Lucas, Samantha

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children feel safe in the childminder's care. The childminder develops very strong and effective partnerships with parents that are supportive in meeting children's care and learning needs consistently. This collective approach means children settle with ease, develop a secure attachment with the childminder and engage well in their learning. Children seek the childminder out for frequent cuddles, support and reassurances in what they do.

p.2

The provision is good

The childminder ensures the children's learning needs and interests are at the heart of her curriculum. Her focus is to make sure children are happy and emotionally ready to learn. The childminder is knowledgeable about what the children already know and what they need to learn next, helping her to plan and provide relevant and challenging activities that children enjoy.

p.2

The provision is good

From a young age, children learn about the childminder's expectations to behave well, share and respect each other's needs and belongings. The childminder provides children with consistent messages, giving them simple explanations about why they cannot have a toy that another child has, for example. This enables children very successfully to take on board what the childminder tells them, adapt their behaviour, manage their emotions, and recover quickly to find something else that interests them.

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need to do better?

n The childminder is well organised. She has clear written policies that she shares with parents, outlining her procedures to keep children safe, healthy and happy. She supervises children well at all times, so she knows where they are, what they are doing and that they are not at unnecessary risk. n The childminder works very closely with parents to ensure children settle at their own pace and in their own way when they first start with her. The strong working partnerships mean that parents are confident in her abilities, and children find their feet quickly under the childminder's loving and attentive care. n The childminder provides a range of interesting and varied activities that focus well on the different ages and needs of the children. For example, she has taken older children to group activities that have taught them about marine conservation, helping them to understand the impact of plastics on sea creatures

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need to do better?

and what they can do to help. Younger children enjoy regular trips to local parks with the childminder that provide differing challenges, enabling them to test their abilities and learn about taking risks safely, for example, when climbing. n Younger children receive good support from the childminder to develop their vocabulary. The childminder labels the items they play with and gives them words to their actions. Younger children are beginning to use one- and two-word

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need to do better?

17 September 2019 sentences to communicate their needs and ideas. For example, an older toddler tells the childminder 'nappy off', when getting her 'baby' ready for bed. n Younger children enjoy books. They enjoy the closeness with the childminder when she reads to them and snuggle in for cuddles. The childminder skilfully uses different tones to represent the different characters. Children know how to turn the pages, press the button to make pig noises, and feel the different textures in the book, for example. n The childminder follows sensitive and individual care routines. For example, she helps an older baby to settle for a nap and provides a comfortable and relaxing space with 'white noise' to reduce any noise from the other children playing. n Although the childminder asks questions, such as 'what have you found?', she does not always extend this further or provide more detailed explanation, to

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need to do better?

develop children's curiosity and deeper level of learning. n Children have benefited from the childminder's training about sensory play. She has provided a range of resources, such as jelly, beans and cereals, which have encouraged younger children's participation and involvement in messy and exploratory activities. However, the childminder does not identify or target her training needs as well as she could, to help her raise the quality of her teaching and children's attainment even further. n The childminder is keen to improve and monitors her practices well overall to make changes that benefit children. However, she does not have a clear picture of how she can enhance the curriculum and her teaching even further, to enable her to develop targeted plans to focus on.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The childminder is very clear about safeguarding matters and her responsibility to keep children safe and protect them from harm. She provides a safe environment for children to play and explore indoors and outside. The childminder has a robust knowledge of the procedures she must follow should she have a concern about a child's well-being. She is clear about wider safeguarding issues and her role in recognising potential signs and reporting them promptly.

p.3

should:

n make better use of questioning and explanation to extend children's play even further and develop their curiosity and deeper level of learning n focus training and self-evaluation more effectively on what will have the biggest impact on teaching and the children's needs, to raise the quality and children's attainment even further.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY546650 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10108908 Type of provision Childminder

p.4

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder Age range of children 0 to 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 12 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.4

Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2017 and lives on the outskirts of Yeovil in Somerset. She provides care Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 5.30pm throughout the year.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke with the childminder at convenient times throughout the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation of an activity with the childminder and talked about the quality of teaching and children's learning. n The inspector observed the childminder's interaction with the children, and the children's engagement with her and in their play. n The inspector sampled some of the childminder's paperwork and documentation.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

17 September 2019 regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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