Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25 March 2015 8 June 2012

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Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Requires improvement The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Requires improvement The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Requires improvement The setting does not meet legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The childminder's knowledge of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect is not as good as it could be. This does not maximise children's safety.  On occasion, the childminder does not give children opportunities to think and formulate their own answers to problems. Therefore, children are not encouraged to think critically and find their own solutions.  Teaching requires improvement because the childminder does not make full use of her observations and assessments, to plan challenging activities that consistently extend children's learning.

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It has the following strengths

 Children behave well and are polite. The older children are keen to include younger children in their play and the childminder encourages them to share the resources with one another.  The childminder has made some improvements to her practice through the recent training she has attended. For example, she has been able to share her knowledge of phonics with the children to support them in their early reading skills.  The childminder regularly shares information about children's learning with parents and the nursery that children attend. This supports children's continuity of learning.  The childminder has a wide range of age-appropriate resources which are easily accessible to children. Therefore, children are able to make choices about their play.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 increase knowledge of how to identify and understand signs of possible abuse and neglect  improve the quality of teaching by strengthening observation and assessment, using the information gathered, and identifying children's next steps in learning to influence the planning of challenging and exciting learning experiences that reflect children's emerging interests and help them to make good progress.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 maximise opportunities to extend children's critical thinking by giving them the time and encouragement to answer and solve problems independently.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed general play and the lunch time routine in the main rooms. She talked with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at evidence of the suitability of household members and a range of other documentation. First-aid and safeguarding training certificates were viewed.  The inspector held joint discussions with the childminder in relation to observations of the children's play, learning and progress.  The inspector reviewed the childminder's self-evaluation.

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who attend. This requires improvement

The childminder provides a range of activities and resources which reflect children's interests and engage them in their learning. She supports children in the acquisition of their communication and language skills. For example, she reads them stories and engages them in conversation. However, the observation and assessment of children are not always precise enough to consistently identify the next steps in children's learning. As a result, planned activities do not always challenge children and extend their learning. For example, the childminder does not give children the time to recognise each letter on the puzzle pieces, but rather gives too many clues. Therefore, children are not able to practise newly acquired skills and consolidate their learning. At times, children are not given the opportunity to think critically and formulate their own ideas. For example, the childminder tells children they need to add more flour to the dough to make it less sticky, rather than

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who attend. This requires improvement

asking the children what they could add. The childminder works closely with the nursery staff to support children in becoming ready for school. She shares books with children to develop an interest in reading and encourages them to recognise their name.

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requires improvement

The childminder gathers detailed information from parents, allowing her to mirror children's home routines. As a result, children are happy in the childminder's care and their emotional well-being is supported. She ensures they are familiar with the nursery prior to starting, to ensure that children make the move on to other settings with confidence. The childminder supports children's good health, encouraging them to eat a balanced diet. For example, she works closely with parents, keeping a diary of the food children eat to help identify possible food intolerances. Children enjoy playing outside in the fresh air on a daily basis. They play on large climbing equipment at the park and have opportunities to run around in the local field. This promotes children's physical development.

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provision requires improvement

The childminder does not have a good enough understanding of the learning and development requirements. She carries out some monitoring of the educational programmes to ensure that they cover all areas of learning, to steadily support children's progress. The childminder does not have a secure enough understanding of the safeguarding procedures, as she has failed to meet one of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She has some knowledge of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect, but this could be improved further to fully ensure children's safety. She is clear about the procedure to follow if she has concerns. The childminder seeks the views of parents to support her in reflecting on and improving her practice. For example, she discusses with parents the best time to introduce toilet training, so that there is consistency between the two settings. Future plans include accessing training to further

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY411398 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 879715 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 4 - 10 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 5

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2010 and lives in Stevenage. She operates all year round, from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays.

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Telephone number

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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Telephone number

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

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Telephone number

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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Telephone number

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

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