Registration visit

[gemgem12]

WEll I had the call yesterday and ofsted are coming this Friday for my pre registration visit 😁😁😁.
Any last minute tips?!
X

[sarah707]

Stay calm - show what you know - ask questions if you are not sure about anything - you'll be great! :clapping:

[Debra Forsyth]

Good luck, and just make sure you have all your paperwork to hand and are ready to talk through it

[BallyH]

Ask lots of questions. Good luck, it should be an enjoyable visit.

[gemgem12]

Thankyou everyone.
It's the night before and I'm very nervous now! X

[gemgem12]

Well it's done thank goodness! And she's recommending I be registered. Just need to wait for cert through the post! So glad it's over!! X

[CarlyB]

What did she ask you Gem? I'm awaiting my pre-reg visit x

[gemgem12]

Hiya, safety around the home, understanding of eyfs, supporting children with Sen, equal opportunities, prevent duty and British values, how I'm going to assess the children - at the beginning and ongoing, setting in children, policies, procedures, consent forms, working with parents, safeguarding and signs of abuse - just about everything! But you'll be fine, I just tried as much as possible to talk about everything I do know so that when I said I wasn't sure of something I made up for it in other areas! If you want to ask anything else about the questions while they are fresh in my head then go ahead!!
One thing I was not aware of is that I need to count my boys in ratios even when they aren't with me ie in school which means I can only have one child. Or 2 if siblings or twins x

[CarlyB]

Thanks Hun that's great. How did you answer about SEN? Did you have everything laid out infront of you or just answered what you know? Yeah I knew about counting your own children in the ratios but surely if you had a mindee that did mornings before your children get home from school that would be OK? X

[moggy]

...
One thing I was not aware of is that I need to count my boys in ratios even when they aren't with me ie in school which means I can only have one child. Or 2 if siblings or twins x

Ooo errr, think you need to check that out, did she really say these things?!
I think others will confirm this is actually the case:

Twins = 2 children = 2 places required, see link below about 'twins-under-12-months-old'.

Siblings- if you have one child in your care, settled in and with contract then their sibling comes along you can (if risk assessed and all parents informed) take on the sibling as an extra EYFS child as long as you are within your total 6-under-8s. See links below.

Own EYFS children can be discounted from your numbers IF they are in the care of another setting/person (like at nursery) AND if you have a reliable plan-B if they need to come home/ill/setting closes etc (like dad or granny who are 100% reliable because you can NOT go over ratios)

Be careful, the inspectors should know their stuff but they do not work for Ofsted (they work freelance for Tribal, Prospects etc) and they are only as good as their training. Phone Ofsted if you need clarification.

See:
From Independent Childminder Facebook page files:
DfE 06-2015ratios guidance.pdf
18 June 2015 at 18:40 · Latest version by Claire Brunner

Also in free deownloads above: Variations (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/variations.html)

[moggy]

Thanks Hun that's great. How did you answer about SEN? Did you have everything laid out infront of you or just answered what you know? Yeah I knew about counting your own children in the ratios but surely if you had a mindee that did mornings before your children get home from school that would be OK? X

If you own child is at full-time school they do not count in your EYFS numbers at all as they are therefore not EYFS children. They do count in your total 6-under-8s though.

[CarlyB]

Yeah that's how I understood it :-) my own child is 5 and in full time school so I can still have 3 under 5? X

[moggy]

Yeah that's how I understood it :-) my own child is 5 and in full time school so I can still have 3 under 5? X

Yes, you can take on 3 EYFS children.

[Sez1980]

I'm petrified that my mind is going to go completely blank and I'll be unable to answer even the most basic questions :(

[gemgem12]

Really?
In sure that's what she said to me. I have a 3.5 yr old in nursery school and a 23 month old. And she she said I'd need to count them even if they are in another setting as they are my responsibility for example if they are ill or school has to shut for some reason.
I'll give ofsted a ring then to clarify, Thankyou x

[gemgem12]

Thankyou moggy, I'm guessing that's what she was saying but didn't say the bit about having a reliable plan b. I do have my parents who are local and able to have my boys whenever needed so I'll clarify with ofsted that I don't need to count them then.

I had my folders out - parent folder, safeguarding folder and operations folder. They haven't got everything in there as yet eg - I haven't completed risk assessments yet - but she seemed ok with that. I just needed to show my understanding of everything.

She wanted to know quite a bit about how I'll be assessing children when they start - so finding out from parents, observing children, liasing with other professionals, all about me books ect and from then looking at planning. With Sen she asked what id need to consider. I said it depends on the individual child's need. I can't remember what else I said for that, sorry! I spoke about their learning style and adapting activities. Xx

[gemgem12]

Sez I was really nervous and my mind did go blank a few times! I was just honest and said if I wasn't sure about something. You'll be absolutely fine. Have key points in your head to remember like what you'd do if u had a complaint, safeguarding concern, when you need to notify ofsted of things, incorporating British values, eyfs particularly the importance of the 3 prime areas, managing behaviour, encouraging healthy meals, how and when you will assess children's development, how children will be settled in. Xx

[Sez1980]

Thanks for the reply, after all the hard work that gets put into trying to get registered I don't want to fall at the final hurdle

[moggy]

Thanks for the reply, after all the hard work that gets put into trying to get registered I don't want to fall at the final hurdle

It is not a test- you can refer to your notes/documents. They are there to get you registered Ofsted and D-of-Ed want more childcare providers! I've never heard of anyone not passing at pre-reg- if you have got that far you have already passed the majority of the requirements. If you are not sure about a question ask her to say it a different way, have a look at your notes/documents, or just be honest and say your mind has gone blank- she'll probably give you the answer anyway if she gets the idea you are basically competent!

[Sez1980]

Thank you for making me feel better x

[gemgem12]

Good luck :) x

[Medinah]

Thank you moggy
What a great encouragement.
I am scared when I do get there.
The answers will be in my head but my mouth might decide to shut down on me.