Reid, Caroline

Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children happily and confidently enter the childminder's home, demonstrating their sense of belonging. They leave their carers with ease and settle quickly. Children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted well. Their individual learning styles are recognised, and the childminder and her assistant adapt their setting to accommodate these. Children demonstrate a strong enjoyment of books and stories and they listen intently when the assistant reads to them. Children learn new words, such as 'lava' and 'volcano', and they talk about what these words mean in the context of the stories. This helps to extend their communication and language development. Children are independent. They make choices about their play, putting away resources to make space for their chosen activities.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. They learn about appropriate ways to behave as the childminder and her assistant provide consistent boundaries. Children demonstrate their understanding of expected behaviours. For example, during activities, they remind other children of the need to share the toys. Children follow appropriate routines to support their good health, such as regular handwashing. Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the childminder has reorganised her setting to ensure that children can use her downstairs bathroom, which is outside. This has had a positive impact on children's health and independence.

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need to do better?

n All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, are making good progress in their learning given their starting points and capabilities. They are gaining the necessary skills to be ready for school or the next stage of their learning. n Children are learning to share, take turns and play cooperatively alongside their friends. They are praised for their efforts and achievements, which successfully helps to promote their self-esteem. n The childminder supports children to be active. She encourages them to choose between indoor and outdoor spaces. This helps to provide good opportunities for children to have fresh air and exercise on a daily basis. Additionally, the childminder organises regular outdoor activities, such as visits to the park. n Children's speech and language development is promoted well, and their understanding of more complex words is good. For example, during a story

p.2

need to do better?

about 'bones', children learn about their skeleton. During a printing activity, children reflect on the shape of the leaf being like a skeleton. This demonstrates how well children listen and understand what they are being taught. n The childminder supports opportunities for her assistants to continue their professional development. She holds regular supervision discussions, which help

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need to do better?

28 July 2021 assistants to identify their own strengths and areas for improvement. The childminder encourages her assistants to use training opportunities to enhance their own learning. The childminder's full-time assistant speaks warmly of the childminder's support and she displays consistency in her approach to promoting children's learning. n The childminder and her assistant use observations and assessments effectively. They identify children's next steps in learning and use these to inform their early years curriculum. Activities and experiences are planned to incorporate what children like and are interested in, as well as their next steps. n Children have good opportunities to develop their understanding of mathematics. They enjoy games, such as hide and seek, which support children as they learn to count, and have adult support if they need it. n Partnerships with parents are strong and parents speak highly of the childminder

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need to do better?

and her assistants. Daily communication books are provided for younger children and the childminder and parents use these to share information. However, parents are not consistently given information about what their children are learning at the childminder's setting. This means parents are not fully supported to extend or enhance their children's learning at home. n Children enjoy activities which help them to develop their creative skills, such as painting. They also enjoy the games they play together. However, on occasions, the childminder does not use the spontaneous opportunities that arise, to extend children's already good knowledge.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The childminder and her assistant have a good knowledge and understanding of keeping children safe. They attend regular training and undertake additional reading to enhance their understanding of how to protect children from harm. This helps them to appropriately identify and respond to concerns and indications that children may be at risk. The childminder has a safeguarding policy, which she shares with her assistants. Both the childminder and her assistant demonstrate a good understanding of how to report concerns. The childminder has improved her recruitment and induction procedures to ensure that assistants working with children are suitable to do so and are known to Ofsted. This helps to promote children's safety.

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should:

n help parents to extend their children's learning at home n make more effective use of spontaneous opportunities to extend children's natural curiosity and knowledge.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY398928 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10134028 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder

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inspection

Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 36 Date of previous inspection 9 December 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2009 and lives in Berkhamsted. She operates all year round from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder has a childcare qualification at level 3. She employs four assistants, one of whom works full time with her. The childminder provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. She provides care for children who speak English as an additional language.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the childminder received since the COVID- 19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the childminder and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the childminder. n The childminder and the inspector held a learning discussion together. This enabled the childminder to demonstrate how her curriculum is organised. n Children spoke with the inspector throughout the inspection. The inspector observed children playing indoors and outdoors. n The inspector observed the childminder interacting with children during a craft activity and reviewed this with the childminder. n The childminder's assistant spoke with the inspector at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n Parents gave feedback to the inspector, in person and on the telephone, about the experiences their children have had with the childminder. n The inspector reviewed a sample of the childminder's documentation, including

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Inspection activities

evidence of the suitability of assistants and household members.

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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

28 July 2021 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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