Ofsted inspection yesterday...GUTTED !!!

[tetti]

So,had my second inspection yesterday.On my first one I got Good.This time the inspector,a different lady,praised me in every area,saying there was no room for improvement,so I thought that maybe,I'd get awarded Outstanding this time.She praised my layout,the care I provide for the children,my communication with the parents,everything was great !
Then at the end she gave me.... Satisfactory !
Why? "You do not have any labels in Hindu on your toyboxes,you cannot speak basic Hindu,so therefor you are excluding (name of mindee) and I have no choice but to give you Satisfactory "

I could have cried ! Yes,my mindees parents did put down on the contract that they speak Hindu at home,but they know that it is vital that their child learns to speak fluent English,hence why they chose my setting.

I work so hard,and the parents are 100% happy with the care that I provide (and stated this in their letters to the inspector),all my paperwork was in order,the inspector said herself that there was nothing that I could really improve upon,and the she marks me down because I cannot speak (basic)Hindu ?!?

I don't dare to appeal as I may get an even worse inspector next time around...I just cannot believe it.It feels so very disheartening when you KNOW you are doing a great job,and this grading will be there for all to see now.Gutted is an understatement.

She was a bit of a dragon,she did not smile,just a deadpan face,she did not shake my hand when she came in,I offered her a tea or coffee,upon which she replied (ok,almost barked) "Caffeine is evil !Hot water !Got any lemon?".My mindees were so intimidated by her that one started crying when she looked at her !

I just feel deflated at the moment,it really does feel very injust to get your grading lowered simply because of this one factor.The parents of this child offered to contact Ofsted as they really disagree with the inspector's verdict,but I am afraid it would only make things worse.

[VeggieSausage]

Oh poor you, I think I would flag it up with them if you feel very strongly in disagreement with them, you have nothing to lose. big hugs :group hug:

[silvermist]

Oh dera poor you, thats really frustrating. I agree, I would ring them and challenge the outcome.:)

[tetti]

Thank you hun :) I have to look into how I go about making an appeal.I am totally gutted about this.It just does not make any sense to me.I mean,for eg,in my daughter's class,there are about 8 children who speak different languages at home,should their teacher be expected to know the basics of all these languages? I think not.Personally,I think it defies belief,it's political correctness gone mad! I put a very strong emphasis on teaching the children about diversity and multiculturalism,I have loads of books and dolls covering this spectrum,and living in London,well,it's a part of life.But having to learn the basics of a mindee's language? What would she had done,had she carried out my previous inspection,I had a half Danish/Half Italian girl,and a boy who was half Jamaican and half Filipino ! I probably would have been told to learn all 4 languages!:panic:

[silvermist]

Thank you hun :) I have to look into how I go about making an appeal.I am totally gutted about this.It just does not make any sense to me.I mean,for eg,in my daughter's class,there are about 8 children who speak different languages at home,should their teacher be expected to know the basics of all these languages? I think not.Personally,I think it defies belief,it's political correctness gone mad! I put a very strong emphasis on teaching the children about diversity and multiculturalism,I have loads of books and dolls covering this spectrum,and living in London,well,it's a part of life.But having to learn the basics of a mindee's language? What would she had done,had she carried out my previous inspection,I had a half Danish/Half Italian girl,and a boy who was half Jamaican and half Filipino ! I probably would have been told to learn all 4 languages!:panic:

Try not to worry to much, give them a call.

[EmmaReed84]

APPEAL APPEAL APPEAL...For goodness sake APPEAL!!

You are working in partnership with his parents and ensuring mindee is becoming comfortable with english as a second language... AT THE PARENTS REQUEST... what are you supposed to do... tell the parents, erm sorry don't care what you want, I will do it the way I see fit!

I would have been :censored: :censored: :censored:

APPEAL! lol

[boxtree7]

Ridiculous ...... I best start labelling all my boxes - of course this should be challenged - How can you go from good to satisfactory for that reason.

[SandCastles]

My Mrs O was like yours, she was horrid, and my inspection stills haunts me nearly 3 years on.
I think you should appeal this decision, it sounds like she was trying to find fault with you and struggled to find anything tbh.
Sending hugs

[Penny1959]

Please appeal

I look after bilingual children I do not have toy box signs in any language, I speak one word of Polish - which is the Polish name the child has given her toy dog (comfort object) and one word of Romanian - the word for grandmother - and I can't write either word.

I sometimes hand over to the Romanian granmother who has one word in English - my name. BUT we comumicate through basic sign language

I do have books such thousand words in Polish - and even a couple of duel language books both in Polish and Romanian but not a lot of use to either me or the children - as I can't read their language and neither can they!

