Ofsted big conversation meeting - Manchester 10.1.2014

[sarah707]

I am attending an Ofsted Big Conversation meeting in Manchester on Friday!

I will be the only childminder there and I am very keen that childminder comments are heard alongside those of our colleagues in nurseries and pre-schools.

What I thought I would do is to take a letter from childminders which I can give to Ofsted so they can read it later... so I am looking for CURRENT issues please!

We have already told them about a lot of our concerns (and I will re-print this letter to take with me - http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/blogs/sarah707/74-ofsted-inspection-feedback.html).

Now I am looking for any NEW concerns eg doing school run in a car...

Thank you :)

[hectors house]

My big gripe is that Ofsted inspectors won't come out with us on a planned trip - I can understand they may not want to go to a noisy toddler group or soft play centre but lots of my outings are out on a walk in the woods where I do forest school type activities, nature talks, listening walks etc - how can an inspector get a feel for what I try to achieve or all the health and safety checks I do whilst strapping children into car seats, letting them explore tree climbing and paddling in streams whilst staying safe and all the conversations that we have in the car whilst getting to our location.

I would like to be able to say to the inspector when they phone "make sure you bring your welly boots and some warm and waterproof clothing - Ofsted say there is never inappropriate weather, only inappropriate clothing"!


Thank you Sarah for representing us at this meeting - we look forward to hearing what was discussed.

[Simona]

I am attending an Ofsted Big Conversation meeting in Manchester on Friday!

I will be the only childminder there and I am very keen that childminder comments are heard alongside those of our colleagues in nurseries and pre-schools.

What I thought I would do is to take a letter from childminders which I can give to Ofsted so they can read it later... so I am looking for CURRENT issues please!

We have already told them about a lot of our concerns (and I will re-print this letter to take with me - http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/blogs/sarah707/74-ofsted-inspection-feedback.html).

Now I am looking for any NEW concerns eg doing school run in a car...

Thank you :)

Is this a regular meeting to be followed by one of the so called 'steering' meetings when your Area Ofsted Director will attend?
What I find a bit confusing now is that 2 of the directors are now national ones ...one for Early Education and one for Childminding...I am not sure if they have kept their own area directorate at the same time

I am sure you will find plenty to ask but my questions are:

-How do CMs retain their good/outstanding grade if we have no support while the agencies are busy building a package of support for their members?

-what happens if a CM is downgraded ?...does she hand the 2, 3 and 4 year olds back to the LA?
if so how is the scheme going to succeed when the next wave of 2 year olds comes in if many CMs lose access to funding?

[sarah707]

I have added something about outside play and wellies Hector's House thank you for those comments...

Simona we have tackled those very pertinent questions in the other letter I will be taking with me - it's already printed and put in a folder :clapping:

Sad that only 2 forum members replied when we have had hundreds of responses on the FB group and other groups ... and it affects every single one of you ... but hey ho thank you very much to you both.

Here is the letter - proofing notes welcomed.

8103

Thank you :D

[Tulip]

Good luck on friday sarah, you're a star x

[loocyloo]

Brilliant. Well done and thank you for going and asking questions.

I didn't respond as I couldn't add anything else ( and hector s house beat me to asking inspector to come out with me!)

[Mouse]

Thank you Sarah.

For some reason I have only just read this thread.

I know it's too late now as you have written your letter, but I would like clarification on variations/exceptions. No one really seems to know for definite what we can & can't do. Ofsted won't help and often direct us to out local authority early years team, where the response can be different depending on the person you speak to. The whole thing seems to hinge on personal interpretation - our's, our colleagues, the LA staff, the Ofsted inspector. Surely it can't be that hard for them to come up with some firm rules?

[Rachel6]

Hi Sarah, sorry I have only just this. My question would be please can they not treat childminders like nursery, we do not have a lunch hour,we do not have a day off to go on a course,we also have to do all coursers. I love my job always have for the last 21yrs but I am a childminder(home from home) not a nursery & I'm not superwoman. Good luck Sarah & thank you for giving up your time.x

[Simona]

I have added something about outside play and wellies Hector's House thank you for those comments...

Simona we have tackled those very pertinent questions in the other letter I will be taking with me - it's already printed and put in a folder :clapping:

Sad that only 2 forum members replied when we have had hundreds of responses on the FB group and other groups ... and it affects every single one of you ... but hey ho thank you very much to you both.

