Just a bit disappointed in myself!

[teddybear01]

Hello,

I've never posted before, bit of a lurker! There isn't any real question to my post but I'm feeling a bit gutted after my first inspection and wanted to let off to others in the business!

I've been minding for four and a half years and finally had my first inspection on Monday. I must've been missed off the last cycle and have to admit that the longer it's taken to have one the more the worry has built up.

Last weekend I went through all my paperwork which is of course the greatest concern as without having had an inspection before it was hard to know what they would expect to see. I'm find minding children comes easily so wasn't worrying about that side of things. I updated my SEF, made sure my learning journeys looked (and read) really good. Updated all my polices and procedures and overall I felt confident.

On inspection day she read through my paperwork and my mindee was in a fab mood and it all went really well.

At the feedback she said needed to run through a few things, mentioning who I lived with and where. She only mentioned my first daughter and I smiled and said 'and my other daughter (9 month)'. She told me that ofsted weren't aware I'd had another baby and it dawned on me (by the look on her face) that I'd clearly should have told them and it was a big issue. She told me that she was disappointed for me because paperwork and the care I provide met all the child's requirements and I was clearly preparing her for her transition to school but my failure to advice ofsted of a significant change meant she couldn't grade me any higher than requires improvement. I am gutted. I work so hard to take care of my mindee and make sure they are well looked after and stimulated and I messed up on an admin error.

I'm feel very deflated and considering doing something else now. Having read through the definition of Required Improvement is sounds awful and I'd be surprised if anyone ever walks through my door again.

The full report is yet to come through (how long does this usually take?) but I'm dreading it being published :-(

My pride is wounded right now and I've spent the last five days stewing over it.

Sorry for the long post with nothing specific to ask but maybe ranting will help me get over it.

:)

[Maza]

Oh my word - that is awful. Poor, poor you. Do Ofsted not realise the effect things like that can have on our livelihood? Not to mention our health and well being. I would phone them and ask them for advice on whether it is possible to get this changed. Big hugs. xxx

[Mouse]

What a horrible thing to have happened. I really feel for you.

Unfortunately having another child is one of the changes that you need to let Ofsted know about and the inspector wouldn't have had any choice but to grade you as she did. You'll probably find she was upset by having to do it.

Wait until your report comes through and see how it reads. If the inspector was pleased with everything else that should show in the report. Hopefully it will only include a little bit about not informing Ofsted of changes.

As for what parents think, a lot of them really aren't bothered about an Ofsted grade. They're more likely to chose a childminder they bond with (regardless of the grade) than an outstanding childminder who they don't click with. I have had a few parents come to me because of my grade, but the majority of them probably don't even know what my grade is, They still recommend me to friends and are more than happy to give me glowing references. As a parent looking for a childminder I would rely on a good reputation much more than an Ofsted grade.

Hard as it is, try not to let it get you down. Be happy that you are doing well in all other areas and that by the time you have your next inspection you should have no problem coming out with a fantastic report :thumbsup:

[lollipop kid]

What a horrible thing to have happened. I really feel for you.

Unfortunately having another child is one of the changes that you need to let Ofsted know about and the inspector wouldn't have had any choice but to grade you as she did. You'll probably find she was upset by having to do it.

Wait until your report comes through and see how it reads. If the inspector was pleased with everything else that should show in the report. Hopefully it will only include a little bit about not informing Ofsted of changes.

As for what parents think, a lot of them really aren't bothered about an Ofsted grade. They're more likely to chose a childminder they bond with (regardless of the grade) than an outstanding childminder who they don't click with. I have had a few parents come to me because of my grade, but the majority of them probably don't even know what my grade is, They still recommend me to friends and are more than happy to give me glowing references. As a parent looking for a childminder I would rely on a good reputation much more than an Ofsted grade.

Hard as it is, try not to let it get you down. Be happy that you are doing well in all other areas and that by the time you have your next inspection you should have no problem coming out with a fantastic report :thumbsup:

I'm with Mouse on this one - About two years ago, I went from almost Outstanding (Ofsted's words) to Satisfactory in an unannounced inspection resulting from a call from a disgruntled parent 6 months after their child (who was only with me for 8 days) left. The real issue was about money.

I was downgraded to Satisfactory (equivalent to Inadequate now) as a computer crash meant that I was behind on LJs when I was inspected, and I was worried sick that this lower grade would make all of my other parents leave, and that I would never get any other children.

This didn't happen. I still have all of the children who were with me at the time; my word of mouth recommendations are terrific, and I now have had to take on two part-time assistants due to demand from existing parents/their friends. All of my parents were amazing and so supportive. They really got me through what was a horrible period.

Under the current system, you'll probably get inspected again fairly rapidly (in about 6 months time), which is an improvement on my satisfactory grade, where I'll have to wait up to another 2 years to get reinspected or pay an extortionate amount.

Don't feel down - I'm sure the report will be positive and reflect what is basically just an administrative error on your part when it comes through. And I'm sure your existing parents will be understanding, as mine were.

Chin up!

L

[teddybear01]

Thank you for the reassurance. The parent of the child I currently look after isn't bothered, she wrote a little paragraph in her diary today to say she feels quite satisfied that her daughter is happy and enjoys coming to me and sympathied with how frustrated I must be which was sweet of her.
Things have had a knack of working out when it's come to finding customers in the past so I'll just give myself a good taking to and carry on as before :)

[NightOwl]

What a shame Teddybear(01). That seems so harsh. My experience is a bit different. I've been childminding over 13 years and married for 30. I registered as a childminder before ofsted 'took over' and all my family were police checked. I rang ofsted with a question last year and happened to mention my husband, at which point I was informed that they had no record of him. I told them he was police checked when I first registered and was told they don't have paper records, all info was transferred to computers when they took over. My husband is mentioned on all my ofsted reports thankfully which I pointed out to them, so the fault was theirs not mine. Even so I ended up having to pay for a DBS check for him. If ofsted can make mistakes why can't we? Chin up.

