Had my inspection last Friday. I am usually judged Good but was judged Satisfactory on this occasion. EYFS has come in since my last inspection and I feel I am doing more than ever so was gutted to receive a Satisfactory. As the inspector explained, the new Good is what used to be Outstanding and to get Outstanding you need to "be all singing and all dancing". To do sufficient work to receive an Outstanding now would be admirable but beware, when you turn round to tell your husband and children they won't be there. They will have found themselves a wife and mother who has time for them. I felt like throwing in the towel after my inspection but I take heed from the parents who understand how over the top Ofsted seem to be becoming these days and who are completely satisfied with my service, and the children truly enjoy being minded by me. If I chucked it all in I would be letting them down and us childminders never like letting our parents and children down.

I really feel for you hun - but remember what matters is the care you give children and what the parents think - thats what matters.
Satisfactory is harder to acheive that many people think and to get it means you are meeting the requirements.
I do feel the wording of the grades are not reflective of what we do and the wording is what upsets us the most i think.

sending you a hug xxxx

I really feel for you hun - but remember what matters is the care you give children and what the parents think - thats what matters.
Satisfactory is harder to acheive that many people think and to get it means you are meeting the requirements.
I do feel the wording of the grades are not reflective of what we do and the wording is what upsets us the most i think.

sending you a hug xxxx

Here here but it just doesn't seem fair does it????

who are completely satisfied with my service, and the children truly enjoy being minded by me. If I chucked it all in I would be letting them down and us childminders never like letting our parents and children down.
This is what matters:thumbsup:

I really feel for you, mine is due in July and I have been dreading it. I know what you mean though have been putting hours and hours of extra work in like yourself, wondering if its all worth it!!!

Similar thing happened to our local pre-school (I've been involved with them as a helper and on the committee for years). The previous grading was Good back in 2005 and in reality the leader would not have cut the mustard with the EYFS (she left before it came out) and the equipment and building was in a right mess.
We (the new leader and committee) worked our :censored: off all last year to get it up to standard, do a whole new set of policies, upgraded our equipment, repaired the building, put in new soap dispensers, new toys (some of previous toys were 15+yrs old :eek:
And then they only gave Satisfactory as some of the equipment was a bit 'old' and the R.A was not comprehensive enough.
So although we know we are better than we were, parents will just see us going from Good to Satisfactory and think we are getting worse :(

I've got my first graded inspection TOMORROW! and I'm still sitting here, finishing off obs, next steps and planning and everytime I think it's all done, something else crops up! :mad:
Getting butterflies in my tummy now

Firstly WELL DONE on your satisfactory. Whilst the grade is fantastic the wording is insufficient in my eyes. You have done a great job and kept the same standards as last time.

Remember that everyone has to go through this inspection now and not everyone will get the same grading as last time.

Got mine due in July, I think i will be gutted if i go from good to satisfactory, as I know that i have worked my absolute butt off and my stuff is so much better than before, in terms of paperwork, displays, equipment etc, but I am sure that there will be something wrong!

I do struggle getting parents to participate as they are all 'so happy' with the care they get, that they wrongly leave us to get on with it, and find all the nitpicking paperwork a bind, so we have great trouble getting them on board, because they feel they trust us fully, like what we do and the children are happy:angry: :angry: :angry: