Childminder in West Northamptonshire

Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children happily come into the childminder's home and quickly choose what they would like to do, which demonstrates that they feel safe and secure. Children are learning to be self-assured. They proudly stand up in a small group and sing a song about a rainbow. Children smile with delight when they have finished singing as they hear lots of praise and rounds of applause. Children are learning to do things for themselves and make choices. During a craft activity, they select from sequins, flowers, lentils and pasta and place their chosen items on a small tray. They carefully carry their tray back to their seat and use their items to make a sensory bottle. Children are learning mathematical language. They help to count pegs and bricks and talk about 'bigger' and 'smaller' pieces of spaghetti with the childminder and her assistant.

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The provision is good

Children learn to behave well and take turns. They sit on small chairs to watch their friends as they act out a story. Children laugh and happily swap over for others to take their turn. Children listen to instructions and are learning to use good manners. For example, the childminder tells children which coloured place mat to sit in front of at the table and reminds them to say 'thank you' as they give out drinks at mealtimes.

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need to do better?

n The childminder supports the children to extend their speech and language skills. Children sing together and have many back-and-forth conversations during play. For example, the childminder asks children what they have been doing at home. Conversations then take place as children talk about their activities and begin to use their imagination. They talk about previous visits to the park and describe the different types of slides they would like to try. Children who speak English as an additional language make good progress. The childminder uses gestures, pauses, and allows extra time for children to understand and say their first words in English. n The childminder encourages children's love of books. She helps them to act out a familiar story about little pigs. Children repeat phrases from the story and recall what happens next. The children giggle as a child pretends to be a wolf. They hide under tables which they pretend are houses. As they tell the story,

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need to do better?

children shout, 'It's made of bricks!' The enthusiastic childminder shakes the pretend house to check if it will fall. n The childminder supports younger children to practise their small-muscle skills in readiness for learning to write. She helps them to use their hands to carefully thread pasta tubes onto long pieces of spaghetti. Children pick up small pegs and place them in holes to make a pattern. However, on occasions, older children are not supported to make marks. For example, children use name

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need to do better?

1 March 2023 stickers, already written by an adult, to label their art and craft work. The children are not encouraged to have a go and make marks to label their work and identify it as their own. n The childminder supports children to eat healthy food and do things for themselves. She talks about healthy fruit, as children enjoy a snack of cheese and crackers, grapes and bananas. The childminder and her assistant support the children to spread butter on their crackers. However, the childminder and her assistant do not always support children to learn healthy hygiene practices. For example, they do not always ensure that children wash their hands before eating. n The childminder reflects on her practice and attends training to improve even further. She has regular meetings with her assistants to discuss children's development and what to teach them next. The childminder's assistant says that she feels well supported. For example, the childminder provides reminders on

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need to do better?

the areas of teaching to focus on when playing with the children. n Parents state that they feel happy with the progress their children are making. The childminder provides information to support parents with children's learning at home, such as potty training. She informs parents about their children's learning, using online messages, written reports and daily verbal feedback. The childminder seeks parents' feedback verbally, online and via written questionnaires.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The childminder provides a safe and clean environment for children to play in. She carries out safety checks to identify and reduce potential hazards to children. The childminder ensures that parents receive information about any minor incidents their children have. She and her assistant attend training courses to update their safeguarding knowledge. They know the action to take if they have a concern about a child's welfare, including if they are worried that a child is being exposed to radical or extreme views. The childminder and her assistant know how to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse. They know where to report concerns about children's welfare and safety or about someone they are working with.

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should:

n strengthen the consistency of hand hygiene practices to support children's understanding of the links between good hygiene and good health n extend opportunities for mark making to more precisely support all children to develop their early writing skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY483489 Local authority West Northamptonshire Inspection number 10264959 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 10 Date of previous inspection 30 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2015 and lives in Kingsthorpe, Northampton. She operates all year round from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. She regularly works with another registered childminder and an assistant.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the childminder received since the COVID- 19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the childminder and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The childminder joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about her curriculum and what she wants the children to learn. n The inspector spoke with the childminder about the leadership and management of her provision. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder, her assistant and the children. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation.

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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

1 March 2023 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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