Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 December 2016 24 April 2013

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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

 At times, the childminder works with assistants. She makes sure they have completed a paediatric first-aid qualification and have an awareness of her safeguarding policies and procedures. She shares her knowledge of new initiatives with them to ensure they have a good awareness of promoting children's welfare.  The well-qualified childminder provides an effective indoor learning environment. She understands that children, at times, like to play in small spaces. For example, she provides cushions and blankets so that children can make cosy corners for play and relaxation.  The childminder offers children specific praise and encouragement. As they play with soft dough, she praises children for things that they do. For example, she tells them how well they used a roller to make the dough flat. She also encourages kindness as she thanks children, such as for sharing the cutters with their friends.  The childminder uses many opportunities to help develop children's mathematical

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This provision is good

understanding and knowledge. She makes skittles with numbers on for children to recognise which number bottles they knock down. Children learn about space and shape as they complete puzzles together.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The childminder does not always give clear messages to children about why it is important to have a healthy diet.

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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

 provide children with more opportunities to learn about how having a healthy diet benefits their health and well-being.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the childminder joining in activities with children and discussed the learning that was taking place with her.  The inspector saw the areas of the premises used for childminding.  The inspector looked at children's development and assessment records. Evidence of the suitability of household members and a range of other documents, including the safeguarding policy, were also seen.  The inspector spoke to and interacted with children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector took into account the written views of parents and the childminder's self- evaluation.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The childminder is confident to follow appropriate child protection procedures, helping her to protect children's welfare. She reviews risks in the environment and on outings, reflecting on the needs of each child. The childminder evaluates her service by identifying what is working well and what she needs to improve. For example, she is looking at ways to extend the range of resources she provides, such as introducing more natural materials. The childminder benefits from the support of other childminders. For example, they meet regularly, hold professional discussions and attend toddler groups together.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The childminder provides interesting activities which children enjoy exploring. They make soft dough together and have lots of fun using their hands to combine the ingredients. The childminder encourages children to talk about what they can feel and smell. Children describe the mixture as squishy and sticky and say it smells like cranberries. They engage and concentrate with these activities for sustained periods of time. The childminder has a good understanding of children's starting points, abilities and interests. She gains this from her regular observations and assessments of children's learning, and discussions with parents. The childminder uses this information to identify next steps in learning for each child, which she incorporates into her planning and teaching.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are developing good independence as they try to do many things for themselves. They use safe knives at snack time to cut up fruit and spread butter on rice cakes. They move freely between the kitchen and playroom as they decide where and with what they want to play. Children develop close relationships with the childminder, they regularly offer her a cuddle and tell her she is their best friend. Children's behaviour is good and they play well together. Parents speak highly of the childminder. They state that she understands each child's individual needs and provides a fun, safe and educational setting. The childminder takes children to places, such as toddler groups, soft play areas, parks and museums. She believes these activities are good for helping children to develop their physical skills, to learn about the world and to socialise with other children.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are learning to use tools for a purpose as they cut out shapes with dough and use pencils for drawing. Children develop an interest in books and enjoy exploring a range of story sacks. They learn how stories are structured as they look at the cover and gain information from pictures. They also learn about number and counting as they find the correct number of fruit to correspond to pictures in the book. Children are making good progress and are quickly gaining the key skills required for their next stage of learning at nursery and at school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY284548 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1064572 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 9

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Name of registered person

Date of previous inspection 24 April 2013

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2004 and lives in Stevenage. She operates Monday to Friday, from 7am until 6pm, all year round, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder hold an early years qualification at level 3. The childminder, at times, employs assistants.

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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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