Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 6 May 2015 7 December 2010

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 The childminder has good procedures in place to keep children safe from harm. She carefully risk assesses the activities that she provides, including when she goes to toddler groups and on outings. Children's safety and welfare are consistently protected.  Children learn to communicate effectively, which prepares them for their future learning in school. This is because the childminder makes comments and asks questions throughout play to extend their language and speaking skills. She introduces new words, such as 'stem', to enrich children's vocabulary.  Children are happy and enjoy their time at the setting. The childminder's caring nature ensures that they feel comfortable and secure in her care. She consistently promotes children's emotional well-being.  The childminder regularly praises children for their achievements, no matter how small. This raises their self-esteem and, as a result, children are confident and motivated

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This provision is good

learners.  The childminder supports children well during transitions, such as when they move on from her setting to nursery. She nurtures their independence skills, such as dressing themselves and going to the toilet on their own, which prepares children for their new environment. This means that children manage the changes with confidence.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The childminder does not consistently take advantage of appropriate opportunities to extend children's mathematical knowledge even further.  The childminder has yet to establish highly successful partnerships with all parents, in order to ensure children's rapid progress towards the early learning goals.

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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 enrich children's mathematical knowledge by enhancing the quality of teaching even further, for example, by talking to children about shapes and their properties, so that their learning is extended to the very optimum  extend partnerships with parents even further, for example, by fully engaging them in children's learning at home, in order to promote children's very swift progress in their learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children taking part in a range of activities, and spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector saw evidence of the suitability checks for the childminder and those persons over the age of 16 years living in the household.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records, policies and procedures and the childminder's self-evaluation form.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder.  The inspector took account of the views of parents, as recorded in reference letters provided by the childminder.

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who attend. This is good

The childminder's teaching skills are good. She identifies children's next steps in learning and plans a range of activities, which she knows children enjoy, to promote their learning. For example, she provides a large cardboard house that children can decorate, in order to develop their recognition of colours. She encourages children to count the bumble bees and butterflies on the side of the house, which helps to develop their counting skills. As a result, children consistently make good progress in their learning. However, there are times when the childminder could enrich children's mathematical development even further, in order to promote their optimal learning. For example, children enjoy having a tea party in the cardboard house. They play with a large wooden cake that can separate into sections and has toppings and candles that can be attached. However, the childminder does not use this opportunity to teach children about whole shapes or what

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who attend. This is good

happens when they are cut into pieces, such as in half or into segments.

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good

The childminder follows children's emerging interests well. She has a wide range of resources for children to freely access, and responds to their non-verbal cues when they want to explore other toys. The childminder ensures that children practise good hygiene and models this herself as she washes her own hands after wiping children's noses and changing their nappies. Children enjoy daily opportunities to play outside in the fresh air. The childminder takes advantages of local amenities, such as national parks and woodland areas, to teach children about the world around them. They take trips to the local parks and children develop their larger muscles using the various pieces of equipment. This contributes to children's good health.

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provision is good

The childminder has a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and implements it well. She evaluates the standard of her teaching and activities that she provides on a regular basis. The childminder is fully aware of her strengths and the areas of practice that she could improve, in order to enhance the quality of her provision even further. At present, her good partnerships with parents could be even stronger to further promote children's learning needs. For example, the childminder could encourage parents to share their observations from home, so that these can be included in her planning. In addition, she does not always engage all parents to support children's specific next steps in learning, to ensure their swift progress. The childminder has recently completed first-aid training at level 3, which means that she is able to respond to children's accidents with up- to-date knowledge. She regularly attends network meetings with other professionals, to

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provision is good

get support and extend her knowledge of how children learn. Therefore, training has a positive impact on children's learning and care.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 129515 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 874837 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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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection 7 December 2010

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 1998 and lives in Hemel Hempstead. She operates all year round from 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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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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