Childminder in Bedford

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 February 2016 3 July 2015

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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 shows a genuine commitment to improving her work. She has recently completed a wide range of training, actively putting her new knowledge into daily use. This has made a significant contribution to considerably improving her practice since her last inspection.  The childminder uses purposeful teaching techniques. Her practical planning means that she offers children a wide variety of activities that are linked to their interests and support their learning. Children make good progress and show positive attitudes as they play and learn new skills. This prepares them well for school.  Children enjoy using local facilities, such as toddler groups and parks. This supports them in understanding others and appreciating differences. They learn to interact and understand how they can play a positive part in their community and later, in wider society.  The childminder promotes children's physical development and helps them to

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This provision is good

understand how to keep themselves healthy. They use large play equipment at the park and soft-play centre, talking about how this benefits their bodies.  Good partnership working with parents enables the childminder to keep parents informed and to support them in extending their children's learning. For example, she offers individual ideas for activities or resources to try at home.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The childminder does not always make the most of all opportunities to support children in fully developing their skills in thinking more critically and creatively.  The childminder sometimes carries out simple tasks for children and so does not always promote their independence and social skills to the very best extent.

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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

 enhance the opportunities for children to think critically and creatively during activities and discussions  build on the daily opportunities that enable children to develop their independence and social skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. She reviewed an activity with the childminder.  The inspector talked with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. She talked with the childminder about how she supervises her assistant.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation and evidence of the suitability of household members and the assistant. She viewed the childminder's self-evaluation information and a range of other documentation, including the safeguarding procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents, as given in their written feedback to the childminder.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Following her last inspection, the childminder was set a number of actions and had a monitoring visit from Ofsted. Since then, the childminder has made effective changes. She has completed a first-aid course, thereby promoting children's health. She has also implemented a professional development plan which includes a practical reminder system to ensure that all mandatory training is completed in good time. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The childminder and her assistant maintain a good knowledge of this area by attending regular training. The childminder makes good use of her own qualification and that of her assistant. During practical supervision sessions, they review their work. They make pertinent improvements, such as the provision of accessible toy storage. The childminder now has clear procedures to support her in exchanging information with other childcare settings, in order to promote children's development.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The childminder offers children interesting resources that support them in learning to explore. Children play with shredded paper and work out how to use tools, such as tongs, to pick up the paper. The childminder extends this by offering children construction vehicles and they use these to scoop the paper. The childminder plans activities well and uses children's interests as a way of engaging them. For example, children extend their counting skills as they sort their favourite transport models according to colour and type of vehicle. However, the childminder does not always extend children's opportunities to develop their creative and critical-thinking skills as much as possible during activities. The childminder checks children's progress and takes immediate action to address any weaker areas of learning. Children now have more opportunities to explore the natural environment. For example, they hatch butterflies and grow seeds, comparing the different

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

lifecycles. The childminder makes good use of simple sign language as one of the ways of supporting children's early communication skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The childminder works with parents and gains a clear, practical understanding of children's needs. She shares this with her assistant so that children's needs are consistently met and they form secure relationships with each of the adults. The childminder is a good role model and talks sensitively with children about their behaviour. This supports them in understanding how to manage this and they show genuine care and affection for each other. The childminder praises children's efforts and celebrates their achievements with them. They enjoy talking about what they are able to do now and remembering how they learned new skills. These thoughtful interactions build children's confidence and reinforce the positive emotional outlooks that support them when they start school.

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Outcomes for children are good

Well-embedded improvements to the childminder's practice mean that all children, including those who speak English as an additional language, now make good progress. The childminder supports children well and helps them to develop the skills that underpin their learning and prepare them for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 259901 Local authority Bedford Borough Inspection number 1024604 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 3 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2001 and lives in Bedford. She operates all year round from 6am to 6pm, Monday to Thursday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate qualification at level 3. She provides care for children who speak English as an additional language. The childminder works with an assistant on an occasional basis. The assistant also has a 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

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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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