Here is the letter - proofing notes welcomed.

8103

Thank you :D

Thank you for your reply Sarah...here is my response
I am not on FB therefore I am not included in the matters raised by those who have given feedback to you...valid points but not those I would have raised and I had not seen the letter you had prepared on their behalf.

As you are aware I have recently written a letter which will be published in February and in that letter I raise many questions that CMs are awaiting answers to
The letter is in response to E Truss speech at the Family and Daycare Trust conference on 12 Dec 2013...in that speech she made some very dubious statements and did nothing but praise the support agencies will provide to their members while ignoring the fact that ICMs have been left with little support at LA level...this is not just to do with Networks but generally....she hardly mentions independent CMs as if we do not exist
Her constant referral to agencies makes me think she is not giving CMs or the children in their care 'equal concern'....she is the Under Secretary for childcare in general not just a mouthpiece for agencies.

I was not a Network CM so whether the networks have gone or otherwise makes no difference to me or to the thousands of CMs who did not belong to one.
I have posted her speech in the forum and here it is for those who have not seen it before

DfE: School nurseries should open 8-6 to revolutionise choice for parents | PoliticsHome | Press Release | PoliticsHome (http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/89893/dfe_school_nurseries_should_open_8_6_to_revolution ise_choice_for_parents.html)

Due to the limited wordcount I was not able to cover the 2 questions I posted here in my letter.
No worry because those CMs who receive EYE magazine will have noticed that PLA CEO has raised the valid points I made too in the February issue in his letter and article...he will get a better response than I ever will....those questions are directed to Ofsted and DfE alike.

Many CMs believe that many of the questions that need answers are to come from Ofsted...that is not so
I recently wrote to Sue Gregory twice and twice got a reply.
In response to my question about when Ofsted would announce a revised...or not... registration fee for CMs...she said the fee is set by the DfE not Ofsted so I should approach them instead...so I did.

In a recent interview in NWorld Truss stated she was confident Ofsted would not charge a fee that would threaten their sustainability...it looks like the Under Secretary is not aware of who is in charge of what...sad really!

I also recently questioned Sue Gregory on the Ofsted split of Childminding from Early Education...that decision she said was taken by Sir Michael Wilshaw
The split took place in January and so far we have had no clarification on what it will entail for CMs....that is a big question for CMs

I also agree with Mouse that the EYFS 'self variation' issue for CMs needs addressing with some urgency...it is a really sticky point

The lack of support and possible consequences for CMs who get downgraded is also vital...thousands of CMs are holding back from funding children worried at the pitiful low funding and result is they get downgraded and have to 'hand the children back' to the LA whose lack of vision is appalling....the result is that the DfE is pushing children into school at age 2 because their scheme is in danger of flopping

I obviously cannot stop the forum from having a FB page, that is not my worry but...and this is my personal view...since then the dynamics of the forum have changed and most of the action appears to be on FB with little here

I hope to attend the London OBC and there I will put my many questions while also putting them to others who can do something about it.
I am also aware that many other CMs are fighting our corner in their own way...no fuss just getting on with it.

[shortstuff]

Hi Sarah. I hope im not too late. For some strange reason ive only just seen this thread.

I would like to know why any complaints which are raised regarding inspections are investigated in house. How can they expect us to feel like we will get issues looked into fairly?

I would also have asked about inspectors jiining us out but thats already been mentioned.

Thank you for your continued hard work on the behalf of cm's. You are as always amazing x

[miffy]

Good luck today Sarah.

You might be the only childminder there but I have every faith in you getting our points across.

Miffy xx

[Simona]

I sincerely hope Sarah will not be the only CM at the meetings...many have attended the first ones especially the London one where plenty of suggestions were made by CMs ... many CMs will attend the second wave of meetings too....these are being organised right now

For those who are interested in participating they can keep updated via the OBC website...as I reported for everyone to be aware of, some meetings are just regular ones some will be the steering ones when Ofsted Regional Director will be attending
I do hope CMs will make an effort to be there and report their concerns directly to Ofsted

#OfstedBigConversation: Home (http://www.thebigofstedconversation.co.uk/)

[sarah707]

Hi Sarah. I hope im not too late. For some strange reason ive only just seen this thread.

I would like to know why any complaints which are raised regarding inspections are investigated in house. How can they expect us to feel like we will get issues looked into fairly?

I would also have asked about inspectors jiining us out but thats already been mentioned.

Thank you for your continued hard work on the behalf of cm's. You are as always amazing x

I am so sorry I have printed the letter ready to leave - but I will take your comments and try to mention them ... I imagine nurseries and pre-schools will also comment on this issue as well.

Thank you xx

[shortstuff]

I am so sorry I have printed the letter ready to leave - but I will take your comments and try to mention them ... I imagine nurseries and pre-schools will also comment on this issue as well.

Thank you xx

Thanks Sarah. I hope it goes well x

[rickysmiths]

I am attending an Ofsted Big Conversation meeting in Manchester on Friday!

I will be the only childminder there and I am very keen that childminder comments are heard alongside those of our colleagues in nurseries and pre-schools.

What I thought I would do is to take a letter from childminders which I can give to Ofsted so they can read it later... so I am looking for CURRENT issues please!

We have already told them about a lot of our concerns (and I will re-print this letter to take with me - http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/blogs/sarah707/74-ofsted-inspection-feedback.html).

Now I am looking for any NEW concerns eg doing school run in a car...

Thank you :)

Sarah despite having been on the Forum every day at some point this is the first time I have seen this thread. I am intrigued at you comment about new concerns eg doing the school runs in a car. I have done this for years why would it now cause a concern that might be of interest to Ofsted? You don't mention it in your letter.

[shortstuff]

Sarah despite having been on the Forum every day at some point this is the first time I have seen this thread. I am intrigued at you comment about new concerns eg doing the school runs in a car. I have done this for years why would it now cause a concern that might be of interest to Ofsted? You don't mention it in your letter.

I think Sarah is referring to another thread where a cm was picked up for having the children out too long on school runs and should use a car instead. Apparently when we are walking children to places there are no learning opportunities on the way so keeping the los out means less learning time.

[rickysmiths]

My big gripe is that Ofsted inspectors won't come out with us on a planned trip - I can understand they may not want to go to a noisy toddler group or soft play centre but lots of my outings are out on a walk in the woods where I do forest school type activities, nature talks, listening walks etc - how can an inspector get a feel for what I try to achieve or all the health and safety checks I do whilst strapping children into car seats, letting them explore tree climbing and paddling in streams whilst staying safe and all the conversations that we have in the car whilst getting to our location.

I would like to be able to say to the inspector when they phone "make sure you bring your welly boots and some warm and waterproof clothing - Ofsted say there is never inappropriate weather, only inappropriate clothing"!


Thank you Sarah for representing us at this meeting - we look forward to hearing what was discussed.

Locally to me I have know an Inspector walk on the school run with a childminder and one who was asked and did bring wellies so they could go on a planned walk.

[rickysmiths]

I think Sarah is referring to another thread where a cm was picked up for having the children out too long on school runs and should use a car instead. Apparently when we are walking children to places there are no learning opportunities on the way so keeping the los out means less learning time.



Ugh! Since when and what about all the childminders who don't have a car and walk everywhere? I have never heard this and indeed when my own children when to school first i had no car and we walked a mile to school and a mile back twice a day.

I currently walk a mile there and a mile back to toddlers once a week. Many of the cm locally don't and have never driven. What a load of nonsense. That inspector would have got short shrift from me and a complaint if she had dared comment in my report!! I missed that thread.

[shortstuff]

I walk as much as possible myself although I do have a car and could use it a majority of the time. As far as im concerned its a much more pleasurable experience for all involved walking as you can interact without taking your attention off the road. Also nothing beats exercise and fresh air x

[MessybutHappy]

Sorry Sarah I too missed your post and now am to late, but tbh I'm not sure I'd have added anything anyway. my own ofsted experience has, so far, been positive & I've not heard any first hand accounts of odd requests/demands /expectations.

There does appear to be a lack of quality control and no external, unbiased, reviews which is extremely unusual! many government departments and most large private companies are subject to regular audits and irregular inspections, I know because I've been subject to them and carried them out, and whilst they don't fix everything they do mean there's a need to be more accountable.