If WibbleWobble can get OUTSTANDING then anyone can and here is how she pulled it off
Ofsted inspection for WibbleWobble
Mr Ofsted arrived at 9:30am. He gave me his ID card and I looked at – I then invited him in. I introduced the one EYFS child I had (F - 4) and I asked him about his mobile phone, he said it was in the car. I went through the fire procedure. He looked at my notice board and we chatted about what I had on there.
I asked him if he wanted a cup of tea/coffee and he said yes. So I put the kettle on and gave him a guided tour of the house allowing F to take the lead in showing him what we had.
With his cup of tea he sat in the corner with all the files right next to him. I had put contents of each file on post it notes and stuck them to the spines of the corresponding file. He went through how he was going to conduct the inspection and gave a rough idea of how long it would be.
He went through all the legal stuff with me- making sure I was complying with all the registers. He asked about an incident where I had to inform OFSTED about my daughter’s involvement with a social worker from adult services – he said I hadn’t kept Ofsted informed of the outcome, but I had and I had the email to prove it. He apologised and said he would be complaining to Ofsted as they hadn’t given him all the info he needed.
Activity -After all the legal stuff he started watching F an I. I had got an activity organised where we would make our own playdough using a pictorial instructions. We didn’t do it! Whilst waiting for Mr O to arrive F had started doing some drawing, sticking and colouring. I sat with F and she was making a flag. It was made by sticking paper onto paper and she made a lovely Union Flag. I helped her find a paper straw and we stuck it on the side so the flag could be waved. I made a skull and crossbones flag and we talked in pirate language – I answered a question to Mr O in pirate and he replied back with an Arrrr! F and I looked at other flags on my IPad – she did all the pressing to get what we wanted. We talked about the colours and what the country might be like as their flag could have an elephant on it or another animal. F and I played “café” and she told him we like to go to cafes and have gingerbread men. I had provided a pad for her to “write” my order. She was funny and Mr O laughed a lot! We had snack – F washed her hands and helped wipe down the table. I asked her why we wiped the table and washed her hands – “because we do”………with further probing from Mr O she admitted it was to get rid of germs. She put the plates out and the special non cutting knives. We put a selection of fruit on the table. She chose half an apple and a banana. She peeled the banana and cut them up with the apple. We talked about keeping fingers away from the knife. I had fresh figs in the fridge so I brought them out. She hasn’t had them before (I know – introducing new things on an inspection) she cut up and ate two! Mr O asked her if Mandy often gave her new things to eat. She replied with “yes lots of times and she is yet to poison me”……………………………………… ………………………………………… …
Development - Whilst we are doing this Mr O is asking where F is developmentally, I reply she is hitting ELGs in communication and PSED. He asked what my plans were for her and I said as she was going to school in four weeks they would be taking the lead. My role would be to support what she was learning at school. I explained I had spoken to school and they were happy to give me a password for their Tapestry online tracker and I could interact with that. I talked to him about another child who I think could be Gifted in her communication. He looked at her LJ and agreed this could be the case – he asked what I was going to do.
Planning - He asked me about my planning and how did I know where the children were. I showed and explained my system and he said it was great. He loved my two year checks and transition assessments – he said he already knew so much about children he hadn’t met!
SEF -He had read my SEF (10000 words) and he mentioned bits from it and wanted to see evidence of what I had written. EG I had put in about how I had asked the children what would make the playhouse more fun. They suggested we could have a proper key hole to fit the big keys and a key hook to keep them safe. Phil sorted this out ages ago but I mentioned it and Mr O saw that as a good example of seeking children’s opinions. He also said I had written my SEF just like I talk !
Safeguarding - he went through the usual’s checking insurances first aid etc. He liked the flow chart of what to do if I thought a child was being abused. He liked the fact I had attended safeguarding training recently even though I wasn’t due as things had changed. He also liked my online training on the prevent strategy and CEOPS. He did not ask for signs or actually ask what I would do. I did say to him that even though I had middle class children that was not a reason to let my guard down – he then mentioned the ex PM and agreed whole heartedly with me. He also liked my emergency contact cards.
Risk assessments – he had a quick look at my written ones – I also said I was always doing risk assessments in my head as we went along. He liked that!
Training – we talked about my degree and he complimented me on nearly finishing it. He liked all my training certs and we talked about what I had learned – he liked my brief thoughts I had jotted down on each course.
Feedback – he used the criteria set out in the inspection handbook. He read them out and he and I discussed whether I was meeting the criteria for OUTSTANDING. And I was! He said my biggest strength was safeguarding and in his opinion that was the most important aspect of looking after children.
Recommendations – he didn’t have any but he needed to put something. We agreed on looking at the Gifted and talented info for the little girl and working with school. I had already put these in my SEF and he asked me if it was ok to use them. He said he didn’t want me to read my report and think “flipping eck Mr O I am just about to do all that and you have stolen my ideas” he said he didn’t want to upset me.
We talked about how things were difficult for childminders and how we were all self-taught and had little training- some of us had no LA support. I said this whole thing felt like the “great british bake off” where all my friends and family have said I am fabulous and now I was in front of the judges with my sponge cake waiting for them to say it was nice……he said he didn’t want to know if he was Paul Hollywood or Mary Berry! I also said I thought Ofsted were losing sight of the fact we are not trained teachers and we were doing this for £4 an hour at times. He agreed we had been given a hard time recently. I also said my house was kept as homely as possible and it was just that – my home. And parents chose me because this is a home. He did like my displays though and loved the fact we had the allotment.
In all it was very stressful but I did enjoy it and I told him I had been looking forward to showing off. I had to keep sipping water as I was so dry. But then I needed a pee…..but I held it in until he went. He got two cups of tea and a wee here. He said he had thoroughly enjoyed himself and he had only given one other outstanding in this cycle. I gave him a big hug a kiss when he said he could only give me an outstanding!
He was here for three hours – 2.5 doing the inspection, 30 mins having a chat about it all/asking his advice.
I think he drove back home with a smile on his face!
and that my friends is what i did......so if i can do it anyone can XXX:clapping:
