Getting panicky about Ofsted

And I KNOW it's ridiculous to be, but I just want them to come! Or, at least, to know WHEN they are coming! :laughing:

I was inspected in the last May of the last cycle ...

And the inspector said 'got to get this done, we're running out of time '!!! I don't want to feel rushed again.

I've just spent the hour everyone was asleep in sorting out contract amendments as several are changing hours, working out what spaces I have and talking to prospective parents, doing a 2 yr check, and a few other jobs and it suddenly panicked me that I wouldn't be ready if Ofsted came ... but i would... i just like to be organised and I'm feeling very unprepared and WANT to know!

That said ... March is crazy busy outside of work and then it's the holidays ... so May isn't too bad!

Whenever you get the call it's amazing how many jobs you find need doing!

Have you done any CPD lately? It might be an idea to do a webinar or something if you haven't recently.

Also, if you don't do any written SEF type of thing, have a think about what your priorities for improvement would be.

I'm in the same boat. I'm due an inspection before the end of this cycle, so I reckon it could be any time now. I panic every time the phone rings with an unknown number :laughing:

Each week I write a new to-do list, starting with all the things from the week before that didn't get done! I'm waiting for a free weekend to get everything sorted, but I'm not sure when that will be. I've got a week off at Easter, with no plans to go away, so that might have to be me 'sort everything for Ofsted week'...as long as it's not too late by then :panic:

Thanks Maza,

I do CPD on a regular basis and my SEF is up to date .... it's just the not knowing!

Lol Mouse ... I don't answer unknown numbers either! And I too have a to do list that has half the stuff from the previous week on it! There are a few jobs I have been asking DH to do ... such as refelt the roof of the playhouse ... but it's not a priority to him and he's always got something else to be doing! :rolleyes::mad: I said I was going to get someone in to do it and he said he'd got everything, just needed to do it .... so just DO IT THEN!!!

Isn’t it a shame we childminders get like this when due a Ofsted visit? It shouldn’t be like this. That’s why I liked the days/ years when I started, social services days. You were checked but there wasn’t the pressure on you like now.Most childminders are very good and children thrive in their care .We are still meant to be a home from home setting but why does my house look like a nursery?

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Originally Posted by Dragonfly

Isn’t it a shame we childminders get like this when due a Ofsted visit? It shouldn’t be like this. That’s why I liked the days/ years when I started, social services days. You were checked but there wasn’t the pressure on you like now.Most childminders are very good and children thrive in their care .We are still meant to be a home from home setting but why does my house look like a nursery?

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I quite agree. Ofsted had just taken over when I started, but our local LA support team knew you and popped in.

We hardly have any LA support at all now, and I guess I'm lucky because I know a few of the local 'parental support' team, and often have a chat with them and they've always been very supportive to me, but I know other childminders don't have that relationship locally.


I think in a way, I'm not actually panicking about the actual inspection 'what will be, will be' ... but it's just the not knowing!

Loocyloo and Mouse you will both feel better when you get the call. Its the waiting thats the worse bit :thumbsup:

I started out when it was Social Services in charge.

I'm still friends now with the person who registered me all those years ago.

We had an annual inspection which consisted of her coming round for a coffee and going through a few questions. It seemed very relaxed and nothing like today's inquisition. But the inspector was actually very astute and, when the report came through, you realised she'd cleverly got all the information she needed just through chatting to you.

She also used to call in unannounced, maybe to drop in some paperwork or just because she was in the area and thought she'd pop in for a coffee! Back in those days my coffee pot was always on, so she knew she'd be guaranteed a decent drink if she called in :laughing:

I’ve Been looking into agencies .... despite being the most vocal anti agency when they were being planned.
The one I’ve been speaking to seems like a step back to the Local,network and even social services days , they pop in annually to make sure everything is on track , they send you out all the updates you need so you haven’t missed anything , they doinspect you too but there’s no shocks as they have already got to know you and your practice over the previous visits. It just seems a lot less pressure. I’m just researching at the moment but to take the ofsted pressure off , this panic we all feel , and inspectors who think they can get an accurate View of us within a couple of stressful hours with neither the childminder or the children acting in their usual manner ...especially now they don’t want any of he past paperwork we used to show our good practice.

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Originally Posted by mama2three

I’ve Been looking into agencies .... despite being the most vocal anti agency when they were being planned.
The one I’ve been speaking to seems like a step back to the Local,network and even social services days , they pop in annually to make sure everything is on track , they send you out all the updates you need so you haven’t missed anything , they doinspect you too but there’s no shocks as they have already got to know you and your practice over the previous visits. It just seems a lot less pressure. I’m just researching at the moment but to take the ofsted pressure off , this panic we all feel , and inspectors who think they can get an accurate View of us within a couple of stressful hours with neither the childminder or the children acting in their usual manner ...especially now they don’t want any of he past paperwork we used to show our good practice.

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That does sound interesting and I too, was very anti agencies!

That does sound interesting Mama2three.

The paperwork thing is funny isn't it - as relieved as we are to not have to do all of it - it did help us to prove what we were doing, especially if a minder doesn't have the gift of the gab on the day.