My friend had her inspection last week got good:clapping: , but when mrs O came in she said I must tell you , Ofsted has raised the bar, what bar i wonder,

she commented on her sef, and next steps
my friend was a bit confused at this raising the bar lark as our co-ordinaters had not passed this on

Anyway we were at a early years conferance on Saturday and the heads of departments said that this was right Ofsted has rased its standards since 08/09 and some nursery schools were being graded lower than last time and not doing anything different

has anybody heard this in other areas, as I am concerned now that we havent been told what to expect

hope all this makes sense

ziller

mmmm interesting as ofsted is going private too????

want to know more so keeping an ear to the ground lol

a local minder was inspected a month ago,

last inspection she got an outstanding

this time she got a satisfactory

:panic:

a local minder was inspected a month ago,

last inspection she got an outstanding

this time she got a satisfactory

:panic:

:eek: and double :eek: :eek:

my inspector told me this also - that as standards raise across the sector then to be outstanding requires higher and higher standards. It makes sense. Also a number of providers are only now having their first eyfs inspections - we all hear daily how much more is expected of us , especially minders , since eyfs came into place.. and so their grade is showing whether they have really embraced the changes .

Had my inspection a few months ago and 3 years previously had received a Satisfactory and this time got a Good and had the same inspector both times - she also said that it was harder to obtain a Good than last time.

The reason why standards have changed is to all to do with EYFS and meeting all 17 outcomes. On my previous inspection we only had the five outcomes of every child matters and you had to receive the same grading in all areas for a good or Outstanding. Obviously now there are 17 areas that you have to recieve the same grading in to get the overall grade which is not so easy. I also think since Eyfs alot of the little things that Good and Outstanding childminders were doing before are now being recommended as manditory requirements, therefore it makes it more difficult for others to stand out, iyswim :rolleyes:

When I had my last inspection before EYFS came in I got overall Good, with Outstanding in a couple of areas. The inspector then told me that if I carried on doing what I was doing I should be on track for outstanding next time.

When I had my next inspection, after EYFS had come into force, I had the same inspector. When she phoned to say she was coming she said "I'll tell you now, we've raised the bar & it's a lot harder too get Good & Outstanding than it was before". I took that to mean that if I had just carried on doing what I had been doing, I wouldn't even have got all goods & outstandings like I had before.

I agree with what Sally has said. Some of the things that were considered 'good' before are now expected as standard, so would earn you a 'satisfactory'. Similarly, things considered 'outstanding' before EYFS are now considered 'good'.

I suppose it's only relevant to childminders who have been working from before EYFS came in and just lets them know that expections are higher now than they were before. If you didn't work before EYFS, it doesn't really make much differece as EYFS is all you'd know.

If you didn't work before EYFS, it doesn't really make much differece as EYFS is all you'd know.

i have only known EYFS, so i guess your right,

the minder i mentioned got outstanding 2 years ago, and had her first inspection under EYFS and got a satisfactory, she was going mad cos she "was doing everything the same" :rolleyes:
she wasnt happy to be told her paperwork wasn't good enough and needed to be more in depth :blush:

i have only known EYFS, so i guess your right,

the minder i mentioned got outstanding 2 years ago, and had her first inspection under EYFS and got a satisfactory, she was going mad cos she "was doing everything the same" :rolleyes:
she wasnt happy to be told her paperwork wasn't good enough and needed to be more in depth :blush:

I know one the same. She got goods and some outstandings pre-EYFS and got all goods, no outstanding areas after EYFS had come in. She took that to mean she was doing worse and couldn't quite grasp it when the inspector was saying that no, she'd stayed the same, but the standards had risen.

That is what the inspector said to me as soon as you walked in the door didn't make me feel at ease at all.

I did get Good but had to complain about a few things that she did.

Do you all think that the bar as its called has raised since e.y.f.s or before.e.y.f.s.


ziller

The reason why standards have changed is to all to do with EYFS and meeting all 17 outcomes. On my previous inspection we only had the five outcomes of every child matters and you had to receive the same grading in all areas for a good or Outstanding. Obviously now there are 17 areas that you have to recieve the same grading in to get the overall grade which is not so easy. I also think since Eyfs alot of the little things that Good and Outstanding childminders were doing before are now being recommended as manditory requirements, therefore it makes it more difficult for others to stand out, iyswim :rolleyes:


did you have your previous inspection before or after eyfs

Do you all think that the bar as its called has raised since e.y.f.s or before.e.y.f.s.


ziller

"Raising the bar" is a metaphor for raising goals, standards, expectations etc.
There isn't a real bar, it's just a saying.

