Hiya ladies,

You may remember my other thread, where I was feeling confused after my inspection.

Now I realise why.

After talking to several childminders and the experiences of members of this site, I have come to the conclusion that ofsted inspectors are too subjective.
Why can’t they all inspect to a common frame work? I I'm in receipt of the 'what the inspector looks for' doc and I can tell you now that my inspector didn't follow it.

It shouldn't be that one cm can get marked down for not keeping a record of fridge/freezer temps, another get marked up, whilst another inspector has no interest in temp readings altogether.

It shouldn't be that a cm gets marked down for not double bagging a used nappy, whilst another inspector takes no interest in nappy change hygiene.

And it definitely shouldn't be that inspectors are happy to announce as soon as they get through your door that they don't give 'outstanding' to newly registered cm's (this, I must stress did NOT happen to me!)

My inspector sat in the same spot for the best part of their two hour visit. They had a quick look around my home AFTER they made their judgement:rolleyes: Merely skimmed my risk assessment file, didn't read my emergency evacuation plan (I’d have thought this very important as I live in a flat) and safeguarding policy, amongst others. Nor did she query where/if I had a first aid kit, so I asked her if she wanted to see it (my bag was obscuring it):rolleyes: .

Most of you make be thinking 'what do you care, you got a good in all areas?'
I've always been a woman of principle. Ofsted need to be more objective and transparent in their inspections.

In hindsight, I don't doubt the grade I received was the correct one. Had I been awarded satisfactory, I'd have immediately challenged it. I guarantee all the recommendations they make are the ones I told them, re-short/long term planning for individual child’s needs, Which I bought a book on to help me but I am yet to implement. Like we really ned to complete a SEF, we all if were honest, know what we need to do to improve our service. I think the sef should be given only to those cm's who receive 'inadequate', the rest of us don't need the extra paperwork to tell ourselves again, what we already know.


Do I have any tips to pass on?

No.

Why?

Because Ofsted is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.

oh hun:(

I must say my inspection today was lovely. She spent all her time, looking through the standard book (statory framwork thingy) because it is what I would of looked at:clapping:

Although she didn't spend as long looking around the house as my last inspection, she did make a point of looking at my first aid kit, and risk assessments

TBH there was nothing that made me think 'why you asking that' which was great. I have not recorded any fridge temps and it wasn;t even mentioned, I don;t have to be on the food board where I am anyway!


funny you say about nappies, all she asked was what I did, and went thats great:D

hope your okay hun, have you picked up yet?

You are so right! Other poeple feel the same way.

You are right - the sad thing is Ofsted are supposed to work to the same framework/standards or whatever you call it :rolleyes:

miffy xx

I know exactly how you feel! Your comments about the inspector not wanting to see your first aid box reminded me of another comment by a childminder at school who had her inspection earlier this week. She said that she had to insist on the inspector looking at her resources, inspecting her garden, the first aid box and other safety features. She was very put out that the inspector didn't seem bothered about basic welfare requirements but marked her down for not having planning in place for 5 to 8 yr olds.

Ofsted and their infamous consistency - not.

Well done hun for getting a Good in all areas but like you I am a woman of principle and sadly it will be a rare person that doesn't allow personal judgement to enter into their decision making.

Inspections are so dependent upon if an inspector has had a good/bad day, which side of bed they got out of, row with hubby/kids/boss/bus driver...., own personal interpretations and standards and so on and so forth. There is meant to be a "standard" that they inspect to -
sorry balls to the paperwork its how we get on with the kids and how we care for those children that should be the main principle of the inspection.
The biggest singular thing is that you cannot fake a rappor with children - you can see instantly if those children "enjoy" being with you/at the setting.
***getting down of soapbox***

its not just ofsted the care commison are just as bad its where your face fits and if you dont ask them to many questions we see our officers every year :angry: they are all ment to be trained the same way so why cant they get it right:angry:

My pre-reg inspector was not friendly. Hope i don't get her for a grading inspection (if at all):( Sorry feeling down as i was not given any advise from Ofsted or my local authority how to prepare for my pre-reg. I just thought it would be a friendly chat...how wrong was i?