[funemnx]

That seems really harsh to me - I would have thought they would have given you an action to inform them. So sorry this has happened xx

[lisbet]

What a horrible thing to have happened. I really feel for you.

Unfortunately having another child is one of the changes that you need to let Ofsted know about and the inspector wouldn't have had any choice but to grade you as she did. You'll probably find she was upset by having to do it.

Wait until your report comes through and see how it reads. If the inspector was pleased with everything else that should show in the report. Hopefully it will only include a little bit about not informing Ofsted of changes.

As for what parents think, a lot of them really aren't bothered about an Ofsted grade. They're more likely to chose a childminder they bond with (regardless of the grade) than an outstanding childminder who they don't click with. I have had a few parents come to me because of my grade, but the majority of them probably don't even know what my grade is, They still recommend me to friends and are more than happy to give me glowing references. As a parent looking for a childminder I would rely on a good reputation much more than an Ofsted grade.

Hard as it is, try not to let it get you down. Be happy that you are doing well in all other areas and that by the time you have your next inspection you should have no problem coming out with a fantastic report :thumbsup:

What Mouse said ^ and a :group hug:

[Simona]

Hello,

I've never posted before, bit of a lurker! There isn't any real question to my post but I'm feeling a bit gutted after my first inspection and wanted to let off to others in the business!

I've been minding for four and a half years and finally had my first inspection on Monday. I must've been missed off the last cycle and have to admit that the longer it's taken to have one the more the worry has built up.

Last weekend I went through all my paperwork which is of course the greatest concern as without having had an inspection before it was hard to know what they would expect to see. I'm find minding children comes easily so wasn't worrying about that side of things. I updated my SEF, made sure my learning journeys looked (and read) really good. Updated all my polices and procedures and overall I felt confident.

On inspection day she read through my paperwork and my mindee was in a fab mood and it all went really well.

At the feedback she said needed to run through a few things, mentioning who I lived with and where. She only mentioned my first daughter and I smiled and said 'and my other daughter (9 month)'. She told me that ofsted weren't aware I'd had another baby and it dawned on me (by the look on her face) that I'd clearly should have told them and it was a big issue. She told me that she was disappointed for me because paperwork and the care I provide met all the child's requirements and I was clearly preparing her for her transition to school but my failure to advice ofsted of a significant change meant she couldn't grade me any higher than requires improvement. I am gutted. I work so hard to take care of my mindee and make sure they are well looked after and stimulated and I messed up on an admin error.

I'm feel very deflated and considering doing something else now. Having read through the definition of Required Improvement is sounds awful and I'd be surprised if anyone ever walks through my door again.

The full report is yet to come through (how long does this usually take?) but I'm dreading it being published :-(

My pride is wounded right now and I've spent the last five days stewing over it.

Sorry for the long post with nothing specific to ask but maybe ranting will help me get over it.

:)

I think you should query this and quote EYFS p31 3.76 when you make your enquiry....this is to do with 'information and documentation you must hold'

Also look at 3.77 and what you MUST notify to Ofsted...seek clarification

It is worth a try on this point.

One clarification in general...Inadequate and Requires Improvement are not the same grade.....there is a difference

[blue bear]

Hugs for you :group hug: it won't be the end of everything with regards to parents, you will Be able to explain it was just an admin error, which I'm sure the report will reflect. Much rather it was for not making a phone call than something serious like you didn't care for the children properly.
Why don't you message Sarah707 (admin on here) she is an absolute star and will be able to advise if there is any thing you can do

[Kessie]

Feeling for you, Teddybear!

However, this is very interesting, just goes to show that Ofsted's inspection is not objective at all. It's all down to the inspector.
I've had mine earlier this month and was also graded 'requires improvement' but for a different reason which was unfair to me and pretty shocking as she'd been commenting well on things throughout the inspection.

Anyway, the main point is - I also have a little baby and I infprmed Ofsted about it a month after her birth. I did it over the phone and they said it was on the system now. When inspector came she said to me that my daughter is not on the system and when did I inform them about it. I said that don't remember the exact date of course but I def did. She didn't make a big deal out of it at all and it didn't even go into my report, she just said it's better to email them about it so that way I will have a proof that I def informed them.

I can appreciate that the only difference is you didn't tell them and I did, but the outcome is still the same - none of us was on the system when inspected. So how on Earth for the same mistake one of us gets nothing and the other one gets such a grade??!!!

I think it's outrages.

[alex__17]

How annoying for you! But none of my parents cared about grade when they startsd with me as I was newly registered and none of them were that bothered by grading when I got it as they were all happy with the care their children get.a
Parents go on whetjer they like uou and trust you to look after their children, I saw several 'good' childminders when I had yo go back to work before being registered and all were so different the ofsted report became irrelevant and I picked who I liked

[hectors house]

So sorry that you have had such a bad experience, you would have thought they could have just given you a warning though it wasn't as though you had an adult without a DBS move in and if you had taken your new baby into account in the ratios what difference does it really make whether she lives at your house or goes elsewhere in the evening.

I told my inspector that I looked after my 2 year old grandson for one day a week and that I treat him the same as I do the mindees and he has a LJ etc and she write down that I have 6 EY children on the books, even though I don't charge for him he still takes up a space.