SEF - there must be another way :(

[adele1985]

i started my sef a while a go and after getting 10 pages into it ive lost all intrest - surely there must be a better way - do i HAVE to do the sef

Im thinking about doing it my own way in a big file i do action plans anyway anytime i think of anything that needs doing I write it on a action plan dating it and giving myself a target date to complete what ever the task is

at the moment I havea file just to give to ofsted in it there is

my ofsted reports
all my action plans
my qualifications
parents questionnaires
risk assessments
thank you letters from parents
refrances from all my parents

at the moment I normally do a new action plan if ive been on a trainning course, if ofsted have been to inspect ill go through my ofsted report high light what ever i think i ned to improve on then i write it all up on a action plan or if im planning to change or add anything to the playroom or garden

do i need to be doing anything else

[loocyloo]

i'm sure roseolivia does something instead of a sef!

i did mine a long time ago and now it only takes a few minutes to update every now & again.

the sef is being revised end of august ... hopefully come end september when it is released again, it will be simpler!

[Roseolivia]

Loocyloo is right. I can't be bothered to do the SEF, think it's too long and you constantly repeat yourself. I do a strength and weakness chart and say what and how i'm going to improve/include in my service etc...

[Boris]

Loocyloo is right. I can't be bothered to do the SEF, think it's too long and you constantly repeat yourself. I do a strength and weakness chart and say what and how i'm going to improve/include in my service etc...

Oh that seems like a much more sensible option! Do Ofsted like it? Were you marked down on your inspection because you hadn't done a SEF? I think it's such a waste of time waffling through that bloomin' form.

[rickysmiths]

I have never done the sef. Takes too much time and is too repetitive!

I have a Parents Feedback File which has all the letters and cards I have got from minded parents and mindees from the year dot. Having it all together means I can show it to prospective parents.

I have a Training File with all my certs in and a Training Log going back to 1978 when I left college with all the training I have done and any proposed training.

I have a Risk Assessment Folder which has all my RAs, My Escape Plan, Fire Escape Practice Plan, The record of when I have had Home Safety Checks by the Fire Brigade, Information about why I don't use Socket Covers, Information on Poisonous Plants and who to contact if I have a problem, All my families CRBs, All my families First aid Certificates, My Public Liability Insurance, My Employers Insurance, My House and buildings Insurance, Both our Car Insurance and Mots, Details of Breakdown Cover. It has all my past Ofsted reports and Certificates.

I have two Planning Folders One is divided into 12 months and has information on annual festivals and events etc. and it has activities we have done with a list of resources I have, templates, web site info and photos for ref and some examples of things made in the past.
The other is more general planning so maybe Dinosaurs and would include a list of the resources I have, places to visit, useful web sites, templates etc.

An Outings Folder which has guide books, post card, leaflets and some photos of the places we go to.

Then I have a Parent Information Folder

This has a copy of my latest Ofsted Report
A copy of my latest Ofsted Cert
My Policies
Complaints Procedure
Blank copies of a Contract, Child Info and Emergency Contact Form, Parental Responsibility Form, Next of Kin Form, Consents and permission Form, All About me Form, Daily Info Form, Attendance Register Page.
A few photos of my home, a typical day, a menu, Parents Info Leaflet About EYFS, A page about the benefits of Home From Home Care, Copy of my PL Insurance, my first Aid Cert,.

Then I have a folder for each family with the Contract, all the signed and filled in forms, any letter or notification of holidays etc an A4 Book for the Child's LJ and a plastic loose leaf folder with the ages and stages development sheets in.

I have the NCMA Attendance Register

I have the NCMA Accident/medication and Incident Folder

I have the NCMA Accounts Book

This is all I have. The RA Folder is not shown to parents and is purely a place for me to keep all my info and for Ofsted. Nor are the 3 NCMA Folders.

All the other folders the parents can see and I usually have them on the table when they visit.

I then comment in the RA, Planning, Outings and Training Files on how things went, is there anything I would do differently next time, with my training I make a comment about why I wanted to do the training and then what I got out of it and how I use it and how I and the children benefit.

I explained during my inspection last year that I continually review the information in my Parents Folder and add to it and update it.

