How to get an outstanding

**The Juggler** · 07-11-2010, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by sweets

you have to lick the inspectors feet, do a triple standing somersault, beg, cry and have so much daft mindless paperwork that you will have to build an extension to house it all.

oh and a policy for absolutely everything plus you must record and checklist every single move and action you make throughout the day.

Not forgetting at least 200 risk asssessments.

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 07-11-2010, 09:58 PM

In our county there are 3 outstanding childminders. I had outstanding in 3 areas and asked my inspector how to get more

answer

"the last time I gave outstanding to a childminder she served all her food up in an apron"

I gave up, she lost all respect and next time I will purchase a chefs hat

**newandlearning** · 07-11-2010, 10:48 PM

It 22.39 in the evening.. and I've just put up my 'Children's Interests' sheet in my hallway.. update my register.. sorted through my environment plan.. done children questionnaires for the 8 and 11 month old (basically imagining what I think they would answer if they could

)...

do all these things make me outstanding? no.. I don't think so.. they make me good at paperwork..

I have not found that being 'outstanding' has meant more people have chosen me over others or that I can charge more as the childminders in my immediate area don't charge much and the parents in my area don't seem to really care if I'm outstanding or not...

If I could have my time over I wouldn't much care about being outstanding... I want my home to be as home-like as it can be.. with eliments of it being a business as well...

I do regular questions for the children and parents, I work (or try to) in partnership with the preschool etc etc. I'm good as self-assessing myself...

however sometimes I feel all of this paperwork can take away my creativity and it doesn't feel as liberating organising a art activity on Sunday for Wednesday say.. as sometimes we get to that date and we don't seem to want to do the 'said' activity and can sometimes well be doing something else...

I hope you don't think I'm trying to poo poo the ideal of outstanding and if you want me to give you more ideas on how to become outstanding I'm more than happy to help... one thing I did was look at all the recent Ofsted inspections and their grades and see what the inspectors logged and commented on.. and also I did a very thorough SEF.. which I really need to review

..

Good luck hun.x

Penny1959 · 08-11-2010, 05:17 AM

What a lot of replies and what a lot of different views.

Just goes to show we are all different and do things differently.

The same can be said of inspectors - all have different views and different things they are 'hot' on.

So what does make an outstanding childminder?
Just my view of course - but as an ex childminding network coordinator who had to assess childminders quality - I tend to go with the 'you can tell as soon as you go through the door' theory.

I think it is not just paperwork - although you do need to have all the 'must have' documents in place (and that is not the same as the 'word of mouth' extensive list) - it refers to the ofsted guidelines in their factsheets and of course the statoury framework.

Any paperwork that you do have - should be used, have a purpose and most importantly refer to your setting and the things you do.

I found I could tell in an instant if a cm was 'putting on a show' to look good - the children's reactions are a give away - or the childminders lack of ability to explain things. It is a shame that some are able to pull the wool over the eyes of some inspectors and I do know of some who have an outstanding who may not be outstanding at all times (ie only on inspection day). I also know of many c/ms who are graded 'good' but who are in my opinion are outstanding - and usually it is lack of confidence and therefore a tendancy to 'clam up' and get flustered when the inspector calls.

As others have said it does help to be passionate about childminding and to want to be the best that you can at all times BUT that is not for everyone.

Childminding offers choice to parents and to be honest some parents are not that bothered about the grade - they go with their 'gut' instinct.

Certainly when I told my parents I had recieved an outstanding - only one was bothered - don't think the others even realised what an outstanding was!

So I think prehaps the questions should be

Are YOU happy with the service you provide?
Are parents happy with the service you provide?

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

Are the children happy in your care and being given play opportunities to develop to their full potential?

Sorry - a bit long - an outstanding grade is great - but it is not the most important thing. Personally I would have been happy with a good because I know I can answer yes to the above questions.

Penny

**em29** · 08-11-2010, 06:17 AM

I have really enjoyed reading this thread because I am due my ofsted from dec and have been frantically putting so much pressure on myself that I want an outstanding - yet I know that with my premises it would be almost impossible. This has made me consider that going for good is much more attainable and that it is something to be very proud of! Just my SEF to do and some RA's to catch up on

So still a busy few weeks.
I think I was very scared because my friend was graded outstanding and I now have one of her mindees and think mum is expecting the same (although we are very different!). x

**PixiePetal** · 08-11-2010, 07:00 AM

I am not trying for an outstanding - at the moment I am satisfactory and know I am better (in caring for and knowing my mindees and doing whats right for them) than my good/outstanding friends who are over trying

I am not the greatest at paperwork/putting myself across to strangers - especially my last inspector who everyone here dreads getting

She was a dragon!!

thanks to the forum I feel more confident now, even after 16 years of it (and 12 as a nanny before), so when the time comes (had the call to check if minding recently

) I hope I come across better.

