Hi
Well, OFSTED (Tribal) inspection is due soon.

This time, Im aiming for Outstanding. I cant believe Im actually saying it loud, but If I dont blow my own trumpet then who will. I will be thrilled with GOOD too, but if I dont try then I will kick myself. I achieved a GOOD last time and I have improved my practice ten fold since then

So my questions:
What aspects do you think are most important witht the inspector apart from the usual Policies and paperwork in place.
Was there anything that you think swung it for you on your inspection to gain the Outstanding.
How hard was it to achieve the Outstanding.

Thanks in advance:)

Remember that the standards changed when the EYFS came in so a good now is the old outstanding

- Sell yourself in your SEF but be honest
- Know your EYFS and be able to link it in conversation
- Know the kids in your care
- Double check everything so there are no silly mistakes
- Be confident about what you do and don't be afraid to discuss a point with the inspector
- Ensure obs and planning are relating to the individual children
- Ensure equality of opportunity
Sorry sounds all very general but I couldn't pinpoint one thing.

All of the above :)
My (tribal) inspector was also very hot on risk assessments and checking my knowledge of current safeguarding/child protection practices - both written and verbablly. She asked if we did fire drills and asked to see evidence.

I know five CMs close by that have all had inspections since mine (Oct 2010) with differant inspectors and these were all also brought up with them.

Remember that the standards changed when the EYFS came in so a good now is the old outstanding


i have heard this before so what if you achieved outstanding after the eyfs came into force, would that have been good the old way ?

First impressions too. my inspector said she walked in and thought Wow...Im sure it helped.

Show how you work in partnership with parents and other settings.
Safeguarding - know your procedures.
Next steps planning for children.
Have plenty of childrens creativity on display (not pictures coloured in!!).
Also, of course, meet the usual welfare requirements.

Hth :)

First impressions too. my inspector said she walked in and thought Wow...Im sure it helped.

sNAP!

Be honest, dont do things just for the inspection as the kids will let you down!
make sure you are organised and know where everything is
I told the inspector 'if you cannot finds anything please don't assume I don't have it, please ask and I will find it for you'

To be honest if you are outstanding I am sure you will get outstanding. Be confident. :)

- Sell yourself in your SEF but be honest
- Know your EYFS and be able to link it in conversation
- Know the kids in your care
- Double check everything so there are no silly mistakes
- Be confident about what you do and don't be afraid to discuss a point with the inspector- Ensure obs and planning are relating to the individual children
- Ensure equality of opportunity
Sorry sounds all very general but I couldn't pinpoint one thing.

I think all of the above but especially that highlighted. Anyone can copy a load of policies and risk assessments and tick boxes, but if they are not relevent to YOUR setting what is the point. Be confident to argue if necessary. Talk about what you do, if you are passionate they will hear it in your voice. Our inspector said she could see we went the extra mile, but also the children, the things they said and did. Above all be yourself :D
Good luck :thumbsup:

First impressions too. my inspector said she walked in and thought Wow...Im sure it helped.

Do you have a playroom, just asking because on my last inspection in Jan 2008 my inspector told me at the end that she knew which grade I would be as soon as she walked through the door, before she had even seen everything! However she said as my paperwork was good she gave me a 'good' so I presume she must have thought 'satisfactory' when she walked in!

I can't have everything out at once as I don't have a playroom so am limited to amount of things I can put out at any one time. She really annoyed me with that comment so much so that I was going to complain but in the end just left it.

People say you don't need a playroom to achieve outstanding but you can present your setting much better if you have, in my opinion.

Do you have a playroom, just asking because on my last inspection in Jan 2008 my inspector told me at the end that she knew which grade I would be as soon as she walked through the door, before she had even seen everything! However she said as my paperwork was good she gave me a 'good' so I presume she must have thought 'satisfactory' when she walked in!

I can't have everything out at once as I don't have a playroom so am limited to amount of things I can put out at any one time. She really annoyed me with that comment so much so that I was going to complain but in the end just left it.

People say you don't need a playroom to achieve outstanding but you can present your setting much better if you have, in my opinion.

I know at least 3 outstanding childminders who don't have a playroom, but I do think a lot of it is what you do with the space you have.

Do you have a playroom, just asking because on my last inspection in Jan 2008 my inspector told me at the end that she knew which grade I would be as soon as she walked through the door, before she had even seen everything! However she said as my paperwork was good she gave me a 'good' so I presume she must have thought 'satisfactory' when she walked in!

I can't have everything out at once as I don't have a playroom so am limited to amount of things I can put out at any one time. She really annoyed me with that comment so much so that I was going to complain but in the end just left it.

People say you don't need a playroom to achieve outstanding but you can present your setting much better if you have, in my opinion.

No I dont , The hallway is ( was!:blush: , less so now) very inviting with artwork , welcome board , parents board etc and she commented on the way I use my available space. She said she wished she could show others that say you need a playroom to offer the best environment. I have my lounge as my main childminding space .
I must admit though this job would be so much easier with a playroom as I wouldnt spend so long setting up and returning to lounge as opposed to mayhem every evening!!

for me it was my SEF thanks to sarah's e-book

sell yourself and take control of the inspection she is a guest in your setting dont let her take over, show her around (him?) and involve he children.....

look who has come to visit us today, xxx has come to watch us play n learn..
thell the children to show mrs O around their play room and show her where the toilet is etc

good luck hun xxx

No I dont , The hallway is ( was!:blush: , less so now) very inviting with artwork , welcome board , parents board etc and she commented on the way I use my available space. She said she wished she could show others that say you need a playroom to offer the best environment. I have my lounge as my main childminding space .
I must admit though this job would be so much easier with a playroom as I wouldnt spend so long setting up and returning to lounge as opposed to mayhem every evening!!

