.

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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 two rooms.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of policies, procedures and assessment folders for individual children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the provider and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1992 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband in St. Albans, Hertfordshire. The whole of the ground floor and upstairs bathroom are used for childminding as well as the rear garden. The family has a dog and a cat.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends toddler groups and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis and collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently five children on roll, two of whom are in the early years age group and attend on a part-time basis. The childminder operates Monday to Thursday, from 7.45am to 6.30pm, all year round, except family holidays.

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

 extend the opportunities for children to increase their awareness of the relevance of healthy practices, with particular reference to hygiene procedures.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is good because the childminder has a good understanding of how children learn, which means she is able to provide them with a balanced range of freely chosen and adult-led activities. This ensures that children are engaged and motivated in their learning. The childminder knows the children in her care well. They benefit from being able to make choices over their play as the childminder presents a range of resources that young children can see and easily access themselves. The flexible planning enables the childminder to follow children's individual interests and to incorporate the next steps in their learning. For example, children make patterns using toy cars in the paint after they notice the patterns the wheels of their scooter make in puddles outside. Therefore, the childminder is able to plan linked experiences that follow what children are thinking about.

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who attend

The childminder is skilled in knowing when to intervene in children's play. She gives them space and time to persevere at a task, encouraging them to give it a go but staying nearby to provide support if needed. For example, children show perseverance as they attempt to fit a puzzle together. The childminder guides them making suggestions, such as turning the piece around. This sensitivity shown by the childminder helps children to become independent learners and take pride in their achievements. The childminder is able to reflect on what arouses children's curiosity and interests. For example, young children were given a box of age-appropriate toys to explore, putting them in and out of the box and showing delight as one of them makes a noise. The childminder responds to young children's babbling, praising their responses enthusiastically. She uses effective teaching strategies to extend children's learning, providing opportunities for children to

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who attend

count and recognise shapes and colours in everyday activities.

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who attend

Children's language development is well supported. The childminder chats to them about what they are doing, and they keenly recall previous experiences, such as their trip on a train. Children are fully engaged as they sit with the childminder, while she reads them a story. She is skilled in using open-ended questions to encourage their language and thinking and children are confident to ask their own questions and link the story to their own first hand experiences. For example, the childminder discusses with the children how they travelled on holiday and they are keen to learn about where the luggage is stored on a plane. Children have a love of books and spend considerable time looking at books themselves and making up their own stories. These early literacy skills are promoted further by the childminder as she regularly attends rhyme time and storytime at the local library. These simple activities help children develop the skills they need to be ready for

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who attend

Clear observations of children's learning are recorded in their learning journals and the childminder uses these to identify the next steps in their learning which she uses to help her plan activities. She is able to link this information to the typical expected levels of development and track children's progress. This ensures that she is able to meet their individual needs effectively. The childminder has completed a detailed 'progress check at age two' for the children in her care. This has been shared with parents and used to identify any areas where children's progress is less than expected and what the childminder intends to do to address any concerns. Parents are asked to share information about their children's starting points or capabilities, when their child first attends, to enable the childminder to fully plot their progress and development. Parents regularly share the learning journals and verbally discuss their children's progress. They contribute

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who attend

information about the children's learning at home and talk to the childminder about the next steps in their learning. This ensures that children receive relevant support and continuity in their learning and development.

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

The childminder has good procedures to gather detailed, comprehensive information from parents so that she is aware of children's needs, interests and abilities. This enables her to offer children the appropriate support, resources and activities. The childminder ensures that she is fully aware of their preferences and usual routines and incorporates these into her daily care. For example, the childminder used the child's comfort toy to help settle her to sleep. Children form close attachments with the childminder, which helps them to feel secure. As a result, new children settle quickly and enjoy their time at the setting. This ensures children are emotionally secure for their future learning, such as the move to pre- school or school when the time comes. The childminder encourages children to develop a suitable awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles. For example, they have daily opportunities to go outside, they walk to

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

school and toddler groups as the childminder does not drive and visit local parks. Children are provided with home-cooked nutritious meals and snacks. Although, the childminder demonstrates excellent hygiene procedures, she does not always follow this up by talking to children about why they need to wash their hands. Therefore, their understanding of the importance of good hygiene procedures is not fully promoted. Children are developing an awareness and understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For example, they demonstrate how to negotiate the step as they turn round to go backwards.

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

Children have lots of opportunities to practise their social skills as they mix with others at the childminding setting and at the various toddler groups. Gentle encouragement by the childminder supports young children in understanding and managing their behaviour. For example, the childminder reminds older children to let the younger ones have a turn using the pop-up toy and she praises them when they share. This also helps children to learn to respect one another. Children's independence is promoted as they are supported in exploring the resources and initiating their own play. They are encouraged to take care of their personal needs, for example, using the step to wash their hands and putting on their coat and shoes.

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provision

Children are effectively protected from harm as the childminder demonstrates a secure knowledge of her role and responsibility with regards to safeguarding children. She has attended safeguarding training and has clear written procedures and information in place to support this area. The childminder meets the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Thorough risk assessments ensure the childminder's home is safe and the childminder regularly reviews these to ensure any hazards to the children are minimised. She shares a range of clear policies and procedures with parents that she implements into her daily practice.

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provision

The childminder is committed to improving her practice and has made significant improvements since her last inspection, attending training and implementing the changes to the Statutory framework for Early Years Foundation Stage into her everyday practice. The childminder is able to reflect and identify strengths and weaknesses of the provision and regularly asks for feedback from parents. She has attended lots of additional training in the past and still meets regularly with a childminding network where they discuss any childcare issues. She uses these opportunities to update her knowledge and skills and uses her knowledge of child development and the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance to support her in continually monitoring children's progress.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are strong. She ensures that she works with them to meet the needs of the children as effectively as she can, by gaining detailed information from them about the child when they start. Her good procedures for working with parents mean that children's care is consistent and parents are well informed about their child's activities and progress. For example, she makes good use of the daily diaries and regularly shares children's assessment records. The childminder has established links with other early years settings that the children attend and exchanges information so that they can work together to promote children's learning and development.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 123315 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 870949 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 ‘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

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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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