I am currently supporting a lot of members of this Forum who have been devastated by their recent Ofsted inspection outcomes.

Please can I draw your urgent attention to the following areas of provision -

Risk assessments
If a child does something developmentally new at home eg a baby starts rolling, a child starts walking, a child comes down the slide the wrong way and flies off the end, a child bites mum etc - write it into your risk assessments! 2 different childminders who I know have been pulled up for not writing it down and noting how they will support the child.

You can do this really simply - write ‘handover notes’ in their diary or maybe have a ‘my new things’ list in their Learning Journey.

Safeguarding
If anything - and I mean anything - happens that might even vaguely relate to safeguarding, ring and inform Ofsted. For example, if a child makes an allegation against another child (even one that you think is unimportant)... if a child (even if they are prone to telling tales) makes something up against you or your child... if you have an argument with a neighbour and they say they are going to tell SS you hit children...

You should ring Ofsted - 0300 123 1231 - and write it up as an incident, noting the date and time, what was said and how you acted to protect the children. Make sure you get a reference / name from Ofsted and note the date and time they were informed.

Risk assessments
If you have thrown away your written risk assessments or don’t think you have to do them - please think again! Read Ofsted factsheet 120334 and at the very least write a risk assessment policy and procedures AND write the main RAs for the house, garden and different types of outings - including noting (as above) how risks change when children develop new skills.

There is a lot of help online and in this Childminding Forum thread -
http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/risk-assessments/117192-risk-assessments-eyfs-2012-a.html

Educational programmes
Ignore what it says in the EYFS about not writing things down - and write them down! You need starting points, observations, assessments, Development Matters links, individual next steps planning and evidence of progress as a minimum for every EYFS aged child.

To evidence you are aware of the requirements of the EYFS, have a Learning Journey file for every child and follow the good practice advice in this Forum thread -
http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/learning-journals-scrapbooks-diaries/117181-learning-journeys-links-free-help-advice.html

School readiness
I know a lot of childminders dislike this requirement but it must be tackled! You need to show evidence of how you support children to be ready to start school - it’s not about teaching them to read and write... it’s more about promoting independence skills with parents so they are on board and supporting their child to be ready.

You can evidence this in your Learning Journeys - some childminders have a list of things to support children with which they share with parents and tick off together as they are achieved. Things like organising children’s days with pre-determined routines to support their learning about the passing of time and to help them get ready for school days also help.
There is some information about school aged children in this document -
School Age Children and EYFS (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/schoolagechildrenandeyfs.html)

Tracking progress
Yes, I know the EYFS only requires a 2 year progress check but it is really important to track progress throughout the early years, spotting problems and gaps in learning and tackling them with parents. A large number of inspection reports are commenting on the lack of regular tracking ‘towards the Early Learning Goals’. You don’t have to comment on the ELGs - that is the reception teacher’s job - but you do need to be aware of the progress each child is making towards them.

You can evidence this by writing short summaries of learning and development every, say, 6 months and sharing them with parents. Ask for parent input and comments and include the information in the child’s individual / next steps planning.
This document will give you further help and advice -
Making Good Progress (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/makinggoodprogress.html)

Resources
It is very important that you can show the inspector you have a range of resources to help children learn through all the areas of learning and development. A number of inspection reports pick on lack of resources as a reason for a lower grade.
For example, comments might say, ‘children do not have sufficient access to materials, such as, paint, dough, sand, water, gloop and collage materials. This impacts upon the children's sensory development’.

You can evidence your range of resources through photos of the children playing - especially if you keep some resources in another room of the house. Some childminders find it useful to have a resources and planning list which gives a general idea of what resources are available for the children each day.
Have a look here for some more ideas -
http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/resourcesforeyfs.

Outside play
Get the children used to going outside every day by promoting outside play, making sure you have appropriate clothes for them to wear, setting out games you know they will enjoy, providing a covered area, planning exciting outside activities etc. Then, on the day of your inspection, they will be more likely to want to play outside... and even if it’s tipping it down, invite them to play outside!

You can evidence this through your planning sheets, children’s daily diaries, observations which show a balance of inside and outside play etc.

Home learning
It is really important that you evidence how you promote children’s home learning. This is not about giving children homework - it’s about sensitively sharing ideas that parents can follow up at home, letting them borrow books, sending home simple recipes etc.

I have included a section in my play plan - every month I write about how I have supported each child’s home learning. You can find more information here -
http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/learning-journals-scrapbooks-diaries/117183-play-plans-eyfs-aged-children.html

Self evaluation
Just do it! Yes, I know it’s not compulsory but it is very likely you will be picked up on it if you fail to write some sort of self evaluation - or the Ofsted SEF. It doesn’t have to be long and complicated - but it does need to show clear evidence that you have an action plan for the future and that you are doing your best to improve.

The Ofsted SEF is here -
SEF Ofsted (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/sefofsted.html)
You will find some help in this document -
http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/Resources/showing_evidence_of_improvement.pdf

Balancing adult-led and child initiated activities
Those childminders who say ‘I just let children play’ or ‘I don’t do planning’ will be very likely to struggle during their next inspection. There is a big Ofsted focus on demonstrating how you provide opportunities for children to learn through adult-led AND adult-guided experiences as well as child initiated play.
Adult led = your planning for the child; adult guided = how you support children’s play by providing extra experiences so they get the most out of every learning experience; child initiated = children’s own play. You must make time for all 3 types of play every day.

Evidence this through your play planning to show what you have planned for the child and what the child has done. I am not talking about doing a lot of writing - and most of it can be done after the event. I use my play plan -
http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/learning-journals-scrapbooks-diaries/117183-play-plans-eyfs-aged-children.html

Individual vs group planning
The focus of current Ofsted inspections is on individual planning. If you use themed planning like thousands of other childminders that is still absolutely fine - just show how it is differentiated (changed) for the individual child.

To provide evidence, write your group / themed / topic planning as normal and then include notes on the child’s play plan about how he has engaged or how you have changed your planning to accommodate the child’s needs. For example, everyone is learning about Red Nose Day and you are organising a picnic. To offer sensory experiences for the children you have planned the following -
• Jane tells you that she wants to do a red painting
• John loves playdough so you will make some with him
• Jared is a baby and the children have helped you to make a red treasure basket / sensory box for him to use.

Information about individual planning -
planning for child interest (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/planningforchild.html)
Information about group planning -
Group Planning (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/groupplanning.html)
Activity Planner (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/activityplanner.html)
Ideas for sharing planning with parents -
Notice Board (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/noticeboard.html)

The learning characteristics
Do you know what they are? Do you share information about them with parents? Do you use them to inform children’s future planning? I have found them (or rather lack of them) mentioned in a number of Ofsted inspection reports so you do need to consider how you use them.

I wrote this blurb recently for a childminder who asked me for help explaining the characteristics to parents -

Observations tell us what your child is learning here and at home /elsewhere - their learning characteristics tell us how your child is learning.

Children learn in different ways - just like adults. Think about it - do you prefer to read a book or listen to it with headphones? Do you want to take things apart to find out how they work or are you simply happy that they do work? Are you are leader or follower? Do you talk a lot or prefer to sit quietly and listen?

Children's learning characteristics are individual to them just like our characteristics are individual to us.

By noting a child's characteristics we can clue into the ways they learn and make sure our planning for them is as unique as they are.

You will find more information here -
The Characteristics of Effective Learning (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/characteristicsofeffectivelearning.html)

Please check your safeguarding procedures are up-to-date with local safeguarding children board advice - and get on some training ...

And the most common reason for unsatisfactory? Can you guess? Yes it's lack of first aid certificate!

:D

Very interesting Sarah, thanks. I can't believe child minders are getting themselves pulled up on first aid training........:panic: These things are basic!!!!
Anyway, will take on board your comments. Thanks again.

Thank you so much Sarah for collating together the ways we can all improve.

I bet some of the people who got satisfactory for not having current first aid certificate though is because either the course they were booked on before theirs expired was cancelled or they found all the ones in their area were full. Have just managed to force our LA to put on a Safeguarding course in our town - 25+ childminders booked onto it and the LA nearly didn't run it because it had to be "multi agency" not just childminders or they wouldn't be allowed to run it - think in the end they managed to squeeze a couple of foster carers in, to tick the box!

Thanks Sarah for making it all much clearer.:)

Thanks Sarah x you are a star x

Thank you very much Sarah

Thank you Sarah, brill as always x

Thanks Sarah, this is another keeper!

Do you think it needs to be a stuck thread to be easily found?

thanks sarah... looking scary... not sure I want an inspection! not because i'm NOT doing it, but being able to prove/evidence it all!

I know of a childminder who got pulled up because she had no photos of the children LEARNING AT HOME in her LJ! her parents are not interested in anything the children do, just that they are cared for whilst parent works!

Thanks Sarah :thumbsup:

Thank you Sarah, are childminder inspections different to group setting? Some of the things childminders get picked up like learning from home or individualplanning I have never seen evidence of in the local nurseries and pre schools (I'm. Very friendly with the managers) and they don't get even a mention during their ofsted never mind highlighted on the report.

So helpful, thank you

Thank you Sarah, are childminder inspections different to group setting? Some of the things childminders get picked up like learning from home or individualplanning I have never seen evidence of in the local nurseries and pre schools (I'm. Very friendly with the managers) and they don't get even a mention during their ofsted never mind highlighted on the report.

This is such a good point - our parents comment on how little info they get from nursery - in fact there is hardly any communication at all so quite how nursery evidence these points to Ofsted I'm not quite sure!

Brilliant as always Sarah ! Thanks so much :)

Thank you Sarah.

I agree with a couple of comments others have made about the fairness of the inspections at the moment. I understand its all helpful, and am grateful for the heads up, but feel instead of bending over backwards, we should be challenging OFSTED on what they are inspecting us on! as they seem to have their own personal inspection framework removed from the EYFS. Your words "ignore what the EYFS says" is a concern. The new EYFS was supposed to relax on the amount of paperwork to allow us more quality time the children. Lots more child-led activities, open-ended learning. I recently went to a cluster meeting that was promoting taking away most toys and giving them basic natural toys to encourage their imaginations, and yet you state that childminders have been pulled up on the lack of resources.

I honestly don't think that OFSTED know what is going on themselves, and the difference between individual inspectors is terrible. I refuse to give parents "homework" all of my parents are brilliant at home and do more with their children at weekends than I do, as I am too shattered after working a 52 hour week and doing all the extras as well. If a parent was struggling a bit I would happily help, but don't see the need to push even more onto children that are already busy with me for the majority of the week.

Ah well, I guess it will be a satisfactory for me next time.

Brilliant Sarah, thank you so much!

:thumbsup:

Thank you Sarah, great support ,information and advice as always x

One thing I think that is unfair, is that we seem to put loads more time and effort and generally more all round that other early years settings.

All three of my children have been to nursery and pre-school. None of the settings follow EYFS as thoroughly as child minders do, they don't have in depth LJ, observations, next steps.

Partnership with parents is poor.

it feels like we are expected to do so much more than these other settings


Sorry just a little rant x

Very useful, thank you. Just in time for my first graded!

Brilliant Sarah, thank you :-)

Am I the only one that reads all that and is filled with fear!! I do monthly group planning, each child has their learning journeys, I try to keep up with the assessment sheets but these tend to get forgotten! I'm just not great when it comes to the paperwork side of things and it scares me that ofsted will come and tell me I'm rubbish and give me inadequate!! Apart from that all the kids that come here have lots of fun we go on outings and do lots of fun activities at home and they all go home smiling and parents are very happy with me too! I so wish that was what we got graded on:laughing:

Thank you that's really useful :)

Am I the only one that reads all that and is filled with fear!! I do monthly group planning, each child has their learning journeys, I try to keep up with the assessment sheets but these tend to get forgotten! I'm just not great when it comes to the paperwork side of things and it scares me that ofsted will come and tell me I'm rubbish and give me inadequate!! Apart from that all the kids that come here have lots of fun we go on outings and do lots of fun activities at home and they all go home smiling and parents are very happy with me too! I so wish that was what we got graded on:laughing:

Oh no, you're certainly not alone in feeling the fear factor!! I never had an issue with Ofsted visiting, simply show them what I do and hope for the best. I feel that inspections or inspectors have become harder to impress...although not something I'm now willing to take lightly, gonna get my head together and prove that I'm better than they think :)
And an awesome post Sarah...thank you!
Sarah x

Thank you sarah i need to pull my finger out.haha. I had a little boy of two started with me not long ago who was at a nursery in my area quite a large chain,parent could not afford prices and i was recommended which was nice.I asked if i could see his folder so i could find out where he was with his learning over the weekend before he started.
His folder had lots of photo's in with nice glittery borders but the observations that had been done were big sheets of A4 paper with headings for the area of learning and post it notes stuck on with very basic 3 lines of observation on it and hardly any of them were age linked,carried on looking expecting more detailed information but nothing.I had my DO round to go through observations with me so she could tell me if they were ok as was not sure i was putting enough info in them and linking them properly.We sat and did one together,and everything was fine.This nursery has bee given outstanding,why with shoddy work that i saw,i understand they have loads of children but they still have to keep within the legal number.Just abit shocked.as mine are a full A4 sheet of paper for every observation, filled with loads of writing all linking and photo's.