Inspections and babies

[mumofone]

If you have a baby (say under 16 mths) on inspection day, what kind of inspection activity do you recommend or how do you best showcase your time with the baby?

[FloraDora]

I wouldn't do anything different on inspection day than I normally do!
Our role is to make sure our practise EVERYDAY is appropriate and good plus, not just do something for inspection day.

My fortè is not younger children so I concentrated on my CPD in this area - I find the Open University free open Learn courses are great and have completed lots around improving my knowledge about how under twos develop. I think I've also completed one on the free gold members childcare.co.uk courses too.
I spent my time upskilling my day to day practise ...by the time I was inspected I was more confident to discuss why I was doing something with my under 2 and how that would lead in to her next steps development ......it's not about an activity that has worked in front of an ofsted inspector for someone else...it's about the childminders knowledge of their child, what their next steps are and how the activities/ enabling environment you are providing is supporting this.

[mumofone]

I wouldn't do anything different on inspection day than I normally do! Our role is to make sure our practise EVERYDAY is appropriate and good plus, not just do something for inspection day. My fortè is not younger children so I concentrated on my CPD in this area - I find the Open University free open Learn courses are great and have completed lots around improving my knowledge about how under twos develop. I think I've also completed one on the free gold members childcare.co.uk courses too. I spent my time upskilling my day to day practise ...by the time I was inspected I was more confident to discuss why I was doing something with my under 2 and how that would lead in to her next steps development ......it's not about an activity that has worked in front of an ofsted inspector for someone else...it's about the childminders knowledge of their child, what their next steps are and how the activities/ enabling environment you are providing is supporting this.

Are they completely free?? Any you'd particularly recommend?

[FloraDora]

Are they completely free?? Any you'd particularly recommend?


Full OpenLearn course catalogue - OpenLearn - Open University (http://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue?source=freecoursespage)

Completely free - they are actually units of courses that OU offer or have offered - from beginners to masters and PhD level. You can pick any depending on how you learn or want to be challenged. They change regularly too, so some I have completed are now no longer available but if you look at the list there are still a few around how children learn. They are mainly reading based but some have videos too - if you click on the title there is a summary and how it is covered.
You sign up and then you have evidence of completion for your CPD record.
I like to read further and go through their suggested reading lists...which often is more useful and interesting than the actual info given in the unit...but then I go off on tangents and end up becoming focussed on something else!

I have really enjoyed the politics ones this year...I realised in the run up to the election that I didn't know enough so set myself the personal task of becoming more aware...also it's great to read about something different!
The languages ones are tricky ( for me) though.

[mumofone]

Full OpenLearn course catalogue - OpenLearn - Open University (http://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue?source=freecoursespage) Completely free - they are actually units of courses that OU offer or have offered - from beginners to masters and PhD level. You can pick any depending on how you learn or want to be challenged. They change regularly too, so some I have completed are now no longer available but if you look at the list there are still a few around how children learn. They are mainly reading based but some have videos too - if you click on the title there is a summary and how it is covered. You sign up and then you have evidence of completion for your CPD record. I like to read further and go through their suggested reading lists...which often is more useful and interesting than the actual info given in the unit...but then I go off on tangents and end up becoming focussed on something else! I have really enjoyed the politics ones this year...I realised in the run up to the election that I didn't know enough so set myself the personal task of becoming more aware...also it's great to read about something different! The languages ones are tricky ( for me) though.

Do you get some kind of confirmation you've participated in a course flora?
I never knew these existed, how wonderful! :-)

[FloraDora]

Do you get some kind of confirmation you've participated in a course flora?
I never knew these existed, how wonderful! :-)

You don't get a certificate but your account shows that you have completed it ...I complete my own review sheet after any course/ training/ focussed research/ professional discussion - showing the impact it has had / will have on my practise...so these are in my CPD file and before the Inspector arrived I printed off my Open Learn learning log.