Hi All, thought I’d share details of my (our) inspection today. After a month of waiting (yes a month from the first call advising we were to be inspected) she finally came today. She did confirm Friday she would be out this week so we were fully prepared – and then some!
The inspection itself was pretty painless, the inspector was really nice although was very nitpicky about questions and asked some in such a way that we had no idea what she was driving at.
It mostly all came down to safeguarding – she asked endless questions about every issue regarding safeguarding, child protection and keeping children safe. We were also asked about how we can prove who was looking after which children and when should a safeguarding matter arise (something for co-minders to consider).
She looked at permissions, accident/incident and medication permissions and parental signatures.
She was very keen on parental involvement with children’s learning journeys and two way info sharing. Other setting info sharing too.

Things she mentioned which might help others:
She liked how the day was mostly child-led. We followed the energy levels, interest and desires of the children. We went outside and came in when they indicated they had had enough. Stopped an acitivity when they had clearly had enough. We did an adult supervised activity (saltdough with glitter and gems) which the children really enjoyed and she liked. But the majority of the day was driven by the children’s wants.
She also commented on our resources being stored in clear containers so the kids can see what is inside – plus the dual language on storage.
Overall we were happy with the grade given and wanted no more. However, the recommendations have really peed us off. We feel they are totally unjustified and are unsure whether to pursue further.

Our recommendations were
- We don’t display artwork or photos of the children in our care. We actually have a brochure the children can flick through of them at play with captions like “I can clap” and “I love to dance” to promote print in the environment and for them to see themselves but I forgot to get it out! We do display artwork – our walls are chocabloc with artwork from older children and previous mindees (because they make a lovely display). Our current mindees are between 1 and 2 and their first marks have been put in their scrapbooks and/or sent home for parents. Most of them have only been in our care for a few months and we have been doing lots of other stuff. Painting/drawing too but I’m sorry, we don’t want a child’s first scribbles or hands mashed in paint adorning our walls. It means nothing to the children although she said it would make them feel valued…..
- One of us didn’t do any counting / use number language in daily routine. We both do ALL the time. We didn’t happen to today WHEN she was observing. My co-mindee was all set to walk the children along stepping stones in the garden and count steps as she always does but Mrs. O kept badgering her with safeguarding questions!!
- We tried to set the living room up with the 7 areas of learning as usual but got a role play farm out as the children love it and its great for promoting animal sounds, quantities, size etc. The children we have are of course are too young to play with it intact for very long and scattered the pieces, chewed them, put cows and pigs in bags and boxes and made a lovely mess which we did our best to keep tidied and focused. Added to the other toys out for the child who only wants to press buttons and hear tunes there was quite a lot of stuff out. She said we had too many toys out and the children couldn’t move about freely. But that was one day? Its not always like that and we were trying our best to promote the 7 areas of learning.

Our annoyance lies in the fact that, had we only got a few toys out, she’d have penalised us for NOT covering the 7 areas. If we had counted at every given opportunity, she’d have penalised us for not covering shapes and colours or something else. Its like however hard you try if they want to find a hole they will. I can accept this if there are holes / areas in which we are lacking, but just because she didn’t see it today – in the short 5 hours she was with us - doesn’t mean we don’t do it as a rule. We have paperwork/photos/written evidence that we do everything required but she didn’t see it all today!

Like I said, we are more than happy with the grading given and only need Ofsted’s opinion for the sake of acquiring new business if we need to! (we are outstanding to our parents and children which is all that matters to us). But it irks us that we work flipping hard at this job, do a flipping good job and the recommendations are nitpicky and totally unjustified!!

Any sane advice appreciated. And yes the vat of wine is going down nicely thankyou!!

Thanks for your feedback and well done :thumbsup:

It is so frustrating. They see a snapshot of what we do and make such sweeping statements. To be honest, if I was a parent reading those recommendations I would not be concerned - there are far more damning/concerning reports out there. I would be very impressed by the positive things she said, so well done. x

Thanks for the feedback fitrix and well done it sounds like you did great. How many children of what ages did you have when the inspector was there?

Sometimes it can feel like they have to find things to comment on. At least they are things you normally do and not something Unachievable.
Well done, now celebrate :clapping:

Glad it's all over for you - before my inspection a month ago, I thoroughly researched my inspector, I knew that she was "picky" on children's home language (didn't apply to me), not asking parents for enough information on starting points, children being independent, fire evacuations, opportunities for counting, opportunities for children to express themselves through music and dance and that she didn't like over directed art activities.

I made sure that I covered all those points either on my SEF or during an activity - we counted, counted and then counted some more (bit like on your driving test when they say over emphasis looking in your mirror to make sure they noticed).

I made sure that the art displayed on Autumn topic was childrens own work and put up photos of the children either doing other autumn craft or out enjoying "Autumn", I also put lots of photos on a digital photo frame that was on loop the whole time she has here.

I think you would have had to challenge her comments when she gave feed back to get them changed as they can only go on what they have either read about in your SEF and see demonstrated on the day, but you may be right in that if you had done numbers she would have wanted more literacy or shapes. Glad you are pleased with your grade and like you say you can get work without the parents reading your report and the parent's and children's opinions are the ones that really count. :clapping:

Thanks for the feedback fitrix and well done it sounds like you did great. How many children of what ages did you have when the inspector was there?

