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View Full Version : Dear Ofsted......I DON'T WANT......



VeggieSausage
31-05-2014, 11:17 AM
The written environment in my garden
Windmills or other eye catchers - I just want things that are naturally in a garden
Please wash your hands signs in my bathroom
Posters up inside
Labels in 2 languages on everything


and I am going to rebel and NOT have them.......

I want to provide sensible, home based care for the littlies I look after and for my home to be something resembling a normal family home like their own :)

littlebears1009
31-05-2014, 11:29 AM
Good on you, I posted a thread about how to keep home looking just like that and not a nursery whilst also making it inviting for mindees and parents.
I want mine to be as u say, a home from home setting.

shortstuff
31-05-2014, 12:13 PM
Im with you 100%

Im rebelling. I have toys in the garden. Im also lucky enough to have a very bright and colourful playroom. I dont have labels on my toy boxes and wont. I also dont have windmills etc outside.

clareelizabeth1
31-05-2014, 01:48 PM
I don't have labels. I personally hated having them kids just ripped them off. In the end they looked shabby and didn't feel like home.

My mother got me interested in reading and writing without labels on everything. I also want to home school ds and labels arnt apart off that.

I do have a separate play room which prob does look a bit nurseryish, but at the end of the day I shut the door and don't have to see the toys.

Mouse
31-05-2014, 03:51 PM
You have to wonder how some of us managed to grow up to be intelligent, well-adjusted individuals when we had no labelled toy boxes, no signs up in our gardens, no posters on the wall. Even our playgroups were run from village halls where there were no posters or child-friendly furniture.

We were expected to go to school being able to dress ourselves and being able to write our own names. The majority of us could. How many children nowadays can't do that when they go to school? Doesn't that kind of show that it was the people who helped us learn, not the pretty posters and labelled toy boxes? If you have it in you, the children in your care will learn everything they need to without all the posters and labels.

My garden doesn't have any permanent childminding fixtures. I do have a garden box that we take outside with us. Is has laminated photos of the actual animals that have visited our garden (cats, foxes, squirrels, birds, mice, butterflies, bees), with their names written on the back. The box also has tubs of bubbles in it, magnifying glasses, collecting bags, paper on clip boards along with pencils & crayons. I have laminated 'I-Spy' sheets (again of actual things in the garden) so that the children can tick off what they see. And colour sheets, so children can look for things of each colour, if they want to. Sometimes the children ignore the box, other times they're really interested in it, but at the end of the day it gets packed away like everything else :thumbsup:

Mouse
31-05-2014, 03:53 PM
I would add, I don't have labels on toy boxes and never have had...but I do have windmills in the garden. I had them long before Ofsted decided they were popular and I have them because I have always liked them :D

loocyloo
31-05-2014, 03:58 PM
whispers ....

I do have labels on my toy boxes ... but not for the childrens benefit ... but for those well meaning adults/older children who help 'tidy up' and put everything in the wrong box!

shortstuff
31-05-2014, 04:10 PM
whispers ....

I do have labels on my toy boxes ... but not for the childrens benefit ... but for those well meaning adults/older children who help 'tidy up' and put everything in the wrong box!

Ooh I wish. Adults other than myself who tidy?

Simona
31-05-2014, 04:10 PM
All that inspectors...or the EYFS require is a for a 'print rich' environment...
if you don't want labels on your boxes then there are other resources you can display to make it so: children's names, alphabet and number friezes, books and much more

shortstuff
31-05-2014, 04:14 PM
All that inspectors...or the EYFS require is a for a 'print rich' environment...
if you don't want labels on your boxes then there are other resources you can display to make it so: children's names, alphabet and number friezes, books and much more

Actually my inspector last year complained specifically that my toy boxes weren't labelled. At the time I was going to put labels on and was waiting for a parent to add words to them in her native language for the benefit of her child. I've since made the decision that unless I plan on putting every language in the world on them I would not be being inclusive.

I will poimt out that I have a world map on the wall and several other posters so it wasn't for lack of print. Oh and two separate areas of books. Some which are suitable for younger children and a whole bookcase more suitable for able readers.

Lal
31-05-2014, 04:15 PM
There are plenty of opportunities, inside and outside, for children to see 'real life' writing which is surely far more meaningful. Off the top of my head- writing shopping list, labelling plants/ seeds in the garden, seed packets, food wrappers, calendars, invitations, magazines, newspapers, instruction manuals, recipe books.......

