Ofsted been this morning

[rickysmiths]

Jcrackers...I hope you can answer this question?

you said you have a feedback to fill in after your inspection...are you able to tell us if it goes to Ofsted itself ...or the outsourced inspection provider which I think you said is Prospects?

thank you

Mine was sent by Prospects and went back to Prospects

[Simona]

Thanks for your reply RS....really useful.
I don't recall having to fill in a feedback in the past and I was inspected 5 times in my history.

Interesting....I wonder if it has anything to do with Ofsted including EY providers in the team that will scrutinise 'complaints against Ofsted' which Sean Harford was talking about yesterday?...food for thought!

[Pixie dust]

Thanks for your reply RS....really useful.
I don't recall having to fill in a feedback in the past and I was inspected 5 times in my history.

Interesting....I wonder if it has anything to do with Ofsted including EY providers in the team that will scrutinise 'complaints against Ofsted' which Sean Harford was talking about yesterday?...food for thought!

I was given an inspection survey after my inspection yesterday which is to be completed after I have received my report. It asks about the inspection practice, judgements made, evidence and the impact the inspection had on my setting, what improvements I will make as a result of the inspection. This was from Prospects.

[TinyTinker]

I hate that aspect of freely having mark making material around! if it was a nursery setting it would be fine - but for a childminder it is also their home - and free access to marker etc is just asking for ruined sofas, walls, carpets etc I too have everything there waiting and children can ask or point to it - but I always get them to sit at the table for arts/crafts/colouring etc! arg!

I will be happy if I get Good again - I fear getting downgraded more than being graded the same!

well done for getting through it.

btw how do you go about getting a chlid to help with lunch? if they are not allowed in my kitchen and it's not registered for their use? lol

[JCrakers]

I hate that aspect of freely having mark making material around! if it was a nursery setting it would be fine - but for a childminder it is also their home - and free access to marker etc is just asking for ruined sofas, walls, carpets etc I too have everything there waiting and children can ask or point to it - but I always get them to sit at the table for arts/crafts/colouring etc! arg!

I will be happy if I get Good again - I fear getting downgraded more than being graded the same!

well done for getting through it.

btw how do you go about getting a chlid to help with lunch? if they are not allowed in my kitchen and it's not registered for their use? lol

Just by bringing the lunch to the table with butter, ham etc and children's knife. Getting them to spread the bread and add filling or getting them to help chop food for a cooked meal.

I do think this is a fab idea, my only argument was I am a lone worker (like we all are) after being up at 7am, getting my own two children off to school, starting work at 8am, taking 6 children to school and back with 3 little ones, changing nappies, helping with hand washing, doing playdoh, outdoor play, glueing leaves, helping to make a train track, involving myself in the role play kitchen, clearing up after craft, answering questions from the inspector, not sitting down since 7am, not having a drink she still wanted to see the lunch turned into a learning experience.

For me, its just not something I do due to the amount of children I have daily. I enjoy a peaceful lunch, chatting with the children, catching up on stories, relaxing, taking it easy and JUST ENJOYING TIME TOGETHER! SOmetimes its the only break I get in my 10hr day....that's why I was cross

If I had less children then it might be something to incorporate into my day but to me its all about balance, not trying to pack everything in. Ive already had to stop working Fridays because I was too tired so looking after myself is first priority.

[Mouse]

When I had my last inspection I had lunch pre-prepared and plated up in the fridge. I explained to the inspector that I'd got the lunch ready that morning as I didn't know how much time I'd get with having an inspection. She said it was a sensible thing to do and showed good organisational skills. She certainly didn't expect me to do it there and then so the children could help.

I had already got them to help prepare the morning snack, which the inspector had observed. They'd set the table (cloth, bowls and drinks), helped peel satsumas, cut some cheese and shared it all out. It was obvious that that was something they always did as they did it without prompting or asking.

It was much easier letting them help at snack time than it would have been to let them help with lunch, but it still showed the inspector that I was getting them to help with food prep. If you don't want to let them help with lunch, at least show how they help with snack time.

