Childminder in Cambridgeshire

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 are happy and content. The childminder provides a warm and welcoming home where children feel at ease and settle quickly. Children build strong bonds with the childminder, who knows them well. She ensures that there are plenty of toys available that she knows they will enjoy, and she plans activities that are based on children's interests. Children enjoy their time with the childminder and her playful interactions. For instance, the childminder engages in pretend play with the children. She chats on the toy phone and makes requests from their role-play café. Children giggle and respond. This helps to enhance children's play experiences.

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The provision is good

Children behave very well. The childminder is a positive role model, and children respond well to her high expectations. For instance, they understand that they must be calm and gentle as they stroke the childminder's dog. Children listen and are supported to follow simple instructions to tidy away toys when they finish playing with them. Children are polite, and they say 'please' and 'thank you'. The childminder praises children for their good manners and for being helpful.

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The provision is good

The childminder encourages children's curiosity through effective planning of new experiences and opportunities. For example, she promotes children's interest in a wide range of animals by taking them on a visit to a crocodile park. Children benefit from first-hand experiences as they learn about the life cycle of the butterfly and visit local nature reserves to look for different types of butterflies.

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need to do better?

n The childminder provides a broad curriculum that ensures that children make good progress. She knows the children and their abilities well and plans activities that are based on their interests. Children engage in a good balance of both adult-led and child-led activities. At times, the learning intentions are not challenging enough to fully extend children's progress. n The childminder supports children's communication and language development well. She comments on their play and introduces new words such as 'push', 'join' and 'twist'. She repeats sentences back to children to ensure that they hear words pronounced correctly. The childminder asks questions and engages in back-and-forth discussions with children. n Children enjoy listening to a broad selection of well-read books. The childminder makes story time fun. She uses props to promote children's engagement in the stories. She asks questions and challenges children to match items from the

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need to do better?

story sacks to those in the books. Children begin to act out events from familiar stories as they play. They learn to handle books with care and turn the pages independently.

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need to do better?

23 September 2024 n The childminder provides children with a wide variety of experiences. Children regularly attend local playgroups. The childminder and children go on trips with other local childminders and their minded children. This provides children with opportunities to socialise with other children and adults and helps them to develop confidence in new environments. n The childminder organises the learning environment, so children can develop their physical skills through play and exploration. This includes regular opportunities to visit the local park and open spaces. This allows children to develop their larger muscles as they access large apparatus, such as swings and slides. The childminder encourages children to run in the open spaces and develop their throwing and catching skills. n Parent partnerships are effective. The childminder provides parents with daily summaries to keep them informed about their children's progress and the

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need to do better?

activities that they access. Parents describe the childminder as 'warm', 'caring' and 'professional'. They comment on her 'home-from-home' environment' and how much their children enjoy their time with her. The childminder shares advice with parents about how to support children's learning at home. n The childminder accesses mandatory training to keep her knowledge up to date. She regularly meets with other childminders to share good practice. However, she does not always plan specific training opportunities to help further develop her knowledge and teaching skills to help children make the very best possible progress.

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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 the planned learning intentions for activities to enable children to make the best possible progress n seek further ways to enhance professional development opportunities that focus more specifically on developing high-quality teaching skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY102123 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10359824 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 8 Date of previous inspection 20 December 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2002 and lives in Whittlesey. She operates all year round, from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The childminder joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked about her curriculum and what she wants children to learn. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the childminder. n Parents shared their written views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact on children's learning.

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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

23 September 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

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

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