I would rather do things like use a recipe book or a gardening book when I don't really need to (to show meaningful text) than fill my house with labels.

Simona
31-05-2014, 04:24 PM
Actually my inspector last year complained specifically that my toy boxes weren't labelled. At the time I was going to put labels on and was waiting for a parent to add words to them in her native language for the benefit of her child. I've since made the decision that unless I plan on putting every language in the world on them I would not be being inclusive.

I will poimt out that I have a world map on the wall and several other posters so it wasn't for lack of print. Oh and two separate areas of books. Some which are suitable for younger children and a whole bookcase more suitable for able readers.

Nowhere in the EYFS says we need labels to make the environment print rich...maybe that inspector was passing her own individual judgement?

We have had this discussion before...many cms approve of labels others don't...I think we can argue with the inspector how we promote literacy in other ways that are just as useful
Many cms do not have the space or walls available like schools and we are not like them...my view of course
I agree with Lal there are plenty of opportunities indoor and outdoor but it is our choice in the end

FloraDora
31-05-2014, 08:02 PM
I have bought pens that write and survive really well on wood, so my garden has a bug hotel sign, digging area, to make sure they don't dig in the veg plots and flowerpot farm sign for the lovely area that the children have filled with pots of plants. I have numbers and pictures and letters on slate and stone that my 2 year old loves to distribute around the garden, collect in a pail and spread again! So natural materials with writing on. We have labelled the veg garden a little better this year, the children have done some too.
My brother in law and family have just spent the day with us, sitting in the garden, his grown up children loved the stones and slate so much that over the sparkling wine they drew me lots of pics and messages on slate and just dropped them on our slate patio, I know the LO will love finding them, but the garden still looks natural. My sister in law liked the signs, and didn't associate them with childminding! ( she thought they were part of the random quotes I have dispersed around my home...laugh a lot, live long, kiss and hug everyday( we did wonder if Mrs O would approve of this one ) etc... She thought I had picked them up from a garden centre! )

We used the outdoor kitchen, stripped of pots and pans and spoons to put the ice buckets on. ( talked about having a reversible mud kitchen sign ....with cocktail bar on reverse at weekends)

Haven't had a visit from Ofsted yet, but I will stand my ground on lack of laminated stapled on signs, if it comes up. I have appropriate print in the environment I think ......... ( brave talk after an afternoon of sparkling wine and lovely company!)

alex__17
31-05-2014, 08:08 PM
I have windmills but they're a constant temptation to all children who continually rip them out race around the garden then drop them, they've also tried to use them for sword fighting, not the safest thing really when the last thing they want to do is look and not touch! I'll keep them until they break but won't be replacing them

primula
31-05-2014, 08:32 PM
Thought I would share this idea!8388 adds to the 'print rich environment' without taking up much space and uses all the milk bottle lids!!

Simona
31-05-2014, 08:44 PM
I have windmills but they're a constant temptation to all children who continually rip them out race around the garden then drop them, they've also tried to use them for sword fighting, not the safest thing really when the last thing they want to do is look and not touch! I'll keep them until they break but won't be replacing them

That made me laugh :laughing:... and got me thinking of Truss' comments about children 'running around with no sense of purpose'...except in this case they would be chasing windmills...Don Quixote did that...did he not?

I recall the discussion about windmills...I think it started on some FB page and got reported in this forum...all cms rushing to get windmills because one inspector thought they were the 'theme of the day' :panic:
do windmills fit in the print rich environment?...more sensory to me than anything else...lets try to hang some CDs in the garden instead...wonderful visual effects on a sunny day!

bunyip
31-05-2014, 08:49 PM
The written environment in my garden
Windmills or other eye catchers - I just want things that are naturally in a garden
Please wash your hands signs in my bathroom
Posters up inside
Labels in 2 languages on everything


and I am going to rebel and NOT have them.......

I want to provide sensible, home based care for the littlies I look after and for my home to be something resembling a normal family home like their own :)

Oh come on, there's a sensible answer to this. Buy enough windmills and stick them in your lawn in a pattern so as to spell out (in your bestest writing) the words "S0D OFF OFSTED".

This satisfies the twin 'requirements' for windmills and for a 'language-rich' lawn. (And they can go on your expenses.) :D


Note: to be fair on inspectors, they are in a no-win situation. When they tell CMs vague things like "need a rich/stimulating environment" we complain they've not been specific. When they give examples such as the jolly old windmills thing, we accuse Mrs* O of being over-proscriptive.


* or Mr/Ms/Miss - other gender choices are available, let's all keep this nice and diverse. :thumbsup:

AliceK
31-05-2014, 10:21 PM
Thought I would share this idea!8388 adds to the 'print rich environment' without taking up much space and uses all the milk bottle lids!!

Love this :thumbsup:
Xxx

Simona
01-06-2014, 08:40 AM
Oh come on, there's a sensible answer to this. Buy enough windmills and stick them in your lawn in a pattern so as to spell out (in your bestest writing) the words "S0D OFF OFSTED".

This satisfies the twin 'requirements' for windmills and for a 'language-rich' lawn. (And they can go on your expenses.) :D


Note: to be fair on inspectors, they are in a no-win situation. When they tell CMs vague things like "need a rich/stimulating environment" we complain they've not been specific. When they give examples such as the jolly old windmills thing, we accuse Mrs* O of being over-proscriptive.


* or Mr/Ms/Miss - other gender choices are available, let's all keep this nice and diverse. :thumbsup:

I think that is taking the issue too far Bunyip...some of us remember Ofsted as it was pre privatisation and they did achieve a lot...got rid of those who could not be bothered to take up the EYFS challenge for a start!

We were not scared of Ofsted because they did their job according to the book...they came to judge our practice but rather than the present climate of fear.... which this forum creates and supports...we were not downgraded as it is called now ...we were praised and encouraged to improve

First of all the windmills business started on FB...who takes FB seriously?
Just because one CM was told to buy one ...the whole group followed like sheep and told CMs that we MUST have windmills?
come on....

Ofsted have rightly been criticised for privatising inspections and the result has been patchy, subjective and a true mess...hence the decision to take some inspections in-house again for schools and FE...however...the problem lies with the training inspectors get and also our knowledge of the EYFS and how we engage with inspectors on the day

For this thread in particular that is very obvious...
no one has asked us for labels...although those trained in HighScope will use them because they understand the reason behind them which relate to literacy, PSED and also many other areas of learning

Being despondent in this occasion will backfire...we are talking about a print rich environment which CMs can easily provide because we are out and about in the community each day...unlike nurseries where the vast majority of the time children are inside 4 walls ...which are overloaded with labels and print ...often far too high for the kids to get any learning from.

So if cms do not want to use labels ...what can we provide instead?...lets discuss that.

Daisy De
01-06-2014, 09:39 AM
I have labels, I like my labels! My confession is done :-)

caz3007
01-06-2014, 09:51 AM
We bought new boxes last weekend, plastic I will add (don't shoot me) as the fabric ones didn't last very long and for various reasons money is a bit tight. My ds spent time sorting them and chose to print labels as he had seen some on ******. Wonder how long before we give up on them though

VeggieSausage
02-06-2014, 02:30 PM
All that inspectors...or the EYFS require is a for a 'print rich' environment...
if you don't want labels on your boxes then there are other resources you can display to make it so: children's names, alphabet and number friezes, books and much more

I won't be doing alphabet and number friezes either......books, yes I will have those :)

VeggieSausage
02-06-2014, 02:32 PM
Oh come on, there's a sensible answer to this. Buy enough windmills and stick them in your lawn in a pattern so as to spell out (in your bestest writing) the words "S0D OFF OFSTED".

This satisfies the twin 'requirements' for windmills and for a 'language-rich' lawn. (And they can go on your expenses.) :D


Note: to be fair on inspectors, they are in a no-win situation. When they tell CMs vague things like "need a rich/stimulating environment" we complain they've not been specific. When they give examples such as the jolly old windmills thing, we accuse Mrs* O of being over-proscriptive.


* or Mr/Ms/Miss - other gender choices are available, let's all keep this nice and diverse. :thumbsup:

hahaaa :laughing:

bunyip
03-06-2014, 10:25 AM
Tbf, I did qualify my comment about Ofsted and the Great Windmill Debate.

