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 safe in the care of the childminder and her assistant. They have a strong sense of belonging in the home and move around with purpose. Children especially enjoy being outdoors, where there is an abundance of space and learning opportunities. They are keen to explore sand, which they use to fill up containers and make marks in with their hands. Children show care and consideration to each other. They play together very well and their behaviour is excellent. Children have lots of opportunities to do things for themselves. They persevere with tasks such as making sandcastles and dressing dolls. Children are proud of their achievements.

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The provision is good

The childminder builds her curriculum around children's learning needs, with play and exploration at the centre. She and her assistant know how to adapt their teaching to meet the various ages and stages of the children in their care. The childminder engages children in rich conversations to build further on their learning. She asks them open-ended questions that stimulate thinking and helps them to learn to problem-solve. This supports all children to build on what they know and can do and ensures they make good progress in their learning and development.

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need to do better?

n The childminder and her assistant promote children's speech and language skills well. They understand the importance of involving children in meaningful and frequent conversations. Children benefit from plenty of opportunities to join in with songs, rhymes and stories. The childminder introduces new words to children as they play. Children quickly grasp the meaning of words and use them themselves in correct contexts. Children are making very good progress with their speaking and listening skills. n Children are very keen to learn and show their developing knowledge and skills as they play. For example, as children build towers with stacking blocks, they compare these to their height. Children understand the concept of shorter and taller. This leads the childminder's assistant to introduce subtraction as they count how many blocks they have after taking one away. n The childminder develops positive partnerships with parents. Through their

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need to do better?

written comments, parents praise the quality of care and learning the childminder delivers. They report that their children make good progress in all aspects of learning and always look forward to attending. n Children are learning how to develop healthy lifestyles. The childminder provides healthy and nutritious snacks and meals which children enjoy eating in the garden, benefiting from fresh air. She ensures that all children develop good hand hygiene routines. For instance, the childminder encourages them to wash

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need to do better?

28 August 2024 their hands independently before eating and after using the bathroom. n The childminder spends time with parents to help her to get to know children well. She is aware that some children speak English as an additional language and finds ways to support them to learn English. However, the childminder has not fully considered how to provide children with consistent opportunities to help them gain a deeper understanding of their differences and what they have in common with each other. n The childminder and her assistants work well together. They discuss practice, as a team, which helps them to reflect on and evaluate the setting. The childminder uses research and reading to help her to keep up to date with changes within the early years sector. She passes relevant information on to her assistants. Assistants undertake some training, such as covering first aid and safeguarding, which helps them to develop their knowledge and skills. However, the

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need to do better?

childminder has not yet considered how she can more thoroughly support the ongoing professional development of assistants, such as through carrying out supervision meetings. n The childminder and her assistant understand their role and responsibility in keeping children safe. They provide a stimulating, safe environment for children to play in. The adults deploy themselves well to make sure children are adequately supervised and supported to learn well.

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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 strengthen opportunities for children to learn more about other cultures and languages that are different to their own, to help them further understand the wider world they live in n develop supervision arrangements for assistants to further support them to continually improve their teaching, knowledge and skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY411376 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10355329 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 11 Date of previous inspection 26 November 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2010 and lives in Hitchin. She operates all year round from 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder works with three assistants on a part-time basis. 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 her evaluation of the childminder. n The inspector and childminder looked around the premises and discussed how the childminder plans her curriculum and operates her practice. n The inspector observed the childminder and one of her assistants joining in activities with children and discussed the learning that was taking place with them. n A sample of policies and procedures was looked at by the inspector, which included documents relating to the suitability of household members and assistants, safeguarding and complaints. n The inspector took into account the written views of parents and discussed the childminder's reflections of her practice with her.

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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

28 August 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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