Flisspaps
07-07-2011, 01:37 PM
Mrs O came today - was due before 10am today or tomorrow (she rang this morning and said she was running late, would I be in this afternoon and turned up at 10.50am)

She was lovely, very friendly - not at all an ogre. Didn't have my SEF as I'd submitted it after she'd made the appointment booking but she said she has about 48 hours after the visit to look at evidence etc, so might be able to get on to look at it later on.

Of course the grade is confidential until it has been confirmed by those in the Upper Echelons, but I have done well in 15 areas and VERY well in 2 areas (Working with parents and resources) ;) :D

One of the parents turned up mid-inspection to drop off a lovely letter about me, which certainly helped her to form her one judgement, and she told me her findings then popped out to the garden for a quick look, came back and said actually she was improving the judgement for resources based on the garden and the details of the activities I offer in the Learning Journeys (all photo obs) - all those months of hard work remodelling the garden to get it registered last month was so worth it!

I owe a massive thank you to everyone on this forum - I've only been doing this job 6 months, with essentially no training, and I childmind in the way that I parent and have hoped that was good enough - and it appears that it has been. I've picked up lots of fabulous ideas for paperwork and practice, and without this forum I would probably have scraped a satisfactory grade, but not near what I got today.

My recommendation is that I revisit my Risk Assessments to check everything is covered, DD decided to play with a plug socket for the first time when I went to the loo :rolleyes: right in front of Mrs O, we had a chat about socket covers and why I don't use them (which I was prepared for having had a heated debate with my pre-reg inspector, for anyone wanting more info go to fatallyflawed.org) and she also suggested some foam 'horseshoes' which stop doors closing on little fingers, and how I have risk assessed corners on tables etc (I don't have plastic corner covers and don't intend to). The door stops are something I will consider, but at the same time my home is my home, not a nursery, we can't stop all dangers and children will come into contact with doors thousands of times in their lives, foam horseshoes on my doors won't teach them that closing doors anywhere else on their fingers hurts) I didn't think to check my RA when she was here to see what I had written.

So...now to wait for the confirmation of the grade, and three years before they darken my door again!

sarah707
07-07-2011, 05:43 PM
It sounds like you had a very positive experience! Well done you and thank you for all the feedback :clapping:

Flisspaps
07-07-2011, 06:24 PM
I did Sarah, due in no small part to the fantastic advice that you've given on many a post that I've read on here, and your SEF e-book. Although she hadn't read my SEF it was really good to know what she would be looking for so that I had answers ready for her questions.

I've now got 3 years to work on what I do and get an even higher grading next time round.

Penny1959
07-07-2011, 06:48 PM
Well done - and thank you for the feedback


Penny :)

breezy
07-07-2011, 07:06 PM
well done and thanks :clapping: :clapping:

Vickster
07-07-2011, 07:40 PM
Well done you, sounds fab! I have invested in some very nice brass door stops to stop the doors moving and a cabin hook on the kitchen door so it can't be shut.

jane5
07-07-2011, 09:13 PM
then popped out to the garden for a quick look, came back and said actually she was improving the judgement for resources based on the garden and the details of the activities I offer in the Learning Journeys (all photo obs) - all those months of hard work remodelling the garden to get it registered last month was so worth it!


Firstly well done and Its good to hear that it went "good" :thumbsup:

Can I ask what you have in your garden that Mrs O liked?

Socketman
08-07-2011, 08:56 AM
Well done, and thanks for spreading the word about socket covers!

Several people have made formal enquiries to Ofsted in recent weeks and have been assured that they no longer require socket covers.

Please note, the FatallyFlawed site is at www.fatallyflawed.org.uk (I think the uk was missed in the OP).

Andrea08
08-07-2011, 08:59 AM
well done hun xxx

Flisspaps
08-07-2011, 12:13 PM
Can I ask what you have in your garden that Mrs O liked?

She didn't point out any specifics, but it's a huge garden and it's only recently been registered. There's a 2 storey play house set up as a house inside, and the lean to is painted with a blackboard area and toddler height mirrors. There are some log stumps (about 15 cm high) laid out as stepping stones, and a veg patch. It's a work in progress, but then most gardens are!

There's a photo on my website (http://www.lauradoranchildminding.moonfruit.com/#/about-me/4544576343) Something she suggested for the fence was a sensory area - simply putting some bubble wrap or foil in the brush screening so that there are a variety of textures for children to explore.

~Grasshopper~
08-07-2011, 07:25 PM
wow your garden is brilliant :) :) mine is soooo tiny. xxxx

well done xx

Toothfairy
09-07-2011, 06:19 PM
Congratulations :thumbsup:

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