Simoana is right in that most/all CMs introduce the children to a 'print-rich environment', just so long as inspectors are prepared to accept the holistic view that we take them out and about, etc. Sadly, some inspectors seem to think we should be practically shoving the printed word in their face every moment of every day.

I think this: "got rid of those who could not be bothered to take up the EYFS challenge for a start!" is more than a little harsh. There were (are) a lot of perfectly good CMs offering principally care to families who needed it, appreciated it, and who didn't necessarily want or need the State's "educational" agenda forced upon them and their children. Incredible as it may seem, there are those of us who not only survived childhood but thrived and went on to enter adult life and society before EFYS was ever a tw1nkle* in some so-called "expert's" contracted bonus payment.

Sure, some parents want the L&D programme as part of their lo's daycare. Fine, I have no problem with them exercising that choice. Unfortunately is isn't a choice - cos (as Mrs Milk Snatcher used to love telling us in her beer-kellar-style crazed rantings) there is no alternative. Most CMs will know plenty of other perfectly good parents whose eyes glaze over at the merest mention of L&D, DM, EYFS and all the other trendy abbreviations that may or may not have any relevance to the dear wee thing mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. Many if not most want to know their child is safe and happy and free to experience what little childhood they are still allowed these days. They learn and develop perfectly well.

For all its weasel words, the regime's stated aim is to climb the international league tables of educational standards to compete with the likes of Korea. It sounds all very good and worthy, and who could possibly argue against raising the educational bar but, as ever, the Devil resides well within the detail. This does nothing for the well-being of children, pushed toward the Korean trend of 16 hours' study a day and a colossal youth suicide rate to match. Nor will it create a single job for any of them to go to after school, merely a more competitive job market in which more will fail or burn out at an ever-quicker rate.

The state-sponsored cull of bl00dy good CMs that came with compulsory EYFS had 2 main effects. One was to remove parental choice, whilst making the regime's agenda for children into the only show in town. The other was to provide a massive boost for the burgeoning illegal childcare market, as parents who didn't want EYFS were forced into the arms of unregistered childcarers.

*The proper spelling being a strange and unexpected auto-edit in my initial draft. :confused:

Simona
03-06-2014, 11:25 AM
Tbf, I did qualify my comment about Ofsted and the Great Windmill Debate.

Simoana is right in that most/all CMs introduce the children to a 'print-rich environment', just so long as inspectors are prepared to accept the holistic view that we take them out and about, etc. Sadly, some inspectors seem to think we should be practically shoving the printed word in their face every moment of every day.

I think this: "got rid of those who could not be bothered to take up the EYFS challenge for a start!" is more than a little harsh. There were (are) a lot of perfectly good CMs offering principally care to families who needed it, appreciated it, and who didn't necessarily want or need the State's "educational" agenda forced upon them and their children. Incredible as it may seem, there are those of us who not only survived childhood but thrived and went on to enter adult life and society before EFYS was ever a tw1nkle* in some so-called "expert's" contracted bonus payment.

Sure, some parents want the L&D programme as part of their lo's daycare. Fine, I have no problem with them exercising that choice. Unfortunately is isn't a choice - cos (as Mrs Milk Snatcher used to love telling us in her beer-kellar-style crazed rantings) there is no alternative. Most CMs will know plenty of other perfectly good parents whose eyes glaze over at the merest mention of L&D, DM, EYFS and all the other trendy abbreviations that may or may not have any relevance to the dear wee thing mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. Many if not most want to know their child is safe and happy and free to experience what little childhood they are still allowed these days. They learn and develop perfectly well.

For all its weasel words, the regime's stated aim is to climb the international league tables of educational standards to compete with the likes of Korea. It sounds all very good and worthy, and who could possibly argue against raising the educational bar but, as ever, the Devil resides well within the detail. This does nothing for the well-being of children, pushed toward the Korean trend of 16 hours' study a day and a colossal youth suicide rate to match. Nor will it create a single job for any of them to go to after school, merely a more competitive job market in which more will fail or burn out at an ever-quicker rate.

The state-sponsored cull of bl00dy good CMs that came with compulsory EYFS had 2 main effects. One was to remove parental choice, whilst making the regime's agenda for children into the only show in town. The other was to provide a massive boost for the burgeoning illegal childcare market, as parents who didn't want EYFS were forced into the arms of unregistered childcarers.

