In shock! Satisfactory to Outstanding!

[strappyeyes]

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to share my OFSTED inspection with you from last Thurs (taken me this long to digest it!) I've been childminding for 12 years, and have been inspected by OFSTED right at the beginning of each new cycle since. At my last inspection there were no fab resources such as this website, and I had a terrifying inspector hunched over a laptop, not making eye contact - completely froze and forget to tell her anything. Got a satisfactory. This time, confidence knocked -(and they were abit behind) I went into overdrive, because I really thought that I would be marked inadequate somewhere (abit paranoid maybe!) Got very scared that I wasn't up to it or doing enough. Spent hours on my SEF making sure I told them everything I do (because it would not have come out of my mouth!), triple checked policies and procedures - (Pay extra attention to medicines), wrote a million (basic) risk assessments - THANKS FOR ALL THE ADVICE ON HERE!, and hoped for the best with EYFS, because I thought what I had was well shonky.
Anyway, had a strange combination of the most perfect children in the world (and an untested combination at that!), a fabulous inspector, nothing going wrong on the day and my EYFS stuff, whilst not pretty, did the job. I've got an outstanding :clapping: in all areas!!
Need to see the report to believe it!!
So, to all of you out there who might be interested- Do a very detailed SEF, make sure you can back up what you've said if needs be, write even very simple risk assessments for everything and most importantly, don't get too hung up on the what if's - just make sure you that you tell them your intentions for the future. They want to see (at the moment )that you acknowledge your weaknesses and that you can tell them what you are going to do about it!

[Kes]

Well done :clapping:

[Angela234]

Well done you must be so pleased with yourself


Angela

[ORKSIE]

Brilliant result :clapping: :clapping:

[peanuts]

well done:clapping:

[Monkey1]

Thats fantastic! well done you!:clapping:

[helenlc]

Congratulations and well done!!

[littletreasures]

Well done and thanks for the advice:clapping: :clapping:

[charleyfarley]

That is fantasic :clapping: :clapping: No wonder you are on cloud nine :jump for joy:

Thanks for the tip about sef :thumbsup:

Carol xx

[emler]

:clapping: brilliant - well done you :clapping:

[childmind04]

Well done, as much as the SEF is long and a bit of a pain, you sound a bit like me and nerves get to you on the day so your sef talks for you :)

Susan

[huggableshelly]

well done to you xxx

[miffy]

Congratulations - you must be delighted your hard work paid off

Miffy xx

[balloon]

WOW!! Well done! :) :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

[sarah707]

Congratulations! :clapping:

[misst104]

Thats fab :jump for joy:

x

[marian]

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

Well done!!!

Marian x

[jaz]

Thanks fantastic - well done

J
x

[LOOPYLISA]

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

[Demonjill]

Thats brilliant!! WELL DONE :jump for joy:

[Polly2]

hey! :clapping:

[Polka Dots]

Congratulations, it's fantastic when hard work pays off. :cheerleader:

[sonia ann]

You must be so pleased ..well done:clapping: :clapping:

[johanna77]

Well Done, al you hard work paid off.:)

[katickles]

That is fantastic - well done you!!! You are obviously working really hard & its paid off :clapping:

http://newtickers.bump-and-beyond.com/28/2875/287529.png (http://www.bump-and-beyond.com/)

[saintsue]

Thats GREAT well done bet you are so pleased
i would be over the moon
luv sue xxxxx

[Bushpig]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!:clapping: :clapping:

[nannymcflea]

Fantastic well done you:clapping:

I agree with the SEF, think mine helped me tremendously.(although it took a month to complete!)

[2045amanda]

Congratulations, well done!!
:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
Amanda

[beerheaven]

Big congratulations. Fantastic news!! :clapping: :clapping:

On the subject of the SEF I spent hours and hours on mine in October and updated it in February. The inspector told me yesterday that I am the first setting to have done one for her inspections since September. However despite her praising it, it did help me advance beyond a good.

She said that it would not shorten the inspection time. She was right - she was here for 4 and a half hours!!

I'm glad I did the SEF but I now wish I hadn't spent so long doing it!!

[desiderata]

Well done thats Wicked!!!! go celebrate!:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

[Jules12Wed]

Excellent. Well done.:clapping:

[cher25]

Congratulations. That's fantastic. :)

[nannysue]

Congratulations :clapping:

[HELEN10]

Great news, congratulations! :jump for joy:

[Daftbat]

Thats brilliant - this website is great - i put in loads of effort following the great tips on here and went from Good to outstanding so really chuffed. It feels brill when they say the words doesn't it?:jump for joy:

[Alibali]

Fantastic:clapping: :D

[baksie]

Thats fantastic! well done you and thanks for the tip!!:clapping: :clapping:

[strappyeyes]

Thankyou all for your all lovely comments and support!
Not sure if I agree with Penny though - didn't feel good when she told me, as I thought I might pass out and then burst I into tears and grabbed the nearest child for support!!!! Bit better now though!! Just hope I can live up to it!
Also, thought I should mention that I never realised how useful the SEF could be - was slightly angry about having to spend more time doing paperwork and abit negative about writing about what I do as a result (took me 12 hours to write up - after making notes!). How wrong could I be!! Filling it out in detail meant I could actually get on with playing with kids when the inspector came, instead of fielding a million questions, so the whole inspection process was far better and easier to manage than in the past.
Anyway I'm wittering!
thanks again x

[JOANNE]

Brilliant, well done you :thumbsup:

[angeldelight]

Congratulations

Well done to you

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

Angel xx

[charlie28]

