Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 January 2017 2 August 2016

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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

 Since the last inspection, the childminder has made considerable improvements to her practice. She ensures that all suitability checks are carried out for all adults connected to her setting. She precisely records the days and hours that children are in attendance.  The childminder and her assistant continually review risks in the environment and on outings, reflecting on the needs of each child. They implement a mobile phone and camera policy in their day-to-day practice. For example, they ask visitors to abide by the policy of leaving phones in a basket in the hallway.  The well-qualified childminder is skilled in planning activities that meet the needs of each child. While playing with a large tray of coloured rice, younger children enjoying filling and emptying containers. Older children work out how to use funnels to fill bottles with narrow necks and talk about full and empty bottles.  The childminder successfully adapts the way she talks to children, relevant to their age

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This provision is good

and stage of development. She uses clear descriptive words to help younger children and those who speak English as an additional language to develop their communication skills. She engages in more complex conversations with older children.  The childminder helps children to develop their social skills with other children of their own age. She regularly takes them to toddler groups as she feels this prepares children well for the move to nursery and school. Children make good progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The childminder's monitoring of her assistant's practice is not yet highly focused on enabling her to develop her teaching skills to the highest possible level.  The childminder does not always gain precise development information from parents to help her to swiftly identify children's starting points in all areas of 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

 provide further opportunities for the assistant to improve her knowledge and understanding of how to teach and support children, to help them to reach even higher attainment levels  gather more precise information from parents when children first start, so that children's prior achievements in all aspects of learning can be included in their starting point assessments.

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Inspection activities

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

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The childminder and her assistant are confident about following appropriate child protection procedures, which helps to safeguard children's welfare. The childminder regularly undertakes training to help her keep up to date with new initiatives and develop her teaching skills. For example, she recently completed a level 3 qualification, which has had a positive impact on her practice. The childminder and her assistant regularly reflect on and evaluate their provision. They have recently changed the seating arrangements for mealtimes. This has had a positive impact on children's social skills and language development. The childminder reflects on the activities she provides and the rate of children's progress. She ensures any emerging gaps in learning are quickly identified and plans strategies to address them.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The childminder takes note of what children are currently interested in. For example, she provides a range of toy vehicles and animals for children to explore. The childminder introduces mathematical concepts as children play. As children push toy trains around tracks she talks to them about the train going forwards, backwards and over bridges. The childminder and her assistant give children many opportunities to work things out for themselves. As children play with a ball tower toy, they ask for larger balls. They are given these with an explanation that they are too big for the toy. Children have a go and work out for themselves that they do not work, so they swiftly return them to the box. The childminder is aware of children's next steps in learning and ensures that the activities they experience are suitably challenging. She is proactive in contacting other settings that children attend. This helps to promote continuity in children's learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are happy and settled in the childminder's home. Their individual needs are met well, such as sleeping when they need to. Considering their ages, children play cooperatively and use words to express their feelings, such as when they feel other children are interrupting their play. Parents comment on how caring the childminder and her assistant are and how much their children enjoy attending. The childminder helps children to develop healthy lifestyles. They have regular access to the outdoors, such as playing in the garden or visiting local parks. The childminder provides healthy food that meets children's individual needs and water is freely available. At snack time when children talk about eating sweets, the childminder engages in conversation with them. They discuss more healthy choices, in order to protect children's teeth and general health.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children show their developing understanding of the world as they talk about where different animals live, such as polar bears live on ice. They engage well in activities, using their imagination to develop their own play. Children are developing a good understanding of mathematical concepts, such as talking about more and less as they fill bottles with coloured rice. Children are making good progress and gaining the keys skills required for their next stage of learning at nursery and school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY477494 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1067674 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 10 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 8

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Name of registered person

Date of previous inspection 2 August 2016

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2014 and lives in Stevenage. She operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate qualification at level 3 and she employs an assistant. The childminder supports children who speak English as an additional language. She provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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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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