By doing this I am demonstrating how I am always reflecting on my practice. It is for me much more practical than wading through the SEF because the comments and thoughts are recorded where they are needed and for me are then more likely to be acted upon and more regularly reflected upon.

When I was inspected last Sept I gave the Inspector the above folder and explained I had not done a SEF and she wasn't at all concerned or bothered I hadn't done it.

I have always been graded good and my last two Inspections I have had Good with several Outstandings. I am more than happy with that, I don't really want Outstanding because I would hate not to get it a second time!

[Boris]

I have never done the sef. Takes too much time and is too repetitive!

I have a Parents Feedback File which has all the letters and cards I have got from minded parents and mindees from the year dot. Having it all together means I can show it to prospective parents.

I have a Training File with all my certs in and a Training Log going back to 1978 when I left college with all the training I have done and any proposed training.

I have a Risk Assessment Folder which has all my RAs, My Escape Plan, Fire Escape Practice Plan, The record of when I have had Home Safety Checks by the Fire Brigade, Information about why I don't use Socket Covers, Information on Poisonous Plants and who to contact if I have a problem, All my families CRBs, All my families First aid Certificates, My Public Liability Insurance, My Employers Insurance, My House and buildings Insurance, Both our Car Insurance and Mots, Details of Breakdown Cover. It has all my past Ofsted reports and Certificates.

I have two Planning Folders One is divided into 12 months and has information on annual festivals and events etc. and it has activities we have done with a list of resources I have, templates, web site info and photos for ref and some examples of things made in the past.
The other is more general planning so maybe Dinosaurs and would include a list of the resources I have, places to visit, useful web sites, templates etc.

An Outings Folder which has guide books, post card, leaflets and some photos of the places we go to.

Then I have a Parent Information Folder

This has a copy of my latest Ofsted Report
A copy of my latest Ofsted Cert
My Policies
Complaints Procedure
Blank copies of a Contract, Child Info and Emergency Contact Form, Parental Responsibility Form, Next of Kin Form, Consents and permission Form, All About me Form, Daily Info Form, Attendance Register Page.
A few photos of my home, a typical day, a menu, Parents Info Leaflet About EYFS, A page about the benefits of Home From Home Care, Copy of my PL Insurance, my first Aid Cert,.

This is all I have. The RA Folder is not shown to parents and is purely a place for me to keep all my info and for Ofsted.

All the other folders the parents can see and I usually have them on the table when they visit.

That is a brilliant way of arranging your paperwork. I really need to get my bum into gear!

[primula]

I operate a bit like rickysmith, plus a diary that I also use for my attendance, summary of the day, wow moments and self refection, what went well/badly, anything i need to do/change etc, i also put in anything else that maybe relevant! Inspector was fine with the way I work, so everyone is happy, like rickysmith I am happy with my good/ outstanding areas etc and hopefully so are the parents. I dont want to do paperwork for paperwork sake

[sarah707]

Any self evaluation is great!

However... you should remember that some Ofsted inspectors look for the SEF regardless of other self evaluation you have in place.

Once the SEF is written it's an updating job and much easier... if the questions repeat say so!

It's going to be updated soon anyway - why not wait and see what the new format is like and make a decision then?

[rickysmiths]

However it is well to remember that it is not compulsory to complete the SEF so no inspector can mark you down for not doing a SEF but of course they can if you do not show how you reflect on your business.

[migimoo]

Before my first inspection I spent hours each night for weeks doing my SEF and Mrs O didn't even glance at it,just asked me everything i'd filled in on there again...i was so peed off!!

[rickysmiths]

Before my first inspection I spent hours each night for weeks doing my SEF and Mrs O didn't even glance at it,just asked me everything i'd filled in on there again...i was so peed off!!

This is one reason I decided not to do one. it was duplicating what I had naturally done as part of my practice and I saw friends spending hours and hours repeating themselves and agonising and though I am not going to waste my time.

[mrsmaggy]

Its the one thing I have put off year after year but now my inspection is looming and I really don't want to do it but not sure I can risk not doing it

[blue bear]

I know loads of childminders who don't do the ofsted sef they still reflect on their practice though in a variety of ways,not one of them have had a recemndation of completing a sef or indeed varying their self reflection.

[kel1983]

I had no idea what the sef was when I had my first inspection. The lady from Ofsted didnt seem bothered. I have everything in files for them to look thtorugh.