Here Here and so say all of us - the inspector who came round to minders from this town said she hasn't had all her EYFS training yet and was due to go for more last Tues - says it all really doesn't it - this is why no matter how well we do at our inspections so many of us feel deflated after they leave it because we have to cover so much just in case our inspector is keen on 1 area or another and they end up only looking at part of what we prepare.- I think it should be much more standardised.

Couldnt have put it any better......................i totally agree.I got "good"too and actually quite liked my inspector-i too believe that this is the "correct"grading for me personally(altho i think in alot of areas i was,in fact,VERY good;) !!)However now others have been inspected under EYFS in my area(different inspector)i notice alot of things which dont add up....I spent aaaaages on all my policies/checks/risk assesments etc etc etc etc etc-so how come some inspectors dont even LOOK at a risk assesment and actually tell the cm she doesnt have it all together as yet(policies etc)& still give them good?Makes me feel a bit flat about my Good tbh:rolleyes: ...sorry that sounds like sour grapes but i hope you all know what i mean!jx

Ok im gonna ask a silly question now and ive been registered since 2005...........What is the care commision? Ive never heard of these people :eek:

Don't panic hun - Care Commission is Scotland:)

Im in agreement here too.

My inspector was lovely and I couldn't of asked for a nicer person to have, but.........
I had all my risk assessments in place (this was before EYFS came in force) and she wasn't bothered, never looked at my first aid kit (didnt even ask if I had one), never checked my garden, had a quick nosey around the house (very quick) but marked me down for not washing babies hands after I changed his nappy :mad:

What upset me the most was that I felt my report was not a reflection of me, my setting & what happened on the day I was inspected, but a copy & paste of another report with a few bits added on!

Ie, inspector talked about bats & balls I had to help with balance & co-ordination, we didnt talk about this and it wasnt really relelvant as I only minded a baby then!

I would of liked a mention of my risk assessments in my report, but nothing.

I did some singing & dancing which was never wrote in the report but after I did remember her mumbling something about her other inspection she had that day did singing so she wasn't going to mention it!

So I was happy that it was over & I got good, but miffed that the report was not really mine. I thought about appealing but didnt just incase they decided to come out & inspect me again :eek:

Ofsted inspectors are definatley a unique breed!

Before I start, I must apologise if I go on a bit!!!
I couldn't agree more. I am on a big downer with Ofsted at the moment. It has been taking up a lot of my time, hence why I haven't been on the forum for a while. My hubby & I had a joint inspection recently and the inspector was horrid :( In our opinion she had made her decision on our grade before she even stepped foot in the house. We had loads of paperwork for her to look at including out parents questionnaires and kids ones too. Some of it she wasn't bothered to see but the bits she did look at were pulled to pieces! :angry:
She was totally risk assessment mad and was not happy with ours. She wasn't even happy that we carried them out monthly. She kept saying they had to be in more detail and that it was a legal requirement to have very detailed risk assesments. She never asked to look at our fire escape plans, our emergency plan or our first aid kit either, which I thought was a bit strange:rolleyes:
There were lots of other issues we had with her that I won't go into now (or I could go on for ages!!:D )
She ended up giving us a grade of satisfactory, which we did not think was a good reflection of the service we provide. Especially since the reason given for the grade was that the risk assesments were not good enough. After she had gone I contacted Ofsted to query it and they said that the inspector was wrong and that, as stated in the eyfs guidance, the legal requirement is that you have risk assesments in place and that they are updated at least once a year. (which we do have) :angry:
They advised us to make a complaint (which we are in the process of at the moment) and we have asked for a re inspection.
Like many of you have said, it is not the grade that has angered us it is the principle and the fact that there's no consistancy in the inspections.

Sorry for going on a bit but they make me soooooo angry :angry:

Ok, rant now over!!!:blush:

Sorry to say I agree with alll the comments on here,
My grading inspection was on wednesday, although I got satisfactory and pretty happy about that, I do think if the manager had'nt of been there also , assessing the inspector, I would have got a Good,
This might sound like I'm a bit big for my boots maybe, but Ive worked so hard since April. Not enought tho prehaps:(
As the manager left she congratulated me on all I had done :)
Oh well only another 3 years too wait, until I get my good..LOL
Mandy