All it means is that before EYFS came in you were expected to do a certain amount of work, meet certain criteria etc to reach each level.
As things changed when EYFS came, it means that you now have to do more to get the same grade. The bar has been raised since EYFS came in as it requires you to do more as standard practice.

For example, before EYFS your paperwork might have been at a level that would be judged "good". Now though, more is expected of you (ie. the bar has been raised), so you would be expected to do more to get the "good" grade.

yes I understand that there isnt a bar, ha

the thing that getting to me is the actual time it was raised

i had my inspection march 6th 2009 this was six months after e.y.f.s. and got a outstanding,

does that mean i would have just got good or lower today


ziller

It's also worth doing the SEF, even if it's not finished, just make sure you have done part 1 and 2, saves LOTS of questions. Also do the final part and your anything to do with what courses you are going on and if you are part of any childminder network.
I think the SEF at the moment is ticking boxes for the inspectors and in a couple of years they might say it will be mandatory to do it, as they do in Wales and Scotland (I think).

It's also worth doing the SEF, even if it's not finished, just make sure you have done part 1 and 2, saves LOTS of questions. Also do the final part and your anything to do with what courses you are going on and if you are part of any childminder network.
I think the SEF at the moment is ticking boxes for the inspectors and in a couple of years they might say it will be mandatory to do it, as they do in Wales and Scotland (I think).




I had half done mine, my friend hadnt done hers though

ziller

It just makes it even harder to understand! No wonder a lot of parents go by what they see, cos even two people getting outstanding doesnt mean they are both 'outstanding' depends when they were inspected etc.

My good was pre eyfs so when I am done this year it will be with EYFS, my dh was done within a couple of months of EYFS starting and he had only been registered 6 months and got Satisfactory, so who knows when they will inspect him as he is due 18 months after me!

Of course this begs the question, how will Ofsted maintain these standards when the inspections are outsourced.

I am not a great fan of how Ofsted conduct inspections, based on some personal experience, but to have a third party carry it out concerns me greatly.
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

I got OS in 2006 pre EYFS, and then again last year I got OS & managed to get grade 1 in all 17 areas... but if i had just stayed doing the same as i'd been doing in 2006 then i would not have exceeded the EYFS requirements- if you see what i mean :o We all have to move forward and be continually improving or we risk not meeting the current standards :panic: . Maybe thats what Ofstedness mean?

I was inspected in May 2009 and told at that time about the "bar being raised" in terms which made we wonder if I was going to be downgraded to satisfactory! Fortunately I achieved outstanding and I feel I have certainly enhanced my provision significantly since my previous inspection 3 years before when I was graded good.

did you have your previous inspection before or after eyfs

I got Outstanding in 2005 pre- eyfs, I certainly had to move forward in many ways to keep it this time! My Hubby and I run a far more professional business now than we did then. Mick only got a good last time as he was only working part time, but also got an Outstanding this time :D

The reason why standards have changed is to all to do with EYFS and meeting all 17 outcomes. On my previous inspection we only had the five outcomes of every child matters and you had to receive the same grading in all areas for a good or Outstanding. Obviously now there are 17 areas that you have to recieve the same grading in to get the overall grade which is not so easy. I also think since Eyfs alot of the little things that Good and Outstanding childminders were doing before are now being recommended as manditory requirements, therefore it makes it more difficult for others to stand out, iyswim :rolleyes:

Hi

Probably really thick for asking but thought there was only 16 outcomes not 17. Can someone please let me know what the 17 outcomes are?

anybody???

If you pick any recent inspection report, look at the "Annex A: record of inspection judgements"
The 17 areas are listed there, and they are on the SEF as well :thumbsup:

Mick only got a good last time as he was only working part time, but also got an Outstanding this time :D

Sally do you mean that Childminders who only work part time cannot achieve higher than a Good grading?

I was working 4 days a week, that is part time, all my kids were part time too, some 3 days some 4, varying times. Yes you can get outstanding working part time.:thumbsup: