Questions I was asked today/Ofsted inspection

[Bluebell]

I was asked some questions in my inspection today so I hope by sharing they might help others know what Ofsted (or my particular inspector) was looking for. I can't remember how exactly they were phrased so I will paraphrase! Probably looking for how I answered questions about development and improvement in general rather than the specifics of each question iyswim.

How do you encourage their development within problem solving and reasoning?

What do you do when you're out to make them think about their own safety?

What particular developments improvements have you seen with child A since they have been coming to you?

Same question about the other child in my care today.

Asked about the EYFS / parent communication/ scrapbooks with relation only to the 2 children in my care today.

Do you know what to do if there is a safeguarding issue?

Oh strawberry plants - did you plant them with the children? (er- unfortunately not - wanted to be able to say yes!)

How do you share information with other settings? (- they really look at this apparently and what I said was not sufficient so it was one of the areas I have to look at to improve).

Sharing information /communication with parents.

Probably more that I will think of later but generally she just looked at my files to check everything was in order and observed what I was doing with the children and how the children shared, interacted and were absorbed in their activities.

[Bluebell]

And 'How regularly do you practice your fire drill?'

[pinkrabbit]

Thank you for this information. My Inspection is due so its helpful to know what sort of questions they are currently asking. When was your last inspection? mine was May 09.

[Bluebell]

This was my first inspection! She said something that I took to imply that from September they will be prioritising overdue inspections. She also said something about I wouldn't have to wait so long for my second inspection because of the new EYFS.

[mrstom]

This was my first inspection! She said something that I took to imply that from September they will be prioritising overdue inspections. She also said something about I wouldn't have to wait so long for my second inspection because of the new EYFS.

Ho hum. I'm due my first inspection in September (if they follow the six month rule). Tricky thing I won't have any mindees starting until September - really hope Ofsted are slow off the mark! At least give me chance to get a month under my belt before they descend???

Probably not though...

Thanks for the heads up about some of the questions asked

[Rubybubbles]

thanks for sharing the questions

And how was it?

[miffy]

thanks for sharing the questions

And how was it?

Took the words right out of my mouth lol

Miffy xx

[Bluebell]

Ah yes thanks - confidential at the moment and she said it may change but unlikely to (?) - can't wait to get my inspection report! I will say I have had a really GOOD day though! and thanks for your good wishes on my other post as well Miffy! x

[miffy]

Very pleased to hear that

Well done

Miffy xx

[Bluebell]

Thanks Miffy -

The other thing she asked about was next steps which I do make notes of but was so difficult to talk to her I forgot to point out where they were - may be next time i will make it more clear in my updates.
And she asked about linking my updates to the EYFS and I had to look into 3 of the childrens books before I could manage to find a good example (doh) as the other ones were just really generalised and not very specific.
I have lovely books that are for the parents and what we do with photos and art work but they need to be more specific to EYFS, show next steps and her recomendation for me is to make them more 'user friendly' because they take me too long to do (!)
The actual inspection was horrible because one of the children has just learnt to walk so didn't want to play with anything just wanted to wonder aimlessly up and down and I couldn't tempt him with anything. Then I have a new cupboard for storage and he got obsessed with opeining and banging the doors - I told her it was new so she was understanding on that.
The other child is usually full of enthusiasm and I've really brought her out of her shell and she's usually Jules can Ido this and Jules can I do this but she just went really quiet and didn't want to do very much. When I tried to tempt her with different things she just kept saying 'no' and my own son was a true terror. He said he wanted to put a cd on - we normally have nursery rhymes or action songs or a story and he wanted to put on 'top of the pops circa 1990' AGgh then had a strop as I didin't want him to - I could see it was heading for a full on tantrum so I said 2 songs and then choose something the little ones will like which he did. He was demanding and also cried and got upset when he wanted something the other little one had. It was chaos because toys ended up all chaotic and the little one who haadn't wanted to do anything asked to paint so Mrs O had to move off table and I had to get all paints, aprons, brushes, paper out and for some reason it took me ages and I must have looked really disorganised! She painted for over an hour which MRs O liked because she said she was really absorbed and was getting enjoyment out of it but I kept having to get new paper, help with paints and go between her and the other 2 and answer her questions - my head was spinning a bit by the end. But when she told me what I'd got I was so relieved and she said I should be really pleased. she also said she was able to see through what had happened today and felt sure it wasn't usually like that but the children were like that having a stranger there and my son played up because he could sense it was quite important for me and so on.
SHe was really lovely - very efficient and business like but I liked her and felt she was very fair. Bit worried about the recommendations - working with other settings and making my obs more user friendly!

[mrstom]

Really nice to hear she could see the manic-ness wasn't usual and that kids do play up at important times! Maybe inspectors are human after all

[Hayley102]

Well done for surviving inspection. What do you do already to work with other settings?

[sarah707]

It sounds like you had a very positive inspection! Well done you!

working with other settings can be a tricky one - don't forget in the next 3 or so years before your next inspection lots of things including children and settings might change... so just build on your good practice for now and see where it leads you in the future

[Bluebell]

Thanks Sarah. I Am going to take a break for a minute from worrying about it all -I have no contact with pre-schools in terms of collection/drop-off and have children for 1 or 2 days.
for example I have one child for only 4 hours a week and have a very good relationship with his normal childminder who has him 3 days (which I explained to Mrs O) - CM gives me lots of information about routines and stuff that I don't get from the mum!
I filled in forms requesting information sharing but I explained that I didn't get a good response from that so I went and introduced myself, met the key worker, have the phone numbers. One setting did an under the sea theme so I used that to broaden on and took the kids to aquarium but individual information about children - no nothing!
Other setting brilliant - lots of verbal communication and information given.
I probably didn't express myself very well at all and tbh although I would like to share information I am not sure what information I should be expecting to receive (or to send)
I have the new EYFS training next month and I really want to get to grips with that for September and I am sure that as I progress I can look to improve my information sharing. I need to improve my obs and links to EYFS and my next steps so that will be all part and parcel perhaps of what I share with the pre-schools. She said I need to make my work more 'user-friendly' I was hoping that she would find it impressive as I spend so much of my own time doing it and it has lovely details about what we do and loads of photos. Never mind - pleased with what she said and hope it doesn't get changed!

Has anyone had any of the grades changed when it gets submitted by the inspector?

[Shar]

Well done on a "good" inspection.
Thank you for sharing your experience.

I have known several "outstanding" grades changed to "good" by line managers, but no others. Don't worry, relax.

[Bluebell]

OH NO!!! Don't say that - don't want mine changed!!!

[tinyp164]

Congratulations!
I have just had mine on tuesday and went really well! However, I seem to have the strictest inspector! She made it quite clear on the phone before she even came round that I would only get satisfactory as I'm new, this didn't bother me too much until I read my report and it was glowing, I couldn't pick fault with what she has put really. I have since done some digging...good old google and she has only ever given 1 outstanding in my whole county and only a few goods!! we can't all be that bad here...can we?!
Ok just wanted to have a mini rant as in all fairness I'm extremely pleased with my report and I'm full with a waiting list (only been doing it 3mths) so I must be doing something right lol.
Anyways my Mrs O was lovely but tight!

[hectors house]

Well done on your inspection, it does sound like you had a GOOD day - I really wish the inspectors could do their inspection by webcam or CCTV as I found last time that the children just aren't themselves when a strange person is with them for so long.

For my last inspection I had a baby who was terrified of strangers and I had to put myself between the inspector and baby at all times.

I also wish we knew when they were coming and were allowed to have another minder looking after the children while the inspector asked questions about paperwork etc - as I felt that I didn't get a chance to answer properly as children always needed help with something. Inspector had decided to look at garden and kids had wanted to go out too, so was constantly dashing between supervising kids on slide, answering questions and calming down baby! You wouldn't go for an interview and take 3 kids would you.

Also did anyone see the examples on-line of scenerios for discussing the 2 year development check with parents - it suggests that the childminders husband comes home early to look after their child and that the mindees granmother comes to look after mindee, so that the childminder can discuss the development check with mindees mother - without interruption!!

[loocyloo]

[QUOTE=hectors house;1121031]Well done on your inspection, it does sound like you had a GOOD day - I really wish the inspectors could do their inspection by webcam or CCTV as I found last time that the children just aren't themselves when a strange person is with them for so long.

For my last inspection I had a baby who was terrified of strangers and I had to put myself between the inspector and baby at all times.

I also wish we knew when they were coming and were allowed to have another minder looking after the children while the inspector asked questions about paperwork etc - as I felt that I didn't get a chance to answer properly as children always needed help with something. Inspector had decided to look at garden and kids had wanted to go out too, so was constantly dashing between supervising kids on slide, answering questions and calming down baby! You wouldn't go for an interview and take 3 kids would you.

Also did anyone see the examples on-line of scenerios for discussing the 2 year development check with parents - it suggests that the childminders husband comes home early to look after their child and that the mindees granmother comes to look after mindee, so that the childminder can discuss the development check with mindees mother - without interruption!![/QUOTE]

i don't think thhe person that did that has much idea do you? !!! i go to the parents house in the evening to talk in peace! ( also means it only takes as long as i am happy for it to take once got stuck with a parent in the evening for 3 hours! )

[rickysmiths]

Well done on your inspection, it does sound like you had a GOOD day - I really wish the inspectors could do their inspection by webcam or CCTV as I found last time that the children just aren't themselves when a strange person is with them for so long.

For my last inspection I had a baby who was terrified of strangers and I had to put myself between the inspector and baby at all times.

I also wish we knew when they were coming and were allowed to have another minder looking after the children while the inspector asked questions about paperwork etc - as I felt that I didn't get a chance to answer properly as children always needed help with something. Inspector had decided to look at garden and kids had wanted to go out too, so was constantly dashing between supervising kids on slide, answering questions and calming down baby! You wouldn't go for an interview and take 3 kids would you.

Also did anyone see the examples on-line of scenerios for discussing the 2 year development check with parents - it suggests that the childminders husband comes home early to look after their child and that the mindees granmother comes to look after mindee, so that the childminder can discuss the development check with mindees mother - without interruption!!

I don't think I would do that. i would ask to see both or one parent at a time they could without the children. Not to bring the children and granny why can't granny look after the children at home and mum leave her to it???
I just have visions of all these people supervising loads of mad children who are running wild while you are trying to have a conversation with the parents.