I was awarded outstanding in all areas in Oct 10 - and I recently took part in the pilot for the revised EYFS and although does not count was awarded outstanding.

When you get your report and you see the actual wording - and want to appeal - I would be happy to support you in doing so. However sometimes when the wording is not as bad or as expected - and some decide not to appeal But if you want to I will help.

Penny :)

[tetti]

Thank you so much for your support everyone,and thank you Penny,I really appreciate it,that would be of a tremendeous help.I am hoping the wording is not as bad,but if it is,I will definetly complain.
I really think it is totally unjustified to mark someone down because they cannot converse with a mindee in their native language.It'd incomprehensible to me how I can get marked down because of this.The parents were bewildered when I told them,and they wish to make a complaint to Ofsted about it,as they do not wish for me to follow through with the recommended steps (for me to label the boxes in Hindu and learn the basics of the language) They know it is vital for their child to speak fluent English,hence why the decided to put their child into childcare,instead of the mother caring for the child at home,and for me to speak Hindu to their child would go against their wishes,and they want the inspector to know this.
Honestly,I wonder how they train some of these inspectors,my previous one did not mention the fact that I should learn the native languages of my former mindees,instead she praised me for teaching them English! I just wonder if some inspectors make up their own rules?

[WibbleWobble]

i sometimes wonder what planet these inspectors on are on. You would think by now there was some way of standardising inspections....


my heart goes out to you

Good grief woman you have all of THE childminding forum behind you.....osfted quake in your boot...


we are childminders...hear us roar!

[JCrakers]

APPEAL...definitly

I was unhappy with my grade on Friday. Now I have lost the will to improve...i have no drive anymore because theres no point...Ive worked with children since 1994 and worked my butt off and it wasnt recognised so I wont be doing so anymore. A childminder in my town got the same grade as me and she had no children on roll....that just tells you how stupid the system is as how could they watch her with the most important thing in the job....the children??

I cant believe that at all (well actually I can because Ofsted are so inconsistant)
Im mad for you actually. You definitly should do something :angry:

[tetti]

I totally agree JCrakers,I feel very much the same. I work so hard to make sure that every need to every child is met,I mean,I even make my two mindees two different home made meals for lunch and dinner every day (one is a carnivore,on is a pescetarian) to make sure that their dietary needs are met,and she gives me a Satisfactory grading ?!?
She also asked me why I had no records of any incidents or accidents...that is because there has never been any (!) She asked my (when viewing my risk assessments) why I had ticked the boxes "What are these supposed to be for then? Humour me,I don't understand!And why's the action box empty?"
I explained to her "Well,you see there is a box next to each potential risk? If it's ticked,that means that there is no need to take any action,hence why I have not written anything under action" (duh,pretty self explanatory,no?)

I have put so much effort in to my paperwork,everything is there,my observations,progress reports,planning etc etc etc,everything that needs to be in place,is in place.And it definetly understand what you mean JCrakers,when you say that don't feel motivated and that you have no drive to improve anymore,I feel just the same.I now have every parent,past and present,offering to back me up (I am in close contact with all of them),asking if they can write letters to Ofsted.So whilst it does feel so heartwarming to have all their support,it feels horrible that this one person can come into my setting,and just ruin my hard work and my reputation in a matter of hours,simply because of my not speaking one mindee's language !
I am just afraid that if/when I complain,I may make things worse?
Has anyone else made an appeal before? And if so,what happened afterwards?

[sandy64]

Appeal you dsont deserve to be down graded for somethink so petty the parents are happy with you. remember.
1. YOU ARE A GREAT CHILDMINDER
2. MEETING ALL CHILDRENS NEEDS
3. DONT LET ONE OFSTED PERSON PUT YOU DOWN APPEAL.
write down complaint, get parents to write a letter you will be reinspected usually within 28 days take care hun and smile:)

[singingcactus]

wow..in fact WOW! I normally stay out of appeal discussions but really APPEAL!!!

That is insane!

At worst she could have put that as an action to aim for, but not to grade you satisfactory over all if you are offering a setting that fulfils all the criteria for a good grade.

Appeal! Satisfactory is a perfectly fine grade, but if you have earned a good grade then you should get it!

[anisha]

i sometimes wonder what planet these inspectors on are on. You would think by now there was some way of standardising inspections....


my heart goes out to you

Good grief woman you have all of THE childminding forum behind you.....osfted quake in your boot...


we are childminders...hear us roar!

That's right, we are CHILDMINDERS and not a nursery! Honestly sometimes I think we can't do anything right :mad: