Childminder EY433320

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

Children settle extremely quickly in this nurturing environment. They are warmly welcomed and excited to arrive at their childminder's home. The childminder gets to know each child in her care and forms very secure attachments to help ensure that all children thrive. The childminder meticulously plans a broad and ambitious curriculum focused on children developing a variety of important skills in a sequential way. All children make excellent progress.

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The provision is outstanding

The childminder carefully plans exciting experiences based on children's interests. Children find this incredibly engaging. She expertly tracks children's progress, ensuring that experiences build on what children already know and can do. The childminder extends children's knowledge and skills further by providing activities that are carefully planned to extend children's knowledge and understanding precisely. For example, after collecting conkers on an autumn walk, the childminder encourages children to thread with them to support their developing hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. This helps to make learning meaningful for children.

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The provision is outstanding

The childminder is wonderfully engaging. She is an excellent role model for language, helping children to learn new words quickly and develop into confident communicators. At story time, babies gather around and snuggle in. They enjoy choosing their favourite stories and are excited to read new ones. Children engage incredibly well, listen intently and are building their attention skills. The childminder introduces new words and concepts using story props.

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need to do better?

n Positive attitudes towards learning are fostered. Children have the freedom to explore and build resilience as they select their own resources and work things out for themselves. Children are becoming independent and have their own ideas. They demonstrate deep focus and an impressive determination as they fill buckets with objects, complete puzzles and cook pasta in the outdoor kitchen. n The childminder has extremely high expectations of children's behaviour. She has embedded routines and puts effective boundaries in place to ensure that children are cooperative and kind. Children play enthusiastically using the cars and ramps, they take take turns, wait for their friends and clap and smile as they push the cars down. They are consistently joyful and content throughout their day. n Children have well-developed gross motor physical skills. They enjoy using the inviting and extremely well-organised outdoor space. Children choose to ride

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need to do better?

bikes and discover how to steer, manoeuvre and push themselves along. They learn to climb a wooden staircase independently and manage their own risk.

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need to do better?

23 September 2025 Children also practise their larger physical skills on their regular outdoor adventures in the local community, enjoying nature and exploring a wide variety of equipment. n The childminder tracks and monitors children's progress effectively. This enables her to swiftly identify where there may be any emerging gaps in children's development. She works alongside parents and outside professionals, when required, to set targets and implement strategies. She uses developmental checks to plan for children and helps parents with ways they can support them at home. This helps to ensure that the care and learning needs of all children are met superbly. n The childminder builds secure relationships with parents and they speak highly of the care and education that she provides. Parents particularly value the homely environment and the communication and feedback they receive about children's special moments and development. They explain how their children

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need to do better?

are thriving in the childminder's care and value the creative experiences she plans. Parents can see how their children have grown in confidence and the accelerated progress they have made in their communication and language skills. n Children benefit from well-planned, high-quality interactions. The childminder is clear in what she intends children to learn and knows how to engage with different age groups to ensure they make rapid progress. Children maintain attention for long periods of time and demonstrate exceptionally high levels of engagement. For example, they are motivated to try their own ideas as they push pieces of pasta into dough to make hedgehogs. They skilfully try different tools as they experiment while trying to roll it flat. This helps to develop children's critical thinking skills. n The curriculum is sequenced and connects the children's learning. The childminder focuses on professional development opportunities that have a

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need to do better?

positive impact on her practice. She continually reflects on meeting the children's needs to help ensure that all children achieve the best possible outcomes. The childminder is dedicated and conscientious. She liaises with other childminders to share her outstanding practice and to further enhance what she provides and to ensure children have exciting and varied experiences.

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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 EY433320 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10398556 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 4 Date of previous inspection 29 October 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2011 and lives in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire. She operates all year round from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Thursday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds qualified teacher status. She provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The childminder showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure 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 The childminder spoke to the inspector about children's learning and development with a particular focus on communication and language. 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 inspector observed the interactions between the childminder and children. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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Inspection activities

23 September 2025 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 2025 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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