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JDF
24-04-2016, 08:49 AM
Hi All
I'm due my inspection next week & would love to hear suggestions for an activity to do during my inspection. I will have a nearly 4 year old, her interests at the moment are writing her name as nursery have been practicing this with her.
She wrote the first letter of her name recently so one of her next steps is the rest of her name.
What can I do to make this more fun & interesting than just using pen & paper or tracing sheets? Especially when the inspector is with us?

FloraDora
24-04-2016, 08:04 PM
Be confident and go with your usual activities. What have you been doing that makes it exciting for her so far? What have you planned to do in your planning?
The inspection is all about your practise, day to day learning environment, usual routines, showing evidence of this is part of the inspection. There aren't activities that will impress inspectors - it's all about your knowledge of the child, your interaction, progress made since she started, your teaching, evidence of the usual activities and the learning environment children experience when with you, don't be tempted to set up different things ' for ofsted' they and the children will see through it.
Having said that, my first stage of writing their name would be magnetic letters: matching them in a tray to their name written down and then being able to put the letters in order first with a name card and then without. I use mud trays and sand trays and glitter trays to write in with sticks and brushes. A Swiss roll tray with a sparkly paper at the bottom and fine sand is good for practise. Mine love me writing their name with a candle and then colour washing, then they write their name and reveal it through a colour wash. I have big cards with their name as a roadway and they drive the cars on it, emphasising starting at the green traffic light and stopping at the red. Name cards hidden around the room and they collect their card and leave names that aren't theirs. My instinct would be to give the child a purpose to write their name, not just practise....writing invitations or cards to imaginative or real occasions. Writing letters to parents then posting them on a walk outside. Finding genuine opportunities to write their name, on their pictures, breakfast order etc...I wouldn't be doing it as a set up activity, but would encourage it in their play, you finding the opportunity naturally as they play.

Good luck.

BallyH
24-04-2016, 08:51 PM
As FloraDora has already said don't do something to impress the inspector. In my recent inspection the inspector asked me if I had planned any 'new activities today'. I stopped as I thought it was a trick question and told her the truth 'no, we've done everything before'. 'Good' was her reply 'we always know as the children tell us by their reaction'. So just do what your normally do with using every opportunity to 'teach' as you probably do already without realising.

Best of luck. Be confident.