Childminder in Central Bedfordshire

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

The childminder provides a safe and welcoming environment. Children are happy and settled in her care. They develop warm relationships with the childminder and her assistants, demonstrating that they feel secure. Children gain appropriate levels of independence and self-care. With encouragement they find and learn how to put on their own coats. They wash their hands before snack and lunchtimes and use cutlery appropriately to eat their food. The childminder gathers information about where children are in their learning when they first start with her. However, she does not use this effectively to plan activities and experiences that focus on what children need to learn next. This means children do not fully develop the skills they need and are not making good progress in some areas of learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Children enjoy being physically active outdoors and develop confidence in their own abilities. For example, they negotiate their ride-on cars around the garden and learn to keep safe on the slides. Children take great pleasure in digging to find the carrots they have grown. They learn about nature and share their experiences of finding slugs, snails, and worms with the childminder.

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need to do better?

n The childminder knows the children in her care. She talks about how children can make choices in their play and can help themselves to resources. She provides activities that she thinks children will enjoy. However, these activities often lack purpose and challenge. At times, assistants are unclear of what they want children to learn. They miss opportunities to extend children's knowledge and understanding to help them develop the skills they need for their future learning. n Most children behave well and, generally, enjoy their time in the childminder's care. They are freely given cuddles and praise for their good behaviour. However, children are not as motivated and as focused on their learning as possible because the childminder's curriculum planning is not specific enough to each child's needs. Activities do not always engage children. They lose interest, display poor behaviour, and move away. For example, children become bored as

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need to do better?

they wait to take their turn during an activity to cut fruit. They run off and disrupt other children's play. n Children develop a love of books and stories. They sit together in a small group to listen to a story. Younger children are excited and delighted by the noises of a roaring lion. Individually children choose to sit and look at books. They concentrate on the pictures and retell the stories in their own words. This builds children's confidence and speech. n The childminder provides healthy home-cooked food and nutritious snacks. She finds out about individual dietary needs and follows younger children's sleep

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need to do better?

13 October 2021 routines. Children help to prepare the fruit for snack time. They use mathematical language as they count the pieces of fruit and learn new words, such as half and quarter, as they cut these. n Children's language is developed as they sing familiar songs and rhymes and complete the actions. They thoroughly enjoy singing and anticipating the next action as they play 'Sleeping Bunnies' with the childminder. They increase their knowledge of technology, as they press buttons on a keyboard and repeat the words and sounds that they hear. n The childminder supports children to develop their personal skills. Children show consideration towards each other as they play together, sharing and taking turns with the toys. They are learning to help and care for others as they pass plates of food to younger children during lunchtime. n The childminder has not completed the induction process with her new

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need to do better?

assistants. This means they do not fully understand the childminder's routines and have not identified further training needs to support them working with children. n Parents are happy with the care that their child receives. They comment they are kept well informed about their child's development and what they have done each day. Parents value the childminder's advice and appreciate the homely environment provided.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The childminder and her assistants understand their responsibilities to keep children safe. She completes regular safeguarding training and discusses safeguarding procedures with her assistants. They are aware of the signs and indicators of when a child may be at risk of harm, including those linked to wider safeguarding issues. The childminder has clear procedures to follow should she become concerned about a child's welfare or well-being. Her assistants are confident in how to report any concerns.

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Due date

ensure assessment information is used effectively to create a curriculum that includes well-sequenced activities that takes account of each child's interest and helps them to fully engage and sustain their concentration 30/11/2021

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Due date

13 October 2021 provide assistants with effective induction and supervision that supports them to undertake appropriate training and professional development opportunities 30/11/2021

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Due date

ensure assistants have the knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop their skills and interactions with children. 30/11/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY370766 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 10210165 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 12 Number of children on roll 25 Date of previous inspection 8 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2008 and lives in Houghton Regis. She operates all year round from 7am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays and bank holidays.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the childminder and has taken this into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The childminder showed the inspector the premises and discussed how she ensures it is safe and suitable. n The childminder and the inspector held a learning discussion together to understand how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector spoke to children at appropriate times during the inspection. n A range of documentation was reviewed, including suitability checks and paediatric first-aid qualifications. n The inspector held discussions with parents and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

13 October 2021 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

13 October 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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