Outstanding not possible

[jackie 7]

A friend was told by prospect today that NO childminder would get an outstanding. She was told they are being kept for day care and nurseries. Does anyone know a childminder who has got outstanding since September. Also prospect said that a good now was the same as on old outstanding.

[shortstuff]

How awful. Oh n why are they better than us?

[hectors house]

Couple of people on forum have got outstanding since Sept - two (donkeys) last week in fact - can't remember who the others were off hand, I wonder if they had Tribal or Prospect inspectors?

[Mouse]

Like Hector says, there have been childminders on the forum who have got outstanding recently.

If your friend has been told no childminder can get it, I would query it.

[jackie 7]

She is complaining to ofsted on Monday.

[helena_j]

I got outstanding in December. My local 'support' worker from the council told me prior to inspection very unlikely to get an outstanding on your first inspection. I emailed her first to tell get I did get one lol and she has left me alone since!

[Tazmin68]

I local minder I know was inspected a couple of weeks ago and got outstanding.

[Donkey]

I got it nearly 2 weeks ago

Inspector was from Prospect

It was me second inspection

DH also got Outstanding and it was his first inspection!!

It can be done :)

The inspector said she would have to justify DH grade, with it being his first inspection, but she had no doubt in her mind of the grade she gave us both, she was only here a few hours...

[Sarsar3NCH]

A childminder locally to me got a well deserved outstanding last month

[jackie 7]

Just found out this inspector has an agenda. She has issues about childminders.

[Essbops]

I got told at Pre reg they only allowed to give out very few per month so even if you deserve it you may not get :-( plus for us newbies near impossible. It doesn't seem fair why should it be based on figures if you earn it you should have it!

[CLL]

I know it is difficult to get an outstanding and you have to prove you are worth it, but they have to tell you why you have received the grade you do and how to improve. If you have done all that is required then they can not refuse you the grade just because they don't want to give it to you (hopefully). I think it is unfair for people to be told they can not achieve the best before they have even tried. I wonder if anyone has ever requested a different inspector based on the attitude of them in their initial phone call, I think I would if she said this before she met me.

[sarah707]

It it absolutely unacceptable for inspectors to make comments like this.

If it is ever said to you then you should make a call immediately to Ofsted to lodge a complaint - even if the inspector is in your house at the time - you have the right to make the phone call.

We have to challenge these totally inaccurate comments :(

[hectors house]

I wonder if when we get "the call" we are allowed to ask "have you ever given a childminder an outstanding grade and would you be prepared to" - if they said "NO" - would we have grounds to ask for a different inspector who wasn't coming with a blinkered view of childminders. When I researched my last inspector I found she had never given a childminder outstanding or even any outstanding elements! Although many years ago when EYFS had just come into place a friend of mine did get Outstanding - her inspector had never given one before and they both cried - imagine that a Mrs O with feelings!

[angeldelight]

Totally unacceptable thing to say

Angel xxx

[Donkey]

Just found out this inspector has an agenda. She has issues about childminders.

MAKE A COMPLAINT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jackie 7]

My friend is going to do that and we found another childminder who made a complaint about her. They will talk over the weekend. The Internet can be soooo useful. Might think about recording the inspection as it is our word against theirs.

[rickysmiths]

A friend was told by prospect today that NO childminder would get an outstanding. She was told they are being kept for day care and nurseries. Does anyone know a childminder who has got outstanding since September. Also prospect said that a good now was the same as on old outstanding.

If an inspector told me that they would be sent packing for pre judging my setting and I would ask for another inspector to be sent out. Simple.

[caz3007]

My friend is going to do that and we found another childminder who made a complaint about her. They will talk over the weekend. The Internet can be soooo useful. Might think about recording the inspection as it is our word against theirs.

You arent allowed to record the inspection without the permission of the inspector I believe.

[hectors house]

You arent allowed to record the inspection without the permission of the inspector I believe.

Maybe it needs to be "battle of the laptops" then - they sit on one sofa writing up the answers to the questions they ask - while you sit on the other sofa and write down the question and any comments they make!

[jackie 7]

Well ofsted record our conversations. Can we use tape recorders?

[sarah707]

Well ofsted record our conversations. Can we use tape recorders?

You are within your rights to, for example, ask your inspector if you can record feedback at the end of an inspection because you are busy with children and know you will forget what is said...

If you are subjected to an unannounced visit for a safeguarding or other serious complaint you have certain rights. I would need to dig them out but I think by law you can take notes and ask to record the meeting if you need to.

If you are ever in a situation where you are uncertain, you should halt the meeting and call Ofsted and / or your insurance company to clarify.

So many childminders panic and let it carry on and end up in a muddle - you need presence of mind (which often flies out of the window at times like this) to say -

'no - enough - I don't understand - it's too much to take in - I need support - you are wrong - I cannot do this and put the children first - I need to check - I have the right to some legal advice before answering' etc...

If you think about it - if the police caution you for an offence the first thing they tell you is that you are entitled to legal assistance...

But if Ofsted land on your doorstep to investigate a serious incident and shut you down you are on your own, in a house with children, probably totally shattered by the visit.

You have the right to help too.

xx

[Simona]

I also believe there is an Ofsted guidance on 'how inspectors' should behave...it is one of the several that have recently been published
It may be worth reading this a and be prepared on what you can do if unhappy at the way the inspection is happening...inspector do have a code of practice to follow

[blue bear]

There is a forum that gives advice to consumers about their right to record conversations. If I remember rightly you can record conversations without their prior agreement but you cannot then play that recording to a third party (eg ofsted) without the agreement of all parties on the recording.