[lollipop kid]

At one of my inspections (I got a Good), the Inspector was impressed that I spent as little time in the kitchen as possible. We were having Pasta and Pesto for lunch (a particular favourite), and she liked the fact that I had organised everything so that, once the pasta water had started to boil, I turned the gas off, put a lid on the pot, and just let the pasta cook away slowly without me having to stand over the pot. This allowed me lots of time to be with the children. (The pasta was still cooked and it was an easy matter just to drain it and stir the pesto into it to serve lunch.)

If I was doing this again at an inspection, I would still do the same thing meal, but first involve the children in picking some fresh basil leaves and washing these to go on top of their pasta. The only chopping they'd do would probably be tearing the basil leaves into smaller bits. (Spreading crackers at snack time, or some cream cheese on a bagel is always enjoyed at my setting, though, so I'd perhaps do this too at snack time.)

Hope it helps,

LK

[Simona]

At one of my inspections (I got a Good), the Inspector was impressed that I spent as little time in the kitchen as possible. We were having Pasta and Pesto for lunch (a particular favourite), and she liked the fact that I had organised everything so that, once the pasta water had started to boil, I turned the gas off, put a lid on the pot, and just let the pasta cook away slowly without me having to stand over the pot. This allowed me lots of time to be with the children. (The pasta was still cooked and it was an easy matter just to drain it and stir the pesto into it to serve lunch.)

If I was doing this again at an inspection, I would still do the same thing meal, but first involve the children in picking some fresh basil leaves and washing these to go on top of their pasta. The only chopping they'd do would probably be tearing the basil leaves into smaller bits. (Spreading crackers at snack time, or some cream cheese on a bagel is always enjoyed at my setting, though, so I'd perhaps do this too at snack time.)

Hope it helps,

LK

Oh LK!!!...as an Italian I would have failed your inspector!!!

Pasta must be stirred at all times ...did she not ask why you were not doing that? showing the children why water was bubbling and all that jazz!

How do inspectors judge schools in a cooking lessons if they don't observe the actual cooking itself in a kitchen?

Sorry...I am only joking and I felt like lightening this thread a bit!...so many variations on the theme!

[BallyH]

The inspector will want to see us activitly prompting the child's independence. I'm planning to do snack on my inspection day as all my mindees provide their own packed lunches. Obviously, I do snack everyday, but this is where they will show everything they've learnt over their time with me. From counting chairs for the number of children attending, washing hands, washing table, choosing lunch, chopping, slicing, spreading, comparing shapes of crackers etc and then doing their own washing up afterwards and sweeped the floor. My mindees have learnt all these skills, but not very often practised in one session. I'm thinking, with any luck, if we do all this and start snack about 9.45am then they'll have dried their last plate about 12.30pm. Inspection over!

However, I keep thinking of a 'story' doing the rounds a couple of years back from an inspection. It went something like this: for snack the childminder choose an apple, pear and a banana. She took the 3 fruits to the sink. Washed the apple and pear then carried them back to the table where her mindees are all waiting. She lifted the banana and peeled it. Then lifted the pear to chop it and the inspector stopped her and told her to finsih what she was doung as she couldn't possibley give the children that fruit as she had contaminated the apple and pear because she she hadn't washed the banana skin.

[Jelly Baby]

I hate that aspect of freely having mark making material around! if it was a nursery setting it would be fine - but for a childminder it is also their home - and free access to marker etc is just asking for ruined sofas, walls, carpets etc I too have everything there waiting and children can ask or point to it - but I always get them to sit at the table for arts/crafts/colouring etc! arg! I will be happy if I get Good again - I fear getting downgraded more than being graded the same! well done for getting through it. btw how do you go about getting a chlid to help with lunch? if they are not allowed in my kitchen and it's not registered for their use? lol

Totally agree with this!
Last time I left the 2 I look after (i. The same room while I did lunch) to freely colour one proceeded to scribble on the front of the fridge & the other all over her face?! ... I feel the arty things should be on view (as mine ask if I don't do planned art but not in reach as such or the house would be trashed?!