Childminder in Bedford

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

Children flourish in this extremely caring and nurturing environment created by the childminder. They become deeply absorbed in their play and sustain high levels of concentration. For example, children thoroughly enjoy water play and exploring different fruits and vegetables, such as butter beans, plums, lemons and garlic cloves. They show wonder and excitement when the plum turns the water purple and they learn which fruits floats and sink. Children eagerly practise their scissor skills as they cut lavender and mint from plants and competently describe their scent. They squeeze juice from a lemon, taste it on their tongue, pull a facial expression and say 'it's sour'. Children demonstrate very good hand-to-eye coordination skills as they carefully pour water from one container to another. They use tools, such as metal hand whisks, with great precision.

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The provision is outstanding

Children demonstrate that they feel very safe in the childminder's care. They build a wide range of knowledge and skills to support their future learning. They independently access a vast range of high-quality resources and activities. Children form close friendships with their peers. Their behaviour is exemplary. Children demonstrate excellent counting and number recognition skills. Some children enthusiastically count backwards from 10 and demonstrate their ability to add numbers together. Children enthusiastically listen to the childminder reading a photographic storybook that she has created to support their pending move to pre- school. These discussions help to minimise any potential anxieties and support children's emotional well-being very well.

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need to do better?

n The experienced childminder excels at putting the children at the centre of everything she does. She demonstrates a genuine enthusiasm for her work. She proactively undertakes a wide range of relevant training. For example, the childminder has completed 'understanding young minds' training. This has enhanced her understanding of the importance of supporting children's emotional well-being. Additionally, she completes her own research and has attended training to enable her to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities confidently. The childminder took very swift action to meet the actions raised at the previous inspection. n The childminder uses every opportunity to broaden children's knowledge and skills. She ensures children's individual needs are met and skilfully guides and supports their learning as they play and have fun. The childminder has an excellent understanding of her curriculum intentions and how children learn. She

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need to do better?

knows the children very well and becomes enthusiastically involved in their play. She completes regular assessments of the children's progress and uses this information to plan the next steps in their learning and development.

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need to do better?

11 July 2022 n Children speak with increasing confidence and fluency. They are skilfully introduced to a breadth of vocabulary as they play and during singing activities. Children enthusiastically sing rhymes, such as 'The Wheels on the Bus', and use their vocabulary to describe that the 'wipers go swish' and the 'horn goes beep'. Their enjoyment is enhanced by the extensive range of props provided by the childminder. For example, children sing 'Five Little Speckled Frogs' and eagerly move the plastic frogs from the fabric leaves into the blue laminated water made out of card. They also demonstrate their subtraction skills as they confidently tell the childminder how many ducks are left on the leaves. n The childminder provides a breadth of opportunities for children to expand their knowledge and skills during outdoor play, including providing forest school experiences. For example, children eagerly jump from one numbered wooden

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need to do better?

log to another. They balance as they walk along the wooden planks, looking very proud of their achievements. Children fill the wheelbarrow with a range of tools and enthusiastically pretend to chop down trees and repair the wooden house with the saw. They pretend to make cement from sand and are supported by the childminder to understand the changes that happen when cement dries. Children search for minibeasts and plant and nurture different fruits and vegetables. They are able to confidently recall the different stages of the growth of a cucumber. n The childminder understands the importance of swiftly identifying and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She develops effective partnerships with parents, completes her own research to extend her understanding of medical conditions and obtains a breath of information from other professionals. This is extremely successful in ensuring

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need to do better?

that early support is put in place to help all children achieve their full potential. Parents are extremely complimentary in their praise of the childminder. They state that the childminder keeps their children safe and protected, and that she genuinely cares for their children. One parent states that the childminder provides a 'rich amount of experiences for learning, playing and growth'.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The childminder places a high priority on the safety and well-being of the children in her care. She demonstrates a very good safeguarding knowledge and is able to confidently identify signs of possible abuse and neglect, including safeguarding issues such as extremism. The childminder regularly updates her child protection training and fully understands the importance of swiftly making a referral if she has concerns about a child in her care. The childminder supervises the children very well and remains vigilant at all times to ensure they stay safe. She ensures her home is safe and secure.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY441436 Local authority Bedford Inspection number 10226796 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 6 Number of children on roll 4 Date of previous inspection 31 January 2022

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2012 and lives in Kempston, Bedfordshire. She operates Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 5.30pm, during term time only. The childminder holds an appropriate qualification at level 3. She provides funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The childminder showed the inspector the areas of her home that children have access to. They discussed how the childminder organises her setting and plans the curriculum and experiences for children. n The inspector observed children taking part in activities with the childminder, and assessed the impact on their learning. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing at the childminder's house. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of household members. n The inspector took account of the views of parents from written feedback provided at the inspection.

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Inspection activities

11 July 2022 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

11 July 2022 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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