Childminder in Central Bedfordshire

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

The childminder provides an extremely welcoming environment for the children in her care. She knows the children very well, is highly responsive to their care and learning needs, and has high expectations for the children's behaviour. The childminder plans and delivers a broad range of exciting activities that builds on the children's development. She ensures children's learning is meticulously sequenced and successfully differentiates her teaching to support the learning needs of the different ages of children attending. This is very effective in supporting all children to thrive. For example, children pour water over toy dinosaurs to make dinosaur eggs, observing what happens when water turns to ice. Children then demonstrate great excitement as they use tools to break the ice and look on with fascination when the childminder adds warm water to help the ice to melt.

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The provision is outstanding

The childminder makes sand play exciting by hiding toy bears for the children to find. This arouses children's curiosity and they become deeply absorbed in their play. The childminder then skilfully incorporates many learning opportunities into the activity. She encourages children to count the pretend bears and sort them according to their size and colour. Children show high levels of concentration for their age and are praised for their achievements. This motivates the children to persist. The childminder enthusiastically encourages younger children to explore the texture of the sand and supports them to build a sandcastle. She skilfully introduces counting as younger children scoop sand into their bucket, including new vocabulary, such as 'tap, tap, tap', as they pat the upturned sand bucket.

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need to do better?

n The experienced childminder is professional and dedicated. She shows a genuine enthusiasm for her work and is determined to ensure that all children have the positive experience they deserve in the early years. She consistently reflects on her practice and accesses relevant training opportunities to enhance her expert knowledge and skills. For example, she has completed training about managing children's behaviour and safer sleeping for babies. n The childminder demonstrates an outstanding knowledge of child development and places a sharp focus on what children need to learn next. She is extremely skilled at showing children how to do things to broaden their knowledge, while frequently challenging them to think and solve problems for themselves. This is reflected very well in what the children know and can remember. Additionally, the childminder knows when to stand back and enable the children to explore

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need to do better?

and develop their own play and ideas. These opportunities are highly effectively in supporting the children to play cooperatively alongside their peers, to practise their developing communication skills and to share their thoughts and ideas. n The childminder places an extremely high priority on developing children's

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need to do better?

9 May 2024 language and communication skills. Her skilful back-and-forth conversations with the children help to form the foundations for their language development. The childminder frequently reads stories to the children, which they thoroughly enjoy. Children listen carefully, demonstrating high levels of concentration for their age. They eagerly answer the childminder's wide range of meaningful questions and confidently repeat familiar phrases. Additionally, the childminder introduces children to a breadth of songs and rhymes. For example, children enthusiastically sing and complete actions to 'The Wheels on the Bus' and 'Hop Little Bunny' rhymes. This successfully provides opportunities for the children to use and embed new words in a range of contexts. n Throughout their time in the childminder's care, children consistently demonstrate high levels of confidence and independence and learn to take

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need to do better?

responsibility for their actions. The childminder is a very positive role model and proactivity supports children to understand and manage their own feelings and behaviour. Children learn to share, take their turn and to play cooperatively with their peers. They behave very well. n The quality of the childminder's interactions and her well-planned activities inspire children to join in. For example, children observe how objects, such as a balloon, change when inflated. They confidently describe the balloon as getting 'bigger' and tell the childminder that it is a circle shape. Children squeal with delight as they watch the balloon deflate and fly around the room. n The childminder provides a breadth of experiences to broaden children's knowledge and understanding of the local community and the diversity of others. For example, children make new friends during visits to music and dance groups, visit the local church and enjoy trips on the train. Children make animal

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need to do better?

masks and sample Chinese food in celebration of the Chinese New Year and enjoy making clay Diya lamps during Diwali celebrations. Additionally, children make bunny shaped biscuits and chocolate Easter nests to celebrate Easter. n Partnerships with parents are particularly strong. The childminder gains in-depth information from parents about their child's early experiences and home routines. This is very effective in providing continuity in children's care and development. There is an excellent two-way flow of information. Additionally, the childminder shares tips and advice on subjects, such as potty training and the management of children's behaviour. Parents are extremely positive in their praise of the childminder and the significant progress their children make in her care.

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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 EY553304 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 10348273 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 10 Date of previous inspection 22 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2017 and lives in Marston Mortaine. She operates all year round, from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Thursday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate qualification at level 3 and provides funded early years 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 areas of her home that children access. 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 children's learning. n Children spoke to the inspector as they participated in the activities provided by the childminder. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request. n The inspector took account of the views of parents from written feedback provided at the inspection.

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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

9 May 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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