Smith, Gemma

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

The childminder provides children with a highly ambitious curriculum. Consequently, children are continually inspired and curious to learn. The childminder places a high priority on supporting children's confidence and independence. She encourages children to persevere when they face challenge, which helps them to become resilient. Children make excellent levels of progress in relation to their starting points and are very well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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The provision is outstanding

Children display high levels of engagement and concentration. For example, they quickly make connections between stories and imaginative play. Toddlers find a toy cone and carefully balance an orange on top, proudly explaining to the childminder that they have an ice cream, just like in the story about a hungry caterpillar. This shows younger children's developing imaginative skills, and their ability to link their play with familiar stories. The childminder has high expectations for children's behaviour. Gentle reminders and consistent boundaries help even the youngest children to confidently take turns and share resources.

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The provision is outstanding

Children settle quickly. They are exceedingly happy and confident in the childminder's care. The childminder provides endless opportunities for children to take part in conversations. They consistently hear new words through a wealth of stories, songs and discussions, which they practise and repeat in their play. Children anticipate events as they happen in their favourites book, telling the childminder which foods the hungry caterpillar in the story eats each day. All children, including the youngest, quickly develop excellent communication and language skills.

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need to do better?

n Friendships and emotional bonds between the childminder and the children are secure, exceedingly warm, caring and considerate. For example, at lunchtime, when toddlers want to sit between their friends, older children shuffle around to make space on the bench. Toddlers show excellent control of their emotions as they learn to share. For example, they listen to the childminder and wait patiently for their turn to choose what to watch on the tablet. Older children enthusiastically work together to build high towers of bricks. They laugh as they encourage each other to add more bricks as the tower becomes more and more unsteady, until it topples over. n Older children delight in sharing experiences with their younger peers. They all snuggle up together on the sofa, listening to the story being 'read' to them by their friend. Children confidently recall the story, varying the tone of their voice and adding dramatic pauses as they turn the page, clearly copying how the

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need to do better?

8 February 2024 childminder reads to them. This encourages and supports children to develop an early love of books. n The childminder ensures that children have plenty of opportunities to be outside in the fresh air. Regular trips to local parks and woods help to develop children's knowledge of the world and support their physical development. The childminder helps children to understand how to keep themselves safe. She encourages them to consider the possible hazards and risks around them. For example, children recall why they need wellington boots and waterproof clothes on to stay dry when playing in the rain and colder weather. n Partnerships with parents are extremely well developed and successful. This helps to contribute to the excellent levels of progress that children make. Parents receive continual updates, messages and photographs during the day to highlight children's achievements and progress. Daily verbal feedback and more-

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need to do better?

detailed conversations work exceptionally well to ensure high levels of continuity in children's learning. The childminder suggests activities and ideas to enable parents to further support their children at home. n The childminder is highly reflective of her practice. She constantly considers and evaluates her practice to identify ways to develop even further. The childminder accesses online forums and speaks with local authority advisers to help her to identify aspects of her practice and provision to raise the quality of even further. Consequently, she is always striving to raise outcomes for children and ensure that they leave her care with the key skills for their future. n The childminder develops and maintains excellent links with local schools, and other settings that children also attend. She makes regular contact with key persons to discuss children's current interests and identify consistent next steps

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need to do better?

in their learning. Ongoing assessments and tracking are shared to help children to make continuous progress in relation to their starting points.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY451464 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10308386 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 18 Date of previous inspection 7 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2012 and lives in Colchester, Essex. She offers care from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Thursday, all year round, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds a childcare qualification at level 3. The childminder provides funded early education for two-, 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 setting. n The childminder showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure that they are safe and suitable. n The childminder and the inspector discussed how the childminder organises their early years provision, including the aims and rationale for their early years foundation stage curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The childminder and inspector discussed how the curriculum has been implemented and the impact that this has on children's learning. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on

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Inspection activities

request. n The childminder shared parents' written views with the inspector.

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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

8 February 2024 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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