Kellyann36
29-06-2013, 02:39 PM
Hi all, just thought I would share my experience because its been really helpful reading all of yours!
I had a phone call a few weeks ago telling me that I would be having my inspection between the 17th June and the 28th June, and that I would get another phone call nearer the time to narrow it down a bit. On the 20th June I got a phone call from my inspector. She asked if I had children every day and which days weren't so good for me. She left me with "I will be with you on either Tuesday, Thursday or Friday - if I'm not with you by 10am, assume it isn't that day and carry on as normal"
So Tuesday comes, she doesn't arrive. Then my Thursday child rings me and cancels - leaving me panicking that I won't have a child other than my own, so I ask another parent who is quite flexible to swap a day so that I have a child incase she comes on the Thursday. Luckily I did, as on Thursday at 9.20am Ish she arrived. (My child hasn't arrived yet). As I opened the door she showed me her I.D - and we recognised each other as it was the same lady who did my registration visit. She came in and I explained that I only had my lb there at present and the other child would arrive shortly. She signed in and sat at the table. I asked her what she wanted me to get out for her to look at and she said "I need to see everything apart from your accounts" - so I emptied my lockable filing cabinet onto the table. My child arrived shortly after and my inspector observed me doing the handover, chatting to the child's mother about how she has been and the mother telling me that she has cows milk today. I reminded the parent to sign in and she said goodbye and I put the chain on the door behind her. The inspector asked mr
A couple of questions about how many children I have, names, ages and what days I have them. And then told me to carry on as normal. My son had been playing in the garden so the mindee and myself followed. My mindee is 13 months, she just wanted to walk around and explore but wasn't really interested in any activity in particular. I had planned pasta/rice play - scooping, pouring, filling tubs etc. she came and looked for about a minute but was much more interested in walking around and watching my lil boy play or seeing what she could find on the floor. So we went with her interests. Inspector came out to see what we were doing, (she could see from living room as patio doors were open but came outside every now and then) she asked about where I think the little girl is at, I talked about how the little girl likes lots of reassurance at the moment, but is usually happy when I am closely, and that she is walking and enjoys these activities and has been trying to feed herself with spoon etc. we talked about how she loves to watch people and when we go to toddler group she spends most of her time studying people's faces so I am on the look out for some little mirrors to buy. Inspector asked me about my
Planned activities for the day and I told her about them; and that I often provide them but as the little girl is such an explorer she much rather do her own thing!
My inspector observed me putting suncream
On the children and asked if parents provide suncream, I explained that parents are asked to provide suncream but I have permission to use my own if they haven't provided any, and that I have checked that there are no allergies.
Inspector watched me play and communicate with the children and asked me about what are the different signs of abuse and what I would do if I had concerns a child was being abused, and then she asked what I would do if somebody accused me of abuse, and how do I notify ofsted of this.
She went back in and carried on looking through my files. We went and played in the playroom with remote control car, and built some towers with the wooden bricks. My little boy was doing as expected and keeping me on my toes by snatching the toys off of mindee and even pushed her over at one point. I dealt with it by explaining that he made her sad by hurting her and he gave her a hug to say sorry. Inspector asked me about managing behaviour and I explained how I would do this. And also told her that since I've been registered (January) I haven't had any real behaviour issues from any of the 7 children I mind, it's only ever my own little boy!
We had snack, I washed my hands, helped my lb wash his and then I washed mindees hands with a flannel before putting her in High chair. I offered my lb a choice from the snack box (strawberries, cheese cubes, banana, satsuma, cucumber sticks or raisins) and he chose his favourite as expected, and then I showed mindee a banana but she didn look keen so I put a few raisins onto high chair which she seemed happy with. My lb had water.
Mindee's mum sent a fruit shoot for her as she doesn't drink water so I offered her both (inspector asked but I explained I offer water too, but mum sends fruit shoot as she spits water straight out again) she asked about snack box and what I provide etc.
I offered inspector a drink... And totally forgot to make it!
After snack we went back outside and I followed the children's interests, sometimes stepping back and allowing them to explore alone. Mindee got tired a bit early so we had an early lunch. Inspector asked me who provides lunches and how many children I provide tea for. And she gave me some feedback.
She gave me a 'good' and talked about how hard I've worked with all my planning and children's files etc. she took my Sef with her and quotes from My parent questionnaires. She liked my action plans and self evaluations and thought it was hilarious that my other half couldn't get into the house because of the chain on the door - she said its obvious I keep the children safe from intruders. She gave me one recommendation - to involve parents more in learning journeys (I have done well with the willing parents but not with the not so willing parents)
As she left she said "i just knew you were going to be good!" Which made my day. This was my first graded inspection and everybody had been telling me I wouldn't get more than satisfactory and everybody kept saying how OFSTED have really changed the goal posts to make it harder to get a 'good'. I was aiming for 'good' so I'm
Happy with that :)
Hope this all makes sense, I'm typing it from
My phone with my son fidgeting on my lap!
I had a phone call a few weeks ago telling me that I would be having my inspection between the 17th June and the 28th June, and that I would get another phone call nearer the time to narrow it down a bit. On the 20th June I got a phone call from my inspector. She asked if I had children every day and which days weren't so good for me. She left me with "I will be with you on either Tuesday, Thursday or Friday - if I'm not with you by 10am, assume it isn't that day and carry on as normal"
So Tuesday comes, she doesn't arrive. Then my Thursday child rings me and cancels - leaving me panicking that I won't have a child other than my own, so I ask another parent who is quite flexible to swap a day so that I have a child incase she comes on the Thursday. Luckily I did, as on Thursday at 9.20am Ish she arrived. (My child hasn't arrived yet). As I opened the door she showed me her I.D - and we recognised each other as it was the same lady who did my registration visit. She came in and I explained that I only had my lb there at present and the other child would arrive shortly. She signed in and sat at the table. I asked her what she wanted me to get out for her to look at and she said "I need to see everything apart from your accounts" - so I emptied my lockable filing cabinet onto the table. My child arrived shortly after and my inspector observed me doing the handover, chatting to the child's mother about how she has been and the mother telling me that she has cows milk today. I reminded the parent to sign in and she said goodbye and I put the chain on the door behind her. The inspector asked mr
A couple of questions about how many children I have, names, ages and what days I have them. And then told me to carry on as normal. My son had been playing in the garden so the mindee and myself followed. My mindee is 13 months, she just wanted to walk around and explore but wasn't really interested in any activity in particular. I had planned pasta/rice play - scooping, pouring, filling tubs etc. she came and looked for about a minute but was much more interested in walking around and watching my lil boy play or seeing what she could find on the floor. So we went with her interests. Inspector came out to see what we were doing, (she could see from living room as patio doors were open but came outside every now and then) she asked about where I think the little girl is at, I talked about how the little girl likes lots of reassurance at the moment, but is usually happy when I am closely, and that she is walking and enjoys these activities and has been trying to feed herself with spoon etc. we talked about how she loves to watch people and when we go to toddler group she spends most of her time studying people's faces so I am on the look out for some little mirrors to buy. Inspector asked me about my
Planned activities for the day and I told her about them; and that I often provide them but as the little girl is such an explorer she much rather do her own thing!
My inspector observed me putting suncream
On the children and asked if parents provide suncream, I explained that parents are asked to provide suncream but I have permission to use my own if they haven't provided any, and that I have checked that there are no allergies.
Inspector watched me play and communicate with the children and asked me about what are the different signs of abuse and what I would do if I had concerns a child was being abused, and then she asked what I would do if somebody accused me of abuse, and how do I notify ofsted of this.
She went back in and carried on looking through my files. We went and played in the playroom with remote control car, and built some towers with the wooden bricks. My little boy was doing as expected and keeping me on my toes by snatching the toys off of mindee and even pushed her over at one point. I dealt with it by explaining that he made her sad by hurting her and he gave her a hug to say sorry. Inspector asked me about managing behaviour and I explained how I would do this. And also told her that since I've been registered (January) I haven't had any real behaviour issues from any of the 7 children I mind, it's only ever my own little boy!
We had snack, I washed my hands, helped my lb wash his and then I washed mindees hands with a flannel before putting her in High chair. I offered my lb a choice from the snack box (strawberries, cheese cubes, banana, satsuma, cucumber sticks or raisins) and he chose his favourite as expected, and then I showed mindee a banana but she didn look keen so I put a few raisins onto high chair which she seemed happy with. My lb had water.
Mindee's mum sent a fruit shoot for her as she doesn't drink water so I offered her both (inspector asked but I explained I offer water too, but mum sends fruit shoot as she spits water straight out again) she asked about snack box and what I provide etc.
I offered inspector a drink... And totally forgot to make it!
After snack we went back outside and I followed the children's interests, sometimes stepping back and allowing them to explore alone. Mindee got tired a bit early so we had an early lunch. Inspector asked me who provides lunches and how many children I provide tea for. And she gave me some feedback.
She gave me a 'good' and talked about how hard I've worked with all my planning and children's files etc. she took my Sef with her and quotes from My parent questionnaires. She liked my action plans and self evaluations and thought it was hilarious that my other half couldn't get into the house because of the chain on the door - she said its obvious I keep the children safe from intruders. She gave me one recommendation - to involve parents more in learning journeys (I have done well with the willing parents but not with the not so willing parents)
As she left she said "i just knew you were going to be good!" Which made my day. This was my first graded inspection and everybody had been telling me I wouldn't get more than satisfactory and everybody kept saying how OFSTED have really changed the goal posts to make it harder to get a 'good'. I was aiming for 'good' so I'm
Happy with that :)
Hope this all makes sense, I'm typing it from
My phone with my son fidgeting on my lap!