Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 7 October 2016 13 December 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 Good 2

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This provision is good

 Children enjoy learning about the wide variety of fruit and vegetables that the childminder grows in her garden. They help with watering the plants and have fun picking the vegetables when they are ripe. The childminder talks to children about which type of food is good for them. They have fun naming and describing some of the fruit and vegetables they pick.  The childminder effectively evaluates her practice. She is continually improving upon her quality of care and teaching that she offers for children and their families. The childminder gathers the views of parents and children through regular feedback. She incorporates their ideas into plans for improvement.  Children are motivated to learn in the welcoming and stimulating environment the childminder provides. They thoroughly enjoy the vast range of toys, the activities, and the learning opportunities that are available. The childminder supports children to make

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This provision is good

informed decisions throughout the day about what they would like to do next.  The childminder's good understanding about how children learn and develop enables her to provide activities that are suitably challenging and meet their individual needs. This helps support children to make good progress in their learning and development.  Children's speech and language development are promoted by the childminder's interactions. She talks to them about what they are doing during their play and introduces new vocabulary. For example, she says that the spiders' webs are glistening in the sun because of the rain droplets that have been caught in them.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The childminder does not always share information with parents about children's progress and their next steps in learning. Parents are not regularly given ideas of how they can further extend children's development at home.

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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

 explore further ways to share information and ideas with parents to enable them to extend children's learning at home to help support them to make the best possible 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 observed and discussed a planned activity with the childminder.  The inspector spoke with the childminder at appropriate times during the inspection. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the childminder's self-evaluation, the children's learning records and a sample of policies.  The inspector read written feedback from parents and talked to children during the inspection and took account of their views and responses.  The inspector reviewed evidence of the suitability of the childminder and all adults living at the premises.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The childminder knows the signs and symptoms that may cause concerns about children's safety and welfare. She has a good understanding about the procedures to follow and has the contact details for the Local Safeguarding Children Board to pass on any such concerns. The childminder strengthens her knowledge and skills through attending training and sharing good practice with other childminders. This helps promote her continuous improvement. She reviews her observations and assessments of children's learning and progress to identify any gaps in their development. The childminder sets specific targets for improvement to ensure gaps in learning close quickly.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

During children's settling-in sessions, information is gathered from parents about what they are able to do. This helps the childminder to precisely plan where children's starting points are. Children are encouraged to talk about their home and family while they pretend to vacuum and clean. Their early writing skills are developing through the wide choice of mark-making implements that are available to use, such as pens, pencils, paint and chalk. Children enjoy stories and eagerly point out objects in the pictures. They have fun joining in with singing well-known songs and rhymes. Children look at pictures of different insects and have fun searching for these bugs around the garden.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children form close attachments to the childminder and are happy and feel safe in her care. They learn good hygiene practices and know to wash their hands after outdoor play, before eating and after feeding the childminder's fish. Children rapidly become confident in the childminder's care and develop their independence skills. For example, young children learn to put on their own shoes and tidy away toys when they have finished playing with them. They behave well and learn key skills, such as sharing and taking turns when regularly attending local playgroups. Children frequently receive praise and encouragement from the childminder. This helps to promote their self-esteem. Parents speak highly about the childminder and say they feel pleased that their children are well cared for.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress in their learning from their starting points. Children become confident in describing various sizes of bubbles, as they play with different bubble makers. For example, they say the bubbles are enormous or tiny and use many more descriptive words. Children practise their small-muscle skills as they create rice pictures. They pick up the different coloured grains of rice and stick them to make a picture of a tree. They are developing all the necessary skills ready for their next stage in learning and for starting school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 130002 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1059404 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 13 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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Name of registered person

Date of previous inspection 13 December 2012

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 1994 and lives in Watford. She operates all year round from 8am to 6pm, 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 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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