Ofsted visit whilst on holiday

**elaineg** · 13-08-2012, 03:11 PM

I am asking on behalf of a friend of mine if this is allowed.

She was on holiday last week and had daughters friends from University staying. A lady from Ofsed called and said there had been a complaint made against her and she wanted to look around the house as the complaint was that it was too cluttered.

My friend told her she was on holiday but let her in anyway. The Ofsted lady said there were too many shoes in the porch, which my friend said belonged to her daughters friends and not normally there. She also said there were crumbs on the kitchen floor and the cooker was dirty. My friend told her she had not cleaned the kitchen yet and again her daughter and her friend had been in it. The other thing she said was that the water table had water in it. My friend told her she had not been in the garden that week and that it had rained over a couple of days but she was on holiday so no children around. The ofsed lady then said she would get a letter.

Should my friend complain when she gets the letter as she was not working and so not set up for childminding. Surely her house can be as messy as she want when she is not working or do we have to be set up for childminding 24/7 whether we are working or not.

Can she appeal when she gets the letter.

thank you for your comments

**Little Pickles** · 13-08-2012, 03:15 PM

Oh goodness thats awful !!

Please don't tell me our houses have to be child ready all of the time ?!?!

**sarahjane** · 13-08-2012, 04:02 PM

That's awful! They would throw the book at me if they turned up and I wasn't working, housework only gets done if I have children the next day

I hope something can be sorted for your friend. Your HOME is your workplace, not the other way round x

**AliceK** · 13-08-2012, 04:16 PM

I'm pretty sure that's not allowed. We RA and get our houses ready on days we are working, when we are not we can do what we like surely.
Definitely complain.

xxxx

**kel1983** · 13-08-2012, 04:27 PM

Wow if Ofsted turned up during the weekend they would have a shock. Its never tidy till atleast sunday evening. Piles of dry washing everywhere, kitchen would be piled high, unhoovered floor. I think she should call ofsted and complain now.

**blue bear** · 13-08-2012, 07:58 PM

That does not seem right, they would not insist on inspecting a nursery if it was closed.
I don't hardly bother when not working, it's nice to kick back and relax. Get your friend to ring ofsted and complain, let us know how she got on.

**loocyloo** · 13-08-2012, 08:06 PM

i have had the last 2 weeks of, and have spent this evening running round, cleaning, tidying, making safe, etc to start work tomorrow morning!

i'm going to have to keep my dining room out of bounds as its full of stuff ready for new playroom/going away next weekend and general 'needs sorting piles' !!! not to mention the piles of paperwork all over the table!

as soon as she told ofsted she wasn't working, ofsted should have arranged to come when she was. i hope your friend gets it sorted.

**Paulab** · 13-08-2012, 08:11 PM

My house looks nothing like it does for minding on a weekend or on a hol, mounds of washing wet & dry everywhere, loads of shoes in my hallway from loads of visiting teenagers,
Garden is even worse from my twins antics ,it's the time when my family lets there hair down,

I would defiantly be calling Ofsted to complain xx

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 14-08-2012, 06:04 AM

Wait until the letter arrives and then make a decision. You should have the complaints procedure from the Ofsted website ready or pounce if you need it

Hope it is all okay.

**primula** · 14-08-2012, 07:54 AM

What nasty piece of work made a complaint like that? That would seriously wind me right up! Did the inspector check paperwork aswell and found everything in order? sound so strange to me...

**Kiddleywinks** · 14-08-2012, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by elaineg

A lady from Ofsed called and said there had been a complaint made against her and she wanted to look around the house as the complaint was that it was too cluttered.

So parents can now complain about the content in our homes and ofsted are willing to investigate?! Talk about a waste of public funds!

That doesn't sound right at all!
My house has become 'cluttered' BECAUSE of childminding
(Toys are now downstairs instead of in bedrooms/loft/shed etc)

Surely clutter is a matter of opinion anyway?! A friend of mine has 'clutter' if there's a cushion out of place

**loocyloo** · 14-08-2012, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by Kiddleywinks

Surely clutter is a matter of opinion anyway?! A friend of mine has 'clutter' if there's a cushion out of place

i know one of my families chose me as my house resembles theirs! piles of things everywhere! they felt comfortable and at home. mum says a friend has a 'show house' and she is frightened to take the children there as they will make a mess!

**Chimps Childminding** · 14-08-2012, 08:30 PM

My house is never tidy when I am not working (very rarely is when I am DH and 4 sons see to that

) but if I am off I admit I don't worry quite as much as I do when I have parents arriving - gets blitzed just before I start back to work - think Ofsted would have better things to do with their time

jumpinjen · 15-08-2012, 05:58 AM

Originally Posted by Kiddleywinks

So parents can now complain about the content in our homes and ofsted are willing to investigate?! Talk about a waste of public funds!

That doesn't sound right at all!
My house has become 'cluttered' BECAUSE of childminding
(Toys are now downstairs instead of in bedrooms/loft/shed etc)

Surely clutter is a matter of opinion anyway?! A friend of mine has 'clutter' if there's a cushion out of place

Exactly - is this person complaining about her own child's shoes in the hall - and crumbs and cooker are not clutter anyway, they are the product of cooking - the water table admittedly would be better turned over so not to collect water just in case but if RA in place to check then fair enough.... I wouldn't have let them in!

Jen x