I am the same person, doing the same stuff with happy mindees and families - too many to fit in! I don't live and breathe it 24/7 and go with the flow a lot. I am hoping for a good this time as satisfactory is a horrible word

no parent has ever asked to see report. Only 1 recently asked about it as the 'checklist' from CIS said so! mindee starts next week

If someone wants to be outstanding, thats great for them and I wish them well - for me it's too much to live up to.

**jaz** · 08-11-2010, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by DebbieS26

In our county there are 3 outstanding childminders. I had outstanding in 3 areas and asked my inspector how to get more

answer

"the last time I gave outstanding to a childminder she served all her food up in an apron"

I gave up, she lost all respect and next time I will purchase a chefs hat

Hi Debbie,

How do you know there are only 3 in the county?

Just interested as I thought there would be more of them.
J
x

**mama2three** · 08-11-2010, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by DebbieS26

In our county there are 3 outstanding childminders. I had outstanding in 3 areas and asked my inspector how to get more

answer

"the last time I gave outstanding to a childminder she served all her food up in an apron"

I gave up, she lost all respect and next time I will purchase a chefs hat

There are 4 in our village! We all had different inspectors , so it wasnt that we got an easy going one , and we all work very differently. If my ds was to go to a childminder though the one I would be most likely to choose is 'satisfactory' according to her report. She is actually 'amazing' with pants paperwork!!

**the happy house** · 08-11-2010, 09:09 AM

When I previously childminded I was graded outstanding. Was a bit shocked if truth be told. I didn't work particularly hard to get outstanding, just did what I always did on the day, no major preparation.
The things she really picked up were, individual towels (yep, them again!), that I was always on the floor with the children, a child needed some help with something so I asked the other children to show her around the house while I helped the other child. The children were really enthusiastic (honestly, I hadn't bribed them or anything!), and inspector loved that they were so happy. She was there when I was serving up the dinner and was impressed by the way it was served (not already served on plates, but with veg in dishes so that children could help themselves).

**Mouse** · 08-11-2010, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by the happy house

When I previously childminded I was graded outstanding. Was a bit shocked if truth be told. I didn't work particularly hard to get outstanding, just did what I always did on the day, no major preparation.

Same here. I didn't try to get outstanding. I'd been graded good at the previous inspection & didn't want to drop to satisfactory, but would have been happy with good again.
When she told me I was outstanding I was amazed, but she said there was no doubt about it. I couldn't tell you how I got it as I just did the same as I did everyday - nothing special as far as I was concerned.

I know people say you can't get it unless you have a playroom - I didn't at the time,
that you can't get it unless your house is like a nursery - mine wasn't,
That you can't get it unless you live & breathe childminding - I don't!

I wouldn't have wanted to work hard just to get outstanding because then you're always under pressure to keep it up! I wanted to get a grade based
on what I do every day. I'm fortunate that the inspector saw that as being outstanding.
I do work hard & have good paperwork, but that's the same all the time, not just for my inspection.

**guest2** · 08-11-2010, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by sweets

you have to lick the inspectors feet, do a triple standing somersault, beg, cry and have so much daft mindless paperwork that you will have to build an extension to house it all.

Yippeee!! quarter way there then I have just finished building the extension, just need the mindless paperwork, somersaults and licking of feet then!! But will not beg and cry you have to draw the line somewhere!!!! LOL LOL

**Valencia** · 29-05-2012, 01:02 AM

Originally Posted by Penny1959

What a lot of replies and what a lot of different views.

Just goes to show we are all different and do things differently.

The same can be said of inspectors - all have different views and different things they are 'hot' on.

So what does make an outstanding childminder?
Just my view of course - but as an ex childminding network coordinator who had to assess childminders quality - I tend to go with the 'you can tell as soon as you go through the door' theory.

I think it is not just paperwork - although you do need to have all the 'must have' documents in place (and that is not the same as the 'word of mouth' extensive list) - it refers to the ofsted guidelines in their factsheets and of course the statoury framework.

Any paperwork that you do have - should be used, have a purpose and most importantly refer to your setting and the things you do.

I found I could tell in an instant if a cm was 'putting on a show' to look good - the children's reactions are a give away - or the childminders lack of ability to explain things. It is a shame that some are able to pull the wool over the eyes of some inspectors and I do know of some who have an outstanding who may not be outstanding at all times (ie only on inspection day). I also know of many c/ms who are graded 'good' but who are in my opinion are outstanding - and usually it is lack of confidence and therefore a tendancy to 'clam up' and get flustered when the inspector calls.

As others have said it does help to be passionate about childminding and to want to be the best that you can at all times BUT that is not for everyone.

Childminding offers choice to parents and to be honest some parents are not that bothered about the grade - they go with their 'gut' instinct.

Certainly when I told my parents I had recieved an outstanding - only one was bothered - don't think the others even realised what an outstanding was!

So I think prehaps the questions should be

Are YOU happy with the service you provide?
Are parents happy with the service you provide?

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

Are the children happy in your care and being given play opportunities to develop to their full potential?

Sorry - a bit long - an outstanding grade is great - but it is not the most important thing. Personally I would have been happy with a good because I know I can answer yes to the above questions.

Penny

Think this is spot on!

**littlecheeks** · 29-05-2012, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Playmate

Our inspectors told us back in March, that they new within minutes of walking through our front door.They gave up looking at our paper work very quickly and just played with the children and us. I have to be honest it does help to think, eat and sleep childminding 24/7,

but thats not what everyone wants to do (which is understandable). Just do everything the best you can and give 101%.Good luck

i agree with this, i had my inspection nearly 3 weeks ago and got an outstanding, she said to me she had decided to give me that grade within a few minutes. they like to see new creative ideas and that you are going above and beyond. of course have every piece of paperwork in place.
i dont do EVERYTHING that some cms do and never even expected this grade. she just followed me around asked lots of questions to me and mindee and loved there answers! (big scoring points there)
good luck x

**JCrakers** · 29-05-2012, 03:56 PM

I got a good in 2007. I had just started minding. Nearly 4yrs on I got another good. Apparently because I wasn't part of a network I couldnt be outstanding. I put so much in to those four years and I definitely improved.
My first grading The eyfs hadn't come in yet.i got inspected in the aug as the eyfs started sept....so I had come on in four years so much.

She said my paperwork was fantastic. I had photos scrolling on a digital photo album of all the crafts and activities I do
All 7 lots of parents said I was excellent in all areas with 5/5
All the children said they loved coming in their questionnaires
She said my sef was the best she had seen. Very informative and professional
She mentioned how lovely I was with the children and they obviously adored me
I had every bit of paperwork up to scratch in front of her with 6 learning journeys full of eyfs work. She said they were excellent

She then asked me if I get together with other childminders to which I replied no, I don't really know any others. She said that is the only thing that goes against me. She then said if I'd had some sen children I would have got an outstanding.
My respect went out the window that day. Now my grade doesn't matter to me whether it's satisfactory, good or outstanding. I couldnt care less.

I didn't get my grade and so I have relaxed extremely to do only the basics. I'm not aiming for outstanding anymore as I had some bint of an inspector...it's pot luck really

**Tealady** · 29-05-2012, 08:27 PM

I sat next to an Outstanding Childminder on a course tonight. She said she was up until gone two the other night laminating and cutting out and sometimes wakes in a cold sweat realising she hasn't done some piece of paperwork.

If that is what it takes to be outstanding, well I'd rather not be TBH.

(However, I'm overdue and inspection and will be gutted if I don't get Good)

**Daftbat** · 29-05-2012, 09:12 PM

I think that some people have hit the nail on the head in this thread. It's not just about doing something a particular way e.g aprons, paperwork...... In my view it's about being tuned in to the needs of the children, looking for ways of constantly improving yourself and having systems in place which really help to maximise the time you have available to make sure that the paperwork takes a back seat and the kids are in the front.

My job is to make a child happy and I believe I really do. The parents I work for don't care about the grade - they care about me as a person and how I interact with their children.

I am passionate about my job - I want to do it to the best of my ability - My way of managing this is to streamline paperwork, use up to date technologies to assist me and speed up anything I do thereby leaving me with more time for play with the kids.

**Trpta108** · 29-05-2012, 09:45 PM

[QUOTE=Daftbat;1107861]I think that some people have hit the nail on the head in this thread. It's not just about doing something a particular way e.g aprons, paperwork...... In my view it's about being tuned in to the needs of the children, looking for ways of constantly improving yourself and having systems in place which really help to maximise the time you have available to make sure that the paperwork takes a back seat and the kids are in the front.

I completely agree.
Until recently I thought I would do anything to get outstanding at my next inspection, but trying to do everything 'perfectly' means I have had to put my own children in the background. I am a single mother with 5 children to split my time and energy between, and I want to be an outstanding mother to my children rather than an outstanding childminder to Ofsted. So I have decided that as long as I can live up to the above then I am happy with that.