Lear, Helen Margaret

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 June 2016 27 February 2012

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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 Outstanding 1

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This provision is good

 The childminder supports children's emotional security exceptionally well. Children form warm, trusting relationships with the childminder and respond extremely positively to her gentle humour and sensitive approach. Children feel totally safe in her care.  The childminder significantly supports children's good health and physical well-being. She provides an excellent range of opportunities for children to learn about keeping themselves fit and healthy.  The childminder is qualified and experienced. She understands children's development and provides a good variety of activities that encourage their participation and interest and ensure they make good progress.  The childminder forms very positive partnerships with parents. The childminder continually shares children's progress with parents and ideas to support their ongoing development. They work closely together and provide continuity for children's needs.

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This provision is good

 The childminder actively encourages children's communication skills. They learn to listen attentively and confidently talk about their ideas from a young age.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The childminder does not consistently assess all aspects of children's achievements precisely enough to monitor their progress accurately in all areas of learning.  The childminder occasionally misses opportunities to build on children's interests and encourage their independent access to a further range of books, and show how these can also be used to gain information.

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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

 strengthen systems of monitoring children's achievements more precisely to reflect their progress accurately, and consistently support them to reach their full potential  build on children's interest in books to help them independently access a wider variety and learn how books can also be used to gain information.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's interactions in play indoors and outdoors.  The inspector viewed documentation, such as operational policies, procedures and required records, including those relating to suitability.  The inspector took into account the written views of parents.  The inspector discussed children's development with the childminder.  The inspector discussed self-evaluation with the childminder.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The childminder has a clear awareness of her responsibilities of protecting children's welfare. She continues to evaluate and improve her practice and update her knowledge regularly through training. This has helped her develop further ways of sharing information with parents about children's starting points and effectively support initial planning. In addition, she has learnt different ways of supporting children's understanding of letters and sounds to develop their early literacy skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The childminder actively supports children's mathematical skills. For example, children were quick to name shapes, such as a triangle, rectangle and circle. They knew that two semi-circles make a circle and two triangles make a diamond shape. Children confidently used numbers in their games. They know some numbers of personal significance, such as their age. They begin to count 'one more than' and group objects by size and colour. The childminder actively encourages children's language skills. Children are keen to join in with repetitive phrases and start to form complex sentences from a young age.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children are very much welcomed and valued by the childminder. She works extremely well with parents to settle their children in and ensure they are confident and happy in her care. The childminder's exceptionally good role modelling significantly contributes to children behaving extremely well. The childminder is highly skilled in using positive reinforcement and praises children often for their efforts. Children develop very positive self-esteem and quickly gain confidence in their abilities. They gain an excellent awareness of emotions and eagerly show their surprised, happy and 'wibbly wobbly' feelings. Children develop very high levels of understanding about keeping themselves safe and being active. For example, they knew that the childminder needed to zip up the enclosure for the trampoline, before they could use it. Children enthusiastically bounced on the trampoline, laughing with delight as they rolled over safely. They readily talked about the

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

importance of putting sun cream on in the hot weather. They spoke very confidently about blowing their noses and washing their hands to get rid of the 'bugs'.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children become confident communicators and are well-prepared for going to school. They make good progress in their learning and development. Children are clearly motivated to learn and are keen to 'have a go' at activities. For example, they act out a favourite story using props. They enjoy pretending to be farmers and help the childminder collect the eggs from her hens. Children notice changes as they mix the eggs into their cake mixture.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY368631 Local authority Bath & NE Somerset Inspection number 827851 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 2

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Name of registered person

Date of previous inspection 27 February 2012

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Telephone number

The childminder registered in 2008. She lives in Haydon, near Radstock, Bath. The childminder cares for children on Monday to Friday all year round. She receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The childminder holds a childcare 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

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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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