Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 October 2015 10 November 2010

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 The childminder works very closely with parents to support children's learning at home. She has introduced book sharing bags to encourage children and their families to enjoy story time together.  The childminder promotes children's personal, social and emotional skills well. She is helping them to develop their understanding of the needs of others, along with how to be kind and considerate.  The childminder is good at recognising the potential learning in children's spontaneous play. She promotes their expanding vocabulary extremely well, making sure they have plenty of chances to use new words and phrases in context.  Teaching strategies are effective in helping children to make progress. The childminder always gives children time to think through their ideas and respond to questions. She is instilling the importance of this in to the children to help them to listen attentively and wait for an answer.

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This provision is good

 The childminder keeps up to date with current practice by making sure she makes use of local training opportunities.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The arrangements for working with all of the other settings that children attend are not consistent and do not always support continuity of learning.  Assessments of children's development are not always used to plan as precisely as possible for individual learning.

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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

 extend the arrangements for working with all other early years settings that children attend, in order to develop more effective ways to share information about children's learning and development  refine planning and strengthen the link to assessments so that it is more precisely focused to ensure children make the very best progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector and the childminder reflected on children's learning through planned activities.  The inspector and the childminder had discussions at appropriate times throughout the inspection. The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including the safeguarding procedures and evidence of the suitability of members of the household over 16 years.  The inspector looked at questionnaires and reviews written by parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The childminder is qualified and experienced. She maintains comprehensive documents that she uses to underpin her practice and to help her to fulfil her responsibilities in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The childminder has a secure understanding of how to safeguard children. She has attended training to update her knowledge of the most recent developments in safeguarding practice. The childminder works exceptionally closely with parents, making sure she has as much information as possible about the children. She is working closely with some of the other early years settings that children attend, which contributes significantly to their learning and progress. The childminder reflects on some aspects of her practice, particularly the effectiveness of the activities she offers. She uses these evaluations to decide on how to improve and enhance children's experiences.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The childminder offers children a wealth of activities each day. She notes their interests and recognises when new ones emerge. The childminder builds upon these interests in many of the learning experiences. Children's enthusiasm for dinosaurs is being used very effectively to help them develop their skills. Children are eager to get involved in the experiences and show tremendous enthusiasm for what the childminder suggests. They tackle the large floor puzzle, showing good concentration and successful hand control as they turn the pieces to make them fit. Children are very imaginative and enjoy making up their own games using the small cars. The childminder effectively promotes children's mathematical learning, encouraging them to count in sequence and to think about shapes and numbers in the environment. The childminder offers children the chance to explore texture and temperature as they feel ice and observe how it changes as it melts. The

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

childminder regularly observes children and uses what she sees to assess their level of progress.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children enjoy an active outdoor life. The childminder encourages them to develop their interest in nature and living things. They gather grass for the guinea pigs, using the scissors to snip the blades of grass. Children are keen to talk about why the animals need the grass and when they will eat it. The childminder supports children to behave well. She gives them very clear messages about her expectations. The behaviour boundaries are well defined and children feel confident and secure. Children understand when and why they need to wash their hands to help them stay healthy and well. The childminder encourages children to be as independent as possible, offering them lots of chances to do things for themselves.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are making good progress in their learning. The childminder ensures children have the skills they need and the positive attitude to learning to support them in the move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY398873 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 859997 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Age range of children 2 - 9 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 10

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection 10 November 2010

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2009 and lives in Hertford. She operates all year round from 8am to 6pm, Monday and Wednesday, from 3.15pm to 6pm on Tuesdays, from 8am to 5.30pm on Thursday and from 8am to 4.30pm on Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder provides funded early education for three- and four-year- old children. She holds an appropriate qualification at level 3.

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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 reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Telephone number

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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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