Mitchell, Ruth

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 have good bonds with the childminder and demonstrate they feel safe and secure. When they need help, they know the nurturing childminder is on hand to support. Children have positive attitudes to learning and remember new knowledge, such as how to use a telescope. They work together to problem solve and show good perseverance when finding a lost toy.

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The provision is good

Children are given many choices throughout their day. They thrive on making decisions on what they would like to play with or activities they would like to participate in. Some children are keen to record in their own notebooks what they have chosen to play with, so they can share it with their parents at home.

p.2

The provision is good

Children excitedly talk about experiences they have had both with the childminder and with their families. They take 'Timmy the Tiger' on adventures and happily share different experiences they have had, such as trips to the beach and visits to London landmarks.

p.2

The provision is good

Children benefit from a range of learning opportunities. The environment is set up extremely well to enhance children's interests and next steps in learning. This contributes to children being confident to play independently. For example, children successfully use recipe cards when making 'dinosaur food'. They are eager to look at the number of scoops of each ingredient and follow it well.

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need to do better?

n The childminder is passionate about her professional development and completes a number of training courses to enhance her provision. For instance, she completed a course to find out more about the different ways children like to learn. She has identified how best to support individual children and also shared this knowledge with parents. This has had a positive impact on children's concentration skills. n The childminder provides children with engaging activities that support all areas of their learning and development. However, during creative activities, she limits opportunities for children to practise their fine motor skills, such as using scissors, and to freely express their own creative ideas to further develop their artistic skills. n Children behave well and show mutual respect. They follow the rules and boundaries the childminder has in place and need little reminding of these. If children do get into conflicts, the childminder uses effective strategies to

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need to do better?

deescalate. However, she does not consistently support children to understand theirs and others' emotions. At times this could prevent children from being able to navigate themselves through social conflicts.

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need to do better?

25 July 2022 n The childminder has a good understanding of child development and uses this to plan purposeful activities for different aged children. She is swift to identify gaps in children's knowledge and works effectively with parents and outside agencies to gain intervention. Parents share positive feedback about the childminder and comment that she engages their children well. They feel she has gone above and beyond to help their children settle into her provision. n Children are eager to take part in activities led by themselves and those that are led by the childminder. Older children are supported to develop their early literacy skills as they practice writing their names on their artwork. They are proud of their achievements. n The knowledgeable childminder supports children's communication and language development extremely well. She role models her own language clearly and enhances children's vocabulary with ease, as she narrates their play. The

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need to do better?

childminder maximises all opportunities for children to develop their understanding of the sounds letters make and of healthy eating. For example, during snack, children are encouraged to sound out the initial sounds of their fruit and talk about what's healthy. n The childminder supports mathematical development well. For example, children show high levels of engagement and concentration as they use scales and different sized spoons to weigh materials. The childminder uses language such as heavy and light. She encourages children to problem solve by considering what might happen if they add more or take some away. n Children develop good independence skills. They happily engage in hygiene practices such as washing hands before mealtimes. The childminder encourages a range of activities to support children's physical development. For instance, children cut their fruit using cutlery at snack time and take part in regular music

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need to do better?

and movement sessions. They also use equipment in the local parks, where they develop good core strength and learn to move in different ways.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The childminder has created a culture within her provision to safeguard children. She has good communication with parents to help ensure children's safety, even when they are not attending her provision. She understands potential signs that a child could be exposed to a risk of harm, including wider aspects of safeguarding, such as the 'Prevent' duty. The childminder knows the procedures she must follow should she have a safety or welfare concern about a child. She has robust risk assessments in place to ensure her premises are secure and that uninvited visitors can not access them.

p.3

should:

25 July 2022 n enrich the curriculum for expressive arts and design to enable children to have more opportunities to practise a range of fine motor skills and develop their individual artistic ideas to express their own thoughts n enhance the strategies used to support children's awareness of how to regulate their emotions and recognise those of others, to enable them to navigate their way through social conflicts.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY362393 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10136510 Type of provision Childminder

p.5

Registers

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

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 3 Date of previous inspection 4 November 2015

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder was registered in 2007. She lives in Andover, Hampshire. The childminder has a relevant childcare qualification at level 3. She works weekdays from 8am to 5.30pm, all year round except for bank holidays. She receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

p.5

Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector and childminder carried out a 'learning walk' across all areas of her provision to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum is organised. n The inspector held discussions with children and the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector looked at a sample of documentation. This included parent feedback, safeguarding policies and procedures and qualifications. n A leadership meeting was held with the inspector and childminder.

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Inspection activities

25 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

25 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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