Childminder in Hertfordshire

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children demonstrate that they feel happy in the care of the childminder and her co-childminder. They warmly welcome visitors with smiles and waves. The childminder makes sure children who need reassurance are supported well. The childminders provide many resources that children can access feely. Children know what toys they want to use and where to find them. They play alongside each other and share toys. Children's behaviour is good.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from daily opportunities to be outside. They enjoy riding around the garden in cars and pretending to make meals in the playhouse. The childminder provides outdoor opportunities for mark making. She is aware of how it benefits young children's muscle development when they use big arm movements. With this in mind, the childminder provides a large board and chalks. Children enjoy making marks and talk about the colours they are using.

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The provision is good

The childminder helps children to develop good independence skills. For example, they find their name cards and display these on an attendance board each day. Children enjoy helping with daily tasks, such as chopping up fruit for snack and serving it to the other children.

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need to do better?

n The childminder takes time to reflect on her practice and to identify areas to improve. She and her co-childminder review their practice each week. They reflect on children's needs and development and identify what they need to learn next. This effectively promotes children's ongoing progress. n The childminder is proactive in identifying her ongoing professional development. She talks about training she has undertaken relating to teaching boys. The childminder states this has had a positive impact on her practice, as a high percentage of children attending are boys. n Children are learning how to recognise numbers in the environment. One way the childminder helps them with this aspect of learning is by adding numbers to storage boxes. Both the childminders tell children what number box toys go in as they tidy up. This encourages children to begin to recognise numbers that are clearly sequenced. n Children are developing good language skills. Babies and young children make

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need to do better?

their needs known through gestures and sounds. Other children are learning how to engage in conversations with each other and the childminders. n The childminder shows a good awareness of children's needs and changes her daily procedures to meet these. For example, she makes lunch earlier for children who are getting tired. This has a positive impact on children as they feel content and settle to sleep quickly.

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need to do better?

16 December 2019 n Children are keen to look at books and to share stories with the childminder. However, the books available for children to use independently are limited. For example, most of them are board books aimed at younger children, and many are in a poor state of repair. Consequently, children do not always learn to handle books correctly and use them for pleasure. n The childminder provides children with toys and resources to help them to learn basic skills in technology. For example, children readily press buttons and watch what happens. However, the childminder does not provide children with opportunities to use more advanced technological equipment or to find out how to gain information from computers. Consequently, there are some gaps in the childminder's assessments of children's development in understanding the world.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The childminder has a good understanding of how to recognise and respond to any signs that children may be at risk of harm. She is aware of how to pass on concerns to the relevant agencies in her local area. The childminder undertakes regular training to help her to keep her knowledge relevant and up to date. She implements her secure policies and procedures into her practice to help her to keep children safe.

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should:

n provide a wider range of suitable books for children to learn how to use and enjoy independently n increase the opportunities available to the older children in using technological equipment and computers.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY319492 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10127149 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder Age range of children 0 to 11 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 22 Date of previous inspection 21 April 2015

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2005 and lives in Bushey. She operates all year round, Monday to Thursday from 7.30am to 6.30pm, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder works alongside her husband, who is also a registered childminder. She holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector looked at the areas of the childminder's home that she and her co-childminder use with children and discussed how they operate their practice. n The inspector observed the childminder joining in activities with children and discussed the learning that was taking place with her. n A sample of policies and procedures was looked at by the inspector that included documents relating to safeguarding and complaints procedures. n The inspector discussed the needs of individual children with the childminder and talked with her about the progress they are making.

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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

16 December 2019 16 December 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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