Mills Suzanne

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 August 2017 20 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 are very happy and demonstrate that they feel secure in the care of the childminder. They snuggle up to her as she reads them their favourite stories and confidently share their thoughts with visitors about the interesting activities they enjoy.  The childminder develops strong relationships with parents. There is an effective two- way flow of information to help children's care and learning. Parents comment that they are extremely happy with the service that the childminder provides.  Children learn about the world as they enjoy regular outings with the childminder. For example, they go on visits to wildlife centres, where they learn how to respect animals, and identify environmental sounds on listening walks in the local community.  The experienced childminder is committed to her role. She regularly completes training and shares good practice with a network of local childminders. Recent training has

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This provision is good

increased her knowledge of providing children with a wider range of creative activities.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The childminder has not explored ways to extend partnerships with other providers that children attend in order to fully support their continuity of learning.  On occasions, the childminder does not fully support children to develop the use of small tools, such as scissors.  The childminder does not always identify opportunities to provide children with clear messages about the importance of having 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

 strengthen the partnerships with other providers that children attend, enabling a shared approach to their learning  build on children's control and coordination of small tools to further develop the small muscles in their hands  enhance children's awareness of the importance of having a healthy diet.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint evaluation of an activity with the childminder.  The inspector held a number of discussions with the childminder. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of persons living in the household.  The inspector spoke to children and interacted in their play during the inspection.  The inspector took account of the views of parents through written feedback provided and reviewed 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 has a secure understanding of possible signs which could indicate that children are at risk of harm. She knows how to take swift action in order to protect children's welfare in the event of a child protection concern. The childminder takes children's safety very seriously. She conducts daily risk assessments and ensures that children remain within her sight at all times. Accurate self-evaluation ensures that strengths and areas for improvement are effectively identified and acted upon. The childminder carefully reviews children's progress to ensure that any gaps in learning are swiftly addressed.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The childminder responds well to children's individual interests as she incorporates them into her flexible planning. Children cheer and are excited to create colourful butterflies. They select their favourite coloured tissue paper, tear it into pieces and stick this onto the cardboard butterfly shape. The childminder consistently responds to children's inquisitive questions. Her effective use of questions challenges children's thinking skills. They use complex sentences to tell the childminder about previous experiences with their parents. Children experiment using magnifying glasses to look closely at toy bugs. They discover how they look larger as they move the magnifying glasses further away.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Good arrangements are in place to help children swiftly settle when they first attend. For instance, the childminder gathers a wealth of information from their parents to support this process. The childminder's effective use of positive behaviour strategies motivates children to share toys and build friendly relationships. For instance, they take turns to set the timer on the childminder's mobile phone so they know when it is time for their friends to play with a popular toy. The childminder's sensitive reminders help children remember to consistently use their good manners. Children develop strong physical skills. For instance, they develop good control of a ball in the childminder's garden and climb on large apparatus during daily visits to a local park.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress in relation to their starting points. They are able to write their own name and solve mathematical problems. For instance, they sort toy coins in to different sizes and work out that only the small coins will fit inside a toy car. Children independently manage their personal needs and persevere at learning new skills, such as fastening buttons. They gain the necessary skills needed to help prepare them for their future learning at school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY256481 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1059647 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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Name of registered person

Date of previous inspection 20 December 2012

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Telephone number

The childminder registered in 2003 and lives in Letchworth. She operates from 8.15am until 5.45pm Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder provides funded early education for three-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

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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