:clapping: :laughing: :clapping:

Well Done

[Tups]

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to share my OFSTED inspection with you from last Thurs (taken me this long to digest it!) I've been childminding for 12 years, and have been inspected by OFSTED right at the beginning of each new cycle since. At my last inspection there were no fab resources such as this website, and I had a terrifying inspector hunched over a laptop, not making eye contact - completely froze and forget to tell her anything. Got a satisfactory. This time, confidence knocked -(and they were abit behind) I went into overdrive, because I really thought that I would be marked inadequate somewhere (abit paranoid maybe!) Got very scared that I wasn't up to it or doing enough. Spent hours on my SEF making sure I told them everything I do (because it would not have come out of my mouth!), triple checked policies and procedures - (Pay extra attention to medicines), wrote a million (basic) risk assessments - THANKS FOR ALL THE ADVICE ON HERE!, and hoped for the best with EYFS, because I thought what I had was well shonky.
Anyway, had a strange combination of the most perfect children in the world (and an untested combination at that!), a fabulous inspector, nothing going wrong on the day and my EYFS stuff, whilst not pretty, did the job. I've got an outstanding :clapping: in all areas!!
Need to see the report to believe it!!
So, to all of you out there who might be interested- Do a very detailed SEF, make sure you can back up what you've said if needs be, write even very simple risk assessments for everything and most importantly, don't get too hung up on the what if's - just make sure you that you tell them your intentions for the future. They want to see (at the moment )that you acknowledge your weaknesses and that you can tell them what you are going to do about it!well done thats great :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

[Shar]

Well done :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: Congratulations!!
I agree with all you said SEF and personal development is so important if you want to get a high grade.

[Playmate]

Congratulations:clapping: :clapping:
I'm sick of the sight of my sef,but maybe in the end it will be worth it!

[Tups]

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to share my OFSTED inspection with you from last Thurs (taken me this long to digest it!) I've been childminding for 12 years, and have been inspected by OFSTED right at the beginning of each new cycle since. At my last inspection there were no fab resources such as this website, and I had a terrifying inspector hunched over a laptop, not making eye contact - completely froze and forget to tell her anything. Got a satisfactory. This time, confidence knocked -(and they were abit behind) I went into overdrive, because I really thought that I would be marked inadequate somewhere (abit paranoid maybe!) Got very scared that I wasn't up to it or doing enough. Spent hours on my SEF making sure I told them everything I do (because it would not have come out of my mouth!), triple checked policies and procedures - (Pay extra attention to medicines), wrote a million (basic) risk assessments - THANKS FOR ALL THE ADVICE ON HERE!, and hoped for the best with EYFS, because I thought what I had was well shonky.
Anyway, had a strange combination of the most perfect children in the world (and an untested combination at that!), a fabulous inspector, nothing going wrong on the day and my EYFS stuff, whilst not pretty, did the job. I've got an outstanding :clapping: in all areas!!
Need to see the report to believe it!!
So, to all of you out there who might be interested- Do a very detailed SEF, make sure you can back up what you've said if needs be, write even very simple risk assessments for everything and most importantly, don't get too hung up on the what if's - just make sure you that you tell them your intentions for the future. They want to see (at the moment )that you acknowledge your weaknesses and that you can tell them what you are going to do about it!
well done annmac :clapping:

[Willowdancer]

Yay, that's brilliant!! :clapping:

[Allie]

Well done I also put loads in the SEF and got Outstanding I think because you don't miss anything it helps a lot (just a pain to do)


Allie

[SmartKids]

Fantastic - know what you mean - I too went from satisfactory to outstanding - was in total shock for ages and she was with me for 51/2 hours - mind you had 8 ring binders to plough through. I'm still in shock and received my outstanding logo yesterday.

[strappyeyes]

Thankyou all for your lovely comments. Report has arrived and it's true(ish)! Have been graded Good for Safeguarding, but Outstanding for everything else and overall. Really not complaining, although because I wasn't told this at the time, not sure how to improve!! So remember to ask questions, even if you can't speak, because I'm not sure what my next steps are!!!!

[SandCastles]

Well Done - I now realise the importance of the SEF, it does your talking for you. (wheres my token code thingy?) Brilliant

[georgie456]

well done you! That is an amazing result. Great tip about the SEF - might give me the kick up the backside that I need to get it started!

[jibberjitz]

Fab news, well done :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

[nemo97]

Thats brilliant :laughing: well done you!! :clapping:

[helliegall]

Congratulations and jubilations when we tell all the world what a fab minder you are!:jump for joy:

[SandCastles]

Well Done and thanks for the advice

[tulip0803]

Congratualtions:clapping:

[Tups]

Well done tha was a big jump :clapping: :clapping:

[Kelly]

Well done :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: Congratulations!!
I agree with all you said SEF and personal development is so important if you want to get a high grade.


I think to a degree this is right, but I didn't complete mine before my inspection, I was truthful and said I just hadn't had time, with working, studying and looking after my family. Inspector was in for 2 hours and I got an outstanding in all areas. I like to feel that I had lots of work base evidence that she was able to look through. She really didn't ask that many questions.

[Hooligan59]

Well done to strappyeyes! I

had a phone call this afternoon to tell me they are coming to inspect next Thursday or the following Monday! Have done my SEF, and my development worker has looked at my portfolio etc and said all is in order - but that doesn't make me feel any less nervous!
Got Good overall last time, and an outstanding for paperwork/organisation, so hope I do as well this time!

Fingers crossed!:(