We had 3 children all under 18 months (2 of them just turned 1yr). Then a nursery pick up for a 3 yr old. We did challenge her comments and I showed her the photos I have of the children (a laminated booklet which is normally out) but she barely even looked at it.

I really did get the feeling that she was searching for something / anything to get us on - no matter how tenuous. Yes they are achievable things which we normally do - it's just very unfair to be pulled up on them. And I do think, had we covered those particular issues, she would have dredged up something else.

I don't see why a 'good' grading has to have recommendations. Why can't it just be 'good'? Not fabulous as in outstanding but just 'good'?

We had 3 children all under 18 months (2 of them just turned 1yr). Then a nursery pick up for a 3 yr old. We did challenge her comments and I showed her the photos I have of the children (a laminated booklet which is normally out) but she barely even looked at it.

I really did get the feeling that she was searching for something / anything to get us on - no matter how tenuous. Yes they are achievable things which we normally do - it's just very unfair to be pulled up on them. And I do think, had we covered those particular issues, she would have dredged up something else.

I don't see why a 'good' grading has to have recommendations. Why can't it just be 'good'? Not fabulous as in outstanding but just 'good'?

All young children then, I was lucky on my inspection day and had 2 x nearly 3 year olds and a 3 1/2 year old - I probably wouldn't have done much counting with your age group either. I got Outstanding this time but if she had come on a different day with a different combination of children it could have been a very different outcome! I still have a recommendation on mine - about making story sacks for parents to borrow.

How do you research a particular inspector, can you search for their name in the ofsted reports portal?

All young children then, I was lucky on my inspection day and had 2 x nearly 3 year olds and a 3 1/2 year old - I probably wouldn't have done much counting with your age group either. I got Outstanding this time but if she had come on a different day with a different combination of children it could have been a very different outcome! I still have a recommendation on mine - about making story sacks for parents to borrow.

See that is exactly where the system is so wrong. Different day different outcome. Different inspector different outcome. They need to start looking at the overall picture - what we routinely do with a variety of children on a variety of days and take into account that we change and adapt. It is very wrong that they take a snapshot of a few hours and pass judgement as if that is the only way our setting operates ALL THE TIME.
And sorry but your recommendation sounds even lamer than mine!! Plus not in the inspectors remit to advise you how to conduct your business. Communication with parents is key but we do not need to be creating resources for them to use?!!

How do you research a particular inspector, can you search for their name in the ofsted reports portal?

i google searched the name of the one who visited me. But im not sure other than waiting for the phone call?

I went through all the inspection reports for childminders in my area from the Ofsted inspection report site, looked to see how had same inspector and made a list on what she was "picky" on - so tried to make sure she couldn't pick me up on same things.

I think we can always expect them to pick at something. No matter how hard childminders try there's always something they have to add.

I told my inspector I was disappointed with the Good she gave me and asked her what I should have done to achieve the Outstanding I had been working for 4yrs for.

In her own words she replied
'Childminders don't really get outstanding because they are not nurseries who can Network more and you have no special needs children on your books. Nurseries will have a lot more evidence and knowledge of working with special needs children'
She didn't give me any Outstandings in any area even though I have a very strong bond with all my parents, every one of them gave me faultless feedback and I had a great knowledge of the EYFS. I also had extremely rigid Safeguarding knowledge and keep up to date with all courses.

Says it all really.....

I asked her what I could do to achieve an Outstanding next time and she couldn't tell me anything. I nearly complained but in the end couldn't waste my energy.
Something I did learn from my inspection was not to try so hard next time, just relax and take whatever :D Working for perfection is never going to happen with Ofsted.

I think we can always expect them to pick at something. No matter how hard childminders try there's always something they have to add.

I told my inspector I was disappointed with the Good she gave me and asked her what I should have done to achieve the Outstanding I had been working for 4yrs for.

In her own words she replied
'Childminders don't really get outstanding because they are not nurseries who can Network more and you have no special needs children on your books. Nurseries will have a lot more evidence and knowledge of working with special needs children'
She didn't give me any Outstandings in any area even though I have a very strong bond with all my parents, every one of them gave me faultless feedback and I had a great knowledge of the EYFS. I also had extremely rigid Safeguarding knowledge and keep up to date with all courses.

Says it all really.....

I asked her what I could do to achieve an Outstanding next time and she couldn't tell me anything. I nearly complained but in the end couldn't waste my energy.
Something I did learn from my inspection was not to try so hard next time, just relax and take whatever :D Working for perfection is never going to happen with Ofsted.

I have been noticing on the Independent Facebook page that lots of childminders who haven't been inspected for over 5 years are now having their inspections and many seem to be getting Outstanding (me included), I don't want to dull down anyone's inspection grades but have been wondering if the Ofsted Big Conversation meetings have been working to make Ofsted realise that we do the same as a Nursery and should be graded the same either that or they have started employing some "humans". Wrong that in your inspection JCrackers that they marked you down for not having any children with special needs, recently heard that a village primary school didn't get Outstanding because the all children were white and British!