Manda L
07-08-2009, 12:53 PM
Hi All,
i wanted to share my Oftsed story with you.
I was called just 2 weeks into commencing work by an Inspector to arrange my first graded visit. I informed her that even though i had been registered since Nov 08 i had only just taken on my first child, and could the visit be postponed.. No -each new childminder has to be graded within the first 6 months of registration.
She also told me that as i'd only been working 2 weeks and only looked after one child i would only get Satisfactory. This i did not want to hear and got me worried. So i phoned my local Early years team, which tried to get to the bottom of that comment.:(
In the meantime i just got on with it, filled my SEF and she arrived the 2nd day into my 4th week. I had one 8 month old boy.
The visit was good and she was here for 5 hours, which funnily enough flew by, but guess what at the end of that i only got Satisfactory.
I told her that i was quite upset by this and that i was doing a good job, which she agreed with.
She understood my frustration, but as i only looked after one child and dealt with one set of parents she could not give me a different grade, but would write the report favourably.:(
This she did, but with the support of my early years team and other childminders i appealled against the grade, as this would be with me for 3 years.
I wrote a very detailed and constructive objection letter, taking each point and highlighting the contradictions.
Well all you new childminders out there.... it proves to stand up for yourself and have confidence in what you do, because the upgraded my result to Good.:clapping:
How fantastic is that. I also made a suggestion, which as been passed onto the early years director.
"I understood why each new childminder has to graded within the first 6 months of registration, but surely it should be within the first 6 months of working, as i took my time getting all my qualifications first and my house ready, before i started advertising vacancies."
Good news all round... :laughing:
i wanted to share my Oftsed story with you.
I was called just 2 weeks into commencing work by an Inspector to arrange my first graded visit. I informed her that even though i had been registered since Nov 08 i had only just taken on my first child, and could the visit be postponed.. No -each new childminder has to be graded within the first 6 months of registration.
She also told me that as i'd only been working 2 weeks and only looked after one child i would only get Satisfactory. This i did not want to hear and got me worried. So i phoned my local Early years team, which tried to get to the bottom of that comment.:(
In the meantime i just got on with it, filled my SEF and she arrived the 2nd day into my 4th week. I had one 8 month old boy.
The visit was good and she was here for 5 hours, which funnily enough flew by, but guess what at the end of that i only got Satisfactory.
I told her that i was quite upset by this and that i was doing a good job, which she agreed with.
She understood my frustration, but as i only looked after one child and dealt with one set of parents she could not give me a different grade, but would write the report favourably.:(
This she did, but with the support of my early years team and other childminders i appealled against the grade, as this would be with me for 3 years.
I wrote a very detailed and constructive objection letter, taking each point and highlighting the contradictions.
Well all you new childminders out there.... it proves to stand up for yourself and have confidence in what you do, because the upgraded my result to Good.:clapping:
How fantastic is that. I also made a suggestion, which as been passed onto the early years director.
"I understood why each new childminder has to graded within the first 6 months of registration, but surely it should be within the first 6 months of working, as i took my time getting all my qualifications first and my house ready, before i started advertising vacancies."
Good news all round... :laughing: