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 Good

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The provision is good

Children demonstrate that they feel happy and well settled in the care of the childminder. As they arrive, they confidently leave their parents, ready to explore the well-resourced learning areas. The childminder knows the children very well and ensures that activities are planned with their interests and developmental stage in mind. When children show an interest in trains, the childminder provides resources to ignite their curiosity. Through meaningful interactions, she supports their understanding of cause and effect as they explore how to make the motorised train move. Children learn which buttons make the train move forward and which ones make it reverse, developing their understanding of directional language. Children remain motivated to learn, engage in activities for extended periods and have a positive attitude to new experiences.

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The provision is good

The childminder has high expectations for all children, and subsequently, they behave well. Children are kind to each other, talk about their ideas and share resources, demonstrating excellent social skills. The childminder creates a learning environment that promotes positive relationships. For example, children of differing ages work together to hide and then find bugs in the garden. They develop an understanding of turn-taking as they share resources, build on their language development as they give clues as to where each bug is hidden and practise their fine motor skills as they tick off each bug that is found on the bug card.

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need to do better?

n This experienced childminder is passionate about providing good-quality care and learning experiences. She has a secure understanding of how children learn and uses this knowledge to plan a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum. The childminder provides a broad variety of activities and experiences to develop children's skills across the seven areas of learning. However, at times, the intention of what she wants children to learn is too broad. This means that occasionally, she does not focus activities sharply enough on the specific knowledge that children need to learn. n The childminder carefully organises her provision to support children's independence and give them a sense of belonging. She ensures that all areas are clean, organised and risk assessed so that they can access resources safely. Children have their own pegs where they hang their belongings and can select resources of their choice from the low-level units. The childminder teaches

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need to do better?

children how to keep themselves and others safe. They discuss and recognise that smaller toys need to be kept away from young babies and resources need to be picked up to prevent accidents. n Children benefit from regular fresh air and exercise. They freely explore the childminder's garden and regularly visit different places in the local community.

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need to do better?

31 July 2024 Children have opportunities to choose new books from a lending library at the local church and build an understanding of the wider world as they explore parks and woodlands. They talk fondly about trips to the farm with the childminder and recall times spent there during discussions in their play. Children's learning is meaningful and they remember past experiences. n The childminder understands the importance of promoting physical development. She provides a wide range of activities to help children practise and develop new skills. Children's gross motor skills are enhanced as they access climbing structures in the garden. They develop their hand-to-eye coordination while playing games with wooden blocks and build on their fine motor skills as they draw and make marks with different media. The childminder encourages children to wash their hands before mealtimes, and they discuss healthy food

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need to do better?

choices at snack. As a result, children are developing a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. n The childminder actively supports children's mathematical development throughout the day. They are provided with regular opportunities to count, as well as explore and understand size, quantity and positional language. During adult-led activities, children immerse themselves in their play as they investigate the concept of weight. The childminder encourages children to predict what will happen when they place objects on the weighing scales. As a result of activities such as these, children develop a good understanding of early mathematical concepts. n Partnerships with parents are very good. The childminder works closely with parents before children start to establish a secure understanding of their care needs and development. Parents value the childminder's support, particularly commenting on how she has helped with transitions as children move between

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need to do better?

settings. They state that the childminder provides a range of rich learning experiences which contribute to the progress their children have made in their learning since being 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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should:

n focus more precisely on what children need to learn when planning and supporting activities to help raise the quality of education to an even higher level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY402247 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10355093 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 6 Date of previous inspection 16 November 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2009 and lives in Kimpton, in Hertfordshire. She operates Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from 7.30am to 5pm, all year round, apart from bank holidays and some family holidays. 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 childminder. 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 The childminder showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure they are safe and suitable. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder and children during activities. n The inspector and childminder completed a joint observation of an activity to assess the quality of teaching. n The inspector took account of the views of parents. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

31 July 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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