*The proper spelling being a strange and unexpected auto-edit in my initial draft. :confused:

Good points Bunyip
My understanding is that EYFS 2008 aimed to keep 'care and education' together not separated...one is linked to the other...yes?
Many cms did good care but got frightened of the dreaded 'paperwork' inflicted on them
It also brought CMs in the sector...or so we thought...and we got a level playing field in recognition...or so we thought

The same will happen with agencies when some cms will join thinking no more inspections and no paperwork...wrong I feel
Agencies will require cms to evidence the education for their Ofsted targets and cms will be randomly inspected...so no escape there.

Those who understand the EYFS will find it easy to discuss with an inspector what they are doing...some inspectors are knowledgeable while others have quickly been trained for the job and make mistakes...lets call them mistakes...even Ofsted have agreed that inconsistencies are due to poor training...see London OBC and the recall of in-house inspections for schools and FE...but not EY...sore point that !

The problem is that children go to school earlier and earlier ...if not 'educated' we get the blame of not preparing them for school or potty training them early enough
Parents may not like the 'education' side of EYFS but they still put their children in school at 3 and now 2...that is certainly one way to get More Affordable Childcare in my view.

It is definitely a no win situation

As for print rich environment...no need to put anything on our walls if each day we present print to children in whatever shape or form?
Friezes do not have to be on a wall...the floor will do
Try to hide car number plates to the children on the way to school or the park...impossible... but it is how we use that opportunity that is important...totally my view.

bulldog
03-06-2014, 01:25 PM
I dont have labels, nor do I have posters up on my walls or displays etc.

This is my HOME not a nursery, Parents chose to send their children because they want a home environment!

I do however have lots of books to chose from, and if we are playing with farm/animals I will "display" farm books, tractor books etc etc.
We read together and use pens/paper/aquadraw for mark making.

I use i huge magnetic board with picture magnetics as well as letters which the children generally just cover the whole board with :rolleyes:

I did work in a school nursery that labelled EVERYTHING and shadowed toy spaces on shelves. It proved a nightmare!! Labels get messy after a short time, get lost, mixed up etc etc.

Sometimes I do wonder who we are doing all these things for??

lilac_dragon
04-06-2014, 07:23 AM
We don't have windmills - but we do have 4 flipping ginormous wind turbines at the bottom of the garden!!

LauraS
04-06-2014, 09:57 AM
Dear ofsted, I don't want..

You to keep telling childminders that they are not yet outstanding because of x, or y.

This creates a horrible, rumour driven, tattle tale atmosphere of panic and indignation where childminders 'know' someone who is definitely otherwise outstanding but did not get the grade because of the lack of windmills, or because their mindee didn't cut their own apple on the day, or because they do not display labels on their boxes or posters on their walls, or because or because.

Those little snippets in the reports aren't helpful,quite the opposite. The sensible and more confident amongst us will see those judgements and know that despite our lack of windmills, our gardens are interesting and educational in their own right because we are already doing x and y and z instead. The less confident, the new childminders and the list tickers might well panic. The lazy will buy a few windmills, shove em in the earth and think job done. You really need to consider how better to inspire us to improve.

That is all xx

LauraS
04-06-2014, 10:02 AM
We don't have windmills - but we do have 4 flipping ginormous wind turbines at the bottom of the garden!!

Well that's just showing off. Perhaps you could have them painted in bright primary colours too?

MAWI
04-06-2014, 08:04 PM
Oh I am so glad someone is on my wave length. I used to have a dedicated playroom at my previous house and had all the posters, labels etc... That goes with the territory.
This time around, I have a new house andI want my home to be my home. I have no labels on boxes( although I may do some just for tidying purposes). I have a notice board in my hallway that I take down all CM relate stuff when not working. No posters in my bathroom.
I do have a garden room and that has posters on the walls and boxes of toys with labels. I refuse to put laminated posters on my fences. I have made a few outdoor chalkboards and will use stones, natural stuff to promote literacy and Maths outdoors.
I promote literacy through other means and my environment is still rich in literacy and Maths for th children. It's just done in a different way. I have told all new parents not to expect my house to look like a nursery and At first I thought this would put some parents off but actually I have realised that it is the person and how you deal with the children they look for, and your experience and qualifiications( in my recent experience). Parents choose me because I offer home from home. I will be telling Ofsted the same too.