Childminder in Hertfordshire

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are confident and build positive relationships with the childminder and her co-childminder. They form good friendships with their peers as they play happily together. Children are mindful of each other as they make sure their friends are safe and hold hands when walking in the village. They are confident communicators, which supports their social and emotional development.

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The provision is good

Children are well behaved. They respond positively to the childminder, who acts as a good role model for children. Children learn the importance of polite manners, such as saying please and thank you, and use these unprompted in their interactions with each other.

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The provision is good

The childminder knows the children well and knows what they need to learn next to build on their learning and development. Children enjoy accessing a wide range of resources and activities which reflect their needs. Children make choices about what they want to play with. They care for baby dolls, changing their clothes and putting them to bed with a blanket. Children copy the words the childminder uses, such as 'night night' which supports their communication skills and language development.

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need to do better?

n The childminder supports children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) well. The childminder works closely with families to find out key words in the children's home languages and uses signing to support their communication. She uses dual-language books with the children. This has supported children who speak EAL to make good progress in their learning. Parents comment that this support has 'really helped them to raise a bilingual child'. n The childminder supports children well with their identified next steps. For example, children practise their counting and learn to recognise written numbers as they play with wooden numerals. This helps children to gain a secure understanding of the meaning of numbers. However, the childminder does not always take opportunities to extend more advanced children to develop their learning further. n Children have lots of opportunities to play outside and develop their physical

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need to do better?

skills. They eagerly explore a bug house that they discover on a walk and learn about where the bugs live. They enjoy finding new materials to add to the bug house and find wildflowers, identifying the colours they can see. Children build on their strength as they balance with one leg on logs they discover on the walk. n Children develop a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. The childminder prepares healthy home-cooked food for the children, with plenty of fresh vegetables. Children chat over lunch about which vegetables they can see. They

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need to do better?

22 May 2023 understand that a healthy diet can make them 'big and strong'. The childminder promotes good handwashing routines. n The childminder uses her experience as a qualified swimming instructor and takes the children swimming regularly. Children are supported to learn the basics of keeping themselves safe in the water. Parents comment that it has had a positive impact on their children's confidence in the water, which they observed on holiday. n Children develop skills to prepare them for school. They take their coats and shoes off and are beginning to learn self-care skills. They role play dressing-up in school uniform. The childminder prepares transition reports and shares these with parents. Attempts have been made to work with other settings, however, these relationships have yet to be fully established to allow a two-way flow of communication to support children's transitions. n The childminder ensures that she keeps her knowledge up to date with regular

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need to do better?

online webinars and attends focused training to meet the needs of the children. For example, she recently completed training on autism to develop her skills further to support the needs of the children in the setting. The childminder works closely with her co-childminder to identify targets to improve their practice and they hold regular discussions together about their key children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The childminder has a clear understanding of how to keep children safe. She ensures that her knowledge is kept up to date with regular training. The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of the signs and indicators of potential abuse and neglect. She is clear about how to report a concern about the welfare of a child and is alert to issues such as female genital mutilation. The childminder manages risks to children's health and safety well. For example, she ensures that children hold her hands when out for walks in the community and supports children to learn how to cross the road safely.

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should:

n make use of opportunities to extend all children's learning and development to help them make even more progress n strengthen partnerships with other settings that children transition on to, to share information about their learning and development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2643719 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10260070 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Childminder

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inspection

Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2021 and lives in Hemel Hempstead. She works with a co-childminder and looks after children based at the co-childminder's property. She operates from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, all year round, with the exception of personal holidays. The childminder provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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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 childminder. n The childminder joined the inspector on a learning walk. She talked to the inspector about the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, both indoors and outdoors. She discussed children's progress with the childminder. n The childminder and inspector carried out a joint observation. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation. This included evidence of the childminders suitability, training record and safeguarding documents. n The inspector took account of written feedback provided by parents.

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Inspection activities

22 May 2023 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

22 May 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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