[Roseolivia]

Oh that seems like a much more sensible option! Do Ofsted like it? Were you marked down on your inspection because you hadn't done a SEF? I think it's such a waste of time waffling through that bloomin' form.

My inspector was more than happy with the way I am doing things and gave me Outstanding. Not all inspectors would agree though, mine is very pro childminders and knows we do too much paperwork.

[bunyip]

I exhausted myself for 2 days solid before inspection, trying to do my SEF. It was probably the worst SEF my inspector has ever seen. She politely said that it "probably needs a little tidying up" (understatement) but wasn't necessary cos all my other paperwork demonstrated reflective practice.

So I'd say the SEF isn't necessary as long as you can demonstrate self-reflection.

NCMA members may have seen in the latest Who Minds? mag, that they've been in discussion with Ofsted. Apparently Ofsted have agreed to accept NCMA members' Professional Occupational Standards audits and CPD logs together in place of a SEF. They still seem to be thrashing out the details, and figuring how we submit them to Ofsted (who are moving more towards an emphasis on e-communications), but it should eventually save some CMs from doing things twice over. Let's hope for that.

[rickysmiths]

I exhausted myself for 2 days solid before inspection, trying to do my SEF. It was probably the worst SEF my inspector has ever seen. She politely said that it "probably needs a little tidying up" (understatement) but wasn't necessary cos all my other paperwork demonstrated reflective practice.

So I'd say the SEF isn't necessary as long as you can demonstrate self-reflection.

NCMA members may have seen in the latest Who Minds? mag, that they've been in discussion with Ofsted. Apparently Ofsted have agreed to accept NCMA members' Professional Occupational Standards audits and CPD logs together in place of a SEF. They still seem to be thrashing out the details, and figuring how we submit them to Ofsted (who are moving more towards an emphasis on e-communications), but it should eventually save some CMs from doing things twice over. Let's hope for that.

They actually can't do this because doing a SEF is not compulsory anyway so an inspector can not make a judgement against you just because you haven't done one. However you do have to demonstrate how you reflect on all your practice. To be honest the CDP Log is good. I have done one for the last 8 years because Hertfordshire used to send a Training Log Sheet out when they sent details of Training for the year. I filled it in and have done so ever since. I started to fill in the NCMA one to see how many hours I had done in the last year and because I have done my Level 3 plus first aid and other courses I have gone off the scale in hours

It is a good scheme though and from what I have seen so far a bit less daunting than the SEF. Of course we haven't seen the new Sef Format. It is silly though because last year they said schools don't have to do them any more

[sdean]

I attended some training at the weekend on the new inspections - it was mentioned that the SEF system is being turned off on 30 August and will re-open - apparently improved and altered at end of Sept. We were advised that if we are due inspection we should update and submit SEF by 27 August.

[bunyip]

They actually can't do this because doing a SEF is not compulsory anyway so an inspector can not make a judgement against you just because you haven't done one. However you do have to demonstrate how you reflect on all your practice. To be honest the CDP Log is good. I have done one for the last 8 years because Hertfordshire used to send a Training Log Sheet out when they sent details of Training for the year. I filled it in and have done so ever since. I started to fill in the NCMA one to see how many hours I had done in the last year and because I have done my Level 3 plus first aid and other courses I have gone off the scale in hours

It is a good scheme though and from what I have seen so far a bit less daunting than the SEF. Of course we haven't seen the new Sef Format. It is silly though because last year they said schools don't have to do them any more

True that! I absolutely love the things that NCMA tell us to record as CPD:-

• Spent an hour reading a magazine - oh, it was Who Minds? so I can put that down as training.
• Had coffee and a chat (sorry, that should read "engaged in professional discussion") with a CM friend - yup, stick that one in the log.
• etc.

Come to think of it, maybe I should've set the timer running when I logged onto this forum......

[loocyloo]

True that! I absolutely love the things that NCMA tell us to record as CPD:-

• Spent an hour reading a magazine - oh, it was Who Minds? so I can put that down as training.
• Had coffee and a chat (sorry, that should read "engaged in professional discussion") with a CM friend - yup, stick that one in the log.
• etc.

Come to think of it, maybe I should've set the timer running when I logged onto this forum......

definately !!!