Ha, me too it takes ages to return to normality!! Good to know then that you don't have a playroom.

Sorry to jump in Mawi, good luck with your inspection, I too am due, have had the first call just waiting for the actual inspector to call now :eek:

People say you don't need a playroom to achieve outstanding but you can present your setting much better if you have, in my opinion.

I don't have a playroom but I do have posters and visuals up in my kitchen and parents notices in the hallway. But more than anything it was the care of the children that the inspector was interested in.

For me it was the detailed SEF and the fact that I was honest about when things had gone wrong. I lost track of a child for a brief few moments on a pre school drop off and mentioned this in my SEF and showed how I had amended my procedures to ensure it didnt happen again. She was very impressed that I was properly reflecting and clearly knew where I needed to improve :thumbsup:

i have a lot of partnership with outside agencies- physiotherapist, speechtherapist, nuserey etc

i know not all get this opportunity but think this is what made it for me

good luck x

for me it was my SEF thanks to sarah's e-book

sell yourself and take control of the inspection she is a guest in your setting dont let her take over, show her around (him?) and involve he children.....

look who has come to visit us today, xxx has come to watch us play n learn..
thell the children to show mrs O around their play room and show her where the toilet is etc

good luck hun xxx

Thats fine if you have the right age of children. I currently have 2 just one year olds and an 8mth old. Its doubtful the before and after school ones would be here during an inspection.

I was just searching internet and found this link on how to become an outstanding childminder. It will go over most of what the ladies have already said but maybe a few extra tips (?)

http://www.childcaredirectory.co.uk/resources/how-to-become-an-outstanding-childminder.html

I was just searching internet and found this link on how to become an outstanding childminder. It will go over most of what the ladies have already said but maybe a few extra tips (?)

http://www.childcaredirectory.co.uk/resources/how-to-become-an-outstanding-childminder.html

Thank you very much for sharing that link, very good indeed. :clapping:

Many Thanks everyone for those great tips. And Louise thanks for sharing the LINK.

:)

Just make sure you are reflective on your SEF - I do this activity (eg recycling) and it benefits the children because.....

Also show you are recylcling - they were impressed with the books I had on saving the planet. Asked me how I contributed in my setting to saving the environment.

I got outstanding and I said to them at the end ' I really thought you had to have a nursery environment' to get outstanding. They said, a home just like yours is just fine!

They really liked my house rules in both written and picture form.

They were hot on child protection, risk assessments and just watched me relate to the children and cover all the areas of learning there.

Loved my photo albums too which I present to the child when they are leaving.

Also the communication with the parents, diaries, compliments form etc

Liked all the visuals I had up, eg handwashing, hello in various languages

Was doing a craft at the time, pre-organised in a box, liked how i had got it all organised before hand. The craft was 'faces' with various colours of card for faces and eyes and wool for hair - impressed with that.

Good communication with settings.

All your policies up to date.

Most of all be yourself - I had two inspectors for 5 1/2 hours (one inspecting the other) they were lovely. I had worked so hard with getting everything in place -but was totally shocked to get outstanding - hence me saying to them I thought you had to be a nursery environment. I nearly cried and so did they!


Good luck!

I was just searching internet and found this link on how to become an outstanding childminder. It will go over most of what the ladies have already said but maybe a few extra tips (?)

http://www.childcaredirectory.co.uk/resources/how-to-become-an-outstanding-childminder.html

I think most of that is taken from the Ofsted booklet "A passion to be outstanding" which is in free downloads (link at top of forum page)

Miffy xx

I would very much like to use some of the comments from this thread for an article I am writing about outstanding childminders.

I will keep everything confidential and acknowledge the forum at the end of the article.

If anyone has any objections can they please let me know by pm.

Thank you! :D

I would very much like to use some of the comments from this thread for an article I am writing about outstanding childminders.

I will keep everything confidential and acknowledge the forum at the end of the article.

If anyone has any objections can they please let me know by pm.

Thank you! :D

Just a suggestion Sarah, but if you want to quote someone it might be better to pm them and ask in case they don't see this.

Miffy xx

Just a suggestion Sarah, but if you want to quote someone it might be better to pm them and ask in case they don't see this.

Miffy xx

Thank you for your suggestion Miffy!!

I am changing things around and adding in lots of other information and not quoting anyone directly.

However as I have used the thread as a starting point for my writing I don't want anyone to feel I have misused their advice.

I have already had a few messages from people saying they are happy with me doing it... hopefully others will see it.

Those who don't will get a pm! :D

And I forgot to ask who you are writing the article for? :)

Miffy xx

I don't have a playroom and I don't have direct access to a garden (we are a first floor flat).

For me it was SEF and how closely linked my observations, planning and evaluations were.

Good luck.

Sarah, I'm okay with your request.

I don't have a play room either, but she said that i used my space and resources to their full potential. I used my inspection day as a chance to shine and show off all that i do... and it paid off!:)