I spent approx 4 hours filling mine in yesterday. It took God knows how many attempts to get on the website and then negotiate my way around it. The OST number they give you is about 16 digits long - (why? even my NI number is only 8 digits and everyone in the UK has one) and then you have to obtain another stupidly long and unmemorable Gateway ID aswell as coming up with a password.
I found the SEF really really long winded. The questions were really difficult to know exactly what they were trying to ascertain and then many of the questions were pretty much repeated later in the SEF.
Then today when I tried to go back in to make amendments to my form (I was so shattered after spending so long at it yesterday I was talking gibberish by the end of it) - you can't! I finally found the answer in SEF Help - you have create a new SEF and take it from your old. How complicated and unneccessary is that?
And what is more you can't save the site onto your favourites - you have to type in the whole https://online.ofsted.gov.uk/onlineofsted blahblahblah every time you want to go in.
I could have spent all that time this weekend working out brilliant planning and activities for the kids, not to mention spending time with my own family.

Moan over.

One of my moans is - I'm off! changing the subject a little bit- cos Steve is in a home, I work and at the moment I'm earning £99 per week. I only work about 21 hours a week. I did for 5 weeks last year work for over 30 hours so I got working tax credit. Now I'm only working 21 hours pw, I can't have it but I've written a long letter to them telling them exactly how many hours all childminders have to do when they DON't have the children here. Isn't that still working!? We're all on now, on a Sunday evening and many of us are doing paperwork and printing off and everything all weekend and till late at night. I've written and told them this in great detail and said we might do less than 30 hours with the children actually HERE but we do a hell of a lot more than that a week when they are not so we're still working? I'm waiting for a reply!!!!!

I've had a go at my SEF and have gone back a few times and changed it and as you say Fitrix, it's a terrible number that you'd never remember so I've pinned mine on the notice board right in front of me. Did someone say when we are supposed to submit them? Is it when we hear we are having an inspection?

I've been and got my vodka and coke now, I'm getting worked up!!! :D

No - when Ofsted ring you to arrange coming to inspect they have already frozen your SEF. You cannot then go in and update / amend it. Think this is to encourage us to keep it updated throughout the year.

I'm off to attack the wine now too - you can see that everyone undertaking the EYFS is going to end up raving alcoholics!!!

No - when Ofsted ring you to arrange coming to inspect they have already frozen your SEF. You cannot then go in and update / amend it. Think this is to encourage us to keep it updated throughout the year.

I'm off to attack the wine now too - you can see that everyone undertaking the EYFS is going to end up raving alcoholics!!!

Think I already am!!:laughing:

OH! I didn't realize that ! God, I'd better go and amend it a little bit again then! See, we're never off duty are we???? :panic:

I have my vodka and coke every single evening, I'm quite ashamed when some of you only drink on a Friday night or weekends!!! :D

I'm with you Sue so dont feel ashamed:) Listening to all this talk on SEF think I will have a big one before I start.Paula:)

No - when Ofsted ring you to arrange coming to inspect they have already frozen your SEF. You cannot then go in and update / amend it. Think this is to encourage us to keep it updated throughout the year.


Well that is completely stupid imho

They will have fun with mine as i havent even looked at it yet

J
x

Well I am not going to submit my sef until they ring then - this way I can do any last minute changes and they will just have to wait. I will tell them I will get it submitted later that day.

I am also tempted to make it really long just to get my own back - but they probably will get bored and not read it all. Whatever we do we can't win.

Im not going to do mine until i have done the workshop on filling it in.

Any one else doing the EYFS conference at Reigate 27 September:)

I've had no problem bookmarking the log in page, I then 'remembered' the username and password on the computer, so it is quick and easy to log in.

You don't have to submit immediately. Keep it in the saved option until you are happy with it, then submit but I wouldn't wait until you hear about your inspection to send it, it will be too late. They will inspect you as if you hadn't sent one in, and that will be a much longer inspection! :eek:

Once completed and submitted, aim to update it every few months and it will make it easier. :)

Well I am not going to submit my sef until they ring then - this way I can do any last minute changes and they will just have to wait. I will tell them I will get it submitted later that day.

I am also tempted to make it really long just to get my own back - but they probably will get bored and not read it all. Whatever we do we can't win.

Donna, see my post above - it will be too late to wait until they say they are coming to inspect, they won't wait :(

Mine is loooooong!! Well they did ask questions, so I answered them!! :laughing::laughing:

I was on futher EYFS training recently & we were told to print a copy & have it with us during the inspection. That way if our minds went blank we could just use it as a prompt

Hope I don'd sound stupid, but what is a SEF? Will I have to do one before my first inspection? I am not yet registered. x:blush:

Hope I don'd sound stupid, but what is a SEF? Will I have to do one before my first inspection? I am not yet registered. x:blush:

It's something you do when you're registered, before your first real, childminder inspection.

It's a self evaluation form... and its only just been brought in with Eyfs.

Don't worry about it yet... there is lots of help around when you're ready to do it :D