Ofsted been this morning
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  1. #1
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    Default Ofsted been this morning

    Well after 4hrs of constant scrutiny the inspector has gone. She was really nice and I felt at ease with her straight away...although I was glad to see the back of her..lol

    I'm feeling absolutely drained although it was quite a positive experience I do feel like she should have bought along her scalpel and maybe taken a sample of my vital organs...lol


    She gave me another good which I do need to be happy with although I'm not. She told me that I must be frustrated because if she was grading me under the old system I would have reached Outstanding but because Ofsted have raised the bar AGAIN, I haven't reached it. Even though i've put a hell of a lot of effort into everything but hey-ho.
    And because the inspections have changed and there are only 4 areas now I couldn't get outstanding in a certain area because they mainly run into each other.

    It was VERY centred on teaching and how I teach and she said even though I had a fantastic knowledge of all the children's development but there were a couple of things that she wanted to see next time.

    She said that although I do track each child I need to look at the children as a group as well so I can see if I'm lacking any resources for each area of development.

    She said I mentioned that one child liked mark making but she couldn't see any readily available mark makers. Although I have pens, chalks, paints etc they only come out when the child asks for them or craft activity time and they are not available all the time. She would have liked to have seen some pens in the home corner for instance with some paper for making lists.
    She then mentioned that I could maybe open up my double doors to the lounge so the smaller children can have a little book area or somewhere where they can freely choose books. I do have a bookcase where all the children are free to chooses books, she said it might be a good idea to have a separate one for the smaller children with little board books. I told her that I don't use my lounge for toys (only quiet TV time) She said I was limiting myself by not using the available space...I told her I still wouldn't be using my lounge for the toys....
    She also told me I would do well in doing a LV4 in childcare as I have level 3. I said that might be something to do in the future.

    And although I was on my feet from 7am until 1.30pm without a cuppa or a sit down, having done playdough, glueing, indoor and outdoor play, changed a nappy, answered thousands of questions that she kept asking me she still expected me to have got the mindee to help with lunch....but I didn't.

    So overall...it's all done which I'm very pleased about but feel like i've been pulled apart all ways and can never reach that highest bar that they keep setting higher and higher each time.
    Last edited by JCrakers; 06-10-2015 at 01:54 PM.
    Time Out.. The perfect time for thinking about what you're going to destroy next.

  2. #2
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    Well done on your grade. I know exactly how you feel. I felt my inspection (before the summer) went a bit like yours. My inspector constantly fired questions at me whilst I was trying to look after three 2 year olds and I felt completely drained and deflated afterwards.

    I vowed then that I will never go through another inspection again and 4 months later still feel the same!

    At least now the pressure is off...for a while :-).

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  4. #3
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    Well done on your grade. You obviously put a lot of effort in and if parents are happy with you that's the most important thing.

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  6. #4
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    I feel your exhaustion just reading this! Well done! I also feel your frustation in your writing and it's annoying as you have given it everything. Well done for sticking up for yourself and not opening your lounge for a load of little ones to read books - yeh, as if, we'd rather jump all over those lovely sofas etc.

    Thank you for the long list of things she said and commented on. Try not to dwell on the negatives. You survived and should be very proud for being a committed independant childminder. Big hugs. 😃

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    Well done, It's over now!
    Thankyou for your feedback, interesting points she made......not sure what she really meant about whole group resourcing??

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  10. #6
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    Well done, JCrakers. You're Outstanding to me (and I'm sure you are to your little mindees as well), so well done to do as well as you did under an ever-changing set of criteria.

    Sometimes, I just think we'd do better with a crystal ball, and a tick-list when Ofsted come!

    Lovely drink in order this evening for you, I think. Well done.



    Following your wonderful feedback, I've just order loads of little clipboards for "mark-making" in various areas. Now I just have to make sure the smallest children don't eat them/poke their eyes out with the pencils.

    LK
    Last edited by lollipop kid; 06-10-2015 at 02:57 PM.

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    Phew...I bet your shoulders have dropped 2 inches!
    No more worries now, relax and enjoy!

    Flora Dora...group resourcing is part of the CIF...if I have understood it well...it is on page 6 under the Group of learners heading.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/public...september-2015

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  14. #8
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    well done.

    xxx

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  16. #9
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    Well done, sound like you coped brilliantly! I to was told, on the old framework , I would have got outstanding , but was now graded good. I worked so very hard but never mind, it's all over.
    Enjoy your evening xx

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  18. #10
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    Well Done on your Good. I had mine in Sept and got a solid good I was more than happy and it was the best inspection I had had for years and the shortest. Only 3.5 hours.

    I went rebel and did a paperless one! (no not all stuff on line no developmental paperwork at all, no Ljs, no trackers, no written planning nothing except 2 year checks) Still got a very good good so it goes to show.
    Last edited by rickysmiths; 06-10-2015 at 04:32 PM.

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  20. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by JCrakers View Post
    Well after 4hrs of constant scrutiny the inspector has gone. She was really nice and I felt at ease with her straight away...although I was glad to see the back of her..lol

    I'm feeling absolutely drained although it was quite a positive experience I do feel like she should have bought along her scalpel and maybe taken a sample of my vital organs...lol


    She gave me another good which I do need to be happy with although I'm not. She told me that I must be frustrated because if she was grading me under the old system I would have reached Outstanding but because Ofsted have raised the bar AGAIN, I haven't reached it. Even though i've put a hell of a lot of effort into everything but hey-ho.
    And because the inspections have changed and there are only 4 areas now I couldn't get outstanding in a certain area because they mainly run into each other.

    It was VERY centred on teaching and how I teach and she said even though I had a fantastic knowledge of all the children's development but there were a couple of things that she wanted to see next time.

    She said that although I do track each child I need to look at the children as a group as well so I can see if I'm lacking any resources for each area of development.

    She said I mentioned that one child liked mark making but she couldn't see any readily available mark makers. Although I have pens, chalks, paints etc they only come out when the child asks for them or craft activity time and they are not available all the time. She would have liked to have seen some pens in the home corner for instance with some paper for making lists.
    She then mentioned that I could maybe open up my double doors to the lounge so the smaller children can have a little book area or somewhere where they can freely choose books. I do have a bookcase where all the children are free to chooses books, she said it might be a good idea to have a separate one for the smaller children with little board books. I told her that I don't use my lounge for toys (only quiet TV time) She said I was limiting myself by not using the available space...I told her I still wouldn't be using my lounge for the toys....
    She also told me I would do well in doing a LV4 in childcare as I have level 3. I said that might be something to do in the future.

    And although I was on my feet from 7am until 1.30pm without a cuppa or a sit down, having done playdough, glueing, indoor and outdoor play, changed a nappy, answered thousands of questions that she kept asking me she still expected me to have got the mindee to help with lunch....but I didn't.

    So overall...it's all done which I'm very pleased about but feel like i've been pulled apart all ways and can never reach that highest bar that they keep setting higher and higher each time.

    Well done on your good, it sounds like you did all you could, you must be exhausted! I hope youre enjoying a large wine with your feet up!! :-) It makes me petrified for mine, they seem so harsh???! I have so many questions from this(!!).......How may children did you have, what ages did you have? What was your inspection activity?
    I think that's so unfair about using your lounge etc. And also Im really worried about the need to have pens everywhere for mark making. I would say this was a choking hazard (lids) and that they could be used incorrectly (pen all over walls/carpet etc) if used without supervision surely????
    Are the board books readily available to the little ones or do you get them out the bookcase yourself?

    I dont understand the comments about how you would have got "outstanding" last time but not this time?

    Sorry for waffling..! :-)

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  22. #12
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    Oh i meant to ask too whether you did a SEF and raved about yourself in that? x

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    Quote Originally Posted by mumofone View Post
    Well done on your good, it sounds like you did all you could, you must be exhausted! I hope youre enjoying a large wine with your feet up!! :-) It makes me petrified for mine, they seem so harsh???! I have so many questions from this(!!).......How may children did you have, what ages did you have? What was your inspection activity?
    I think that's so unfair about using your lounge etc. And also Im really worried about the need to have pens everywhere for mark making. I would say this was a choking hazard (lids) and that they could be used incorrectly (pen all over walls/carpet etc) if used without supervision surely????
    Are the board books readily available to the little ones or do you get them out the bookcase yourself?

    I dont understand the comments about how you would have got "outstanding" last time but not this time?

    Sorry for waffling..! :-)
    Just to answer your pens concern : I have markmaking organised like this: I have my normal bookshelf in my living room available during the week. - on 2 shelves I have mid week: lower shelf - height of 1 year old.....big spherical hand sized crayons that they can't get in their mouth and chunky pencil crayons, a little drawer unit with paper/ tracing boards/books/ colouring/ envelopes etc... in it - fine for little ones too. Magna draws.
    On second shelf that LO's can't reach so for 2-4 - felt tips, wax, chalk, speciality and others that I change in and out...stencils, rulers, set squares, white boards and chalk boards. All in baskets, easy to put away...the young ones love just scribbling, no pen tops in sight, the older ones choose from next shelf up....but know they need to leave felt tips or whiteboard pens on shelf as they use them because of younger child...table is next to shelves. Any other Mark making is on the craft trolley in the dining room/ other side of door gate if young child here.

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  25. #14
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    I dont understand the comments about how you would have got "outstanding" last time but not this time?

    Basically everything changed in September with the new inspection framework.
    Pixie Dust

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  27. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pixie dust View Post
    Basically everything changed in September with the new inspection framework.
    No I know that but just wondering how if you could get outstanding before that you can't now because surely what was outstanding then should still be outstanding if you see what I mean?

  28. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by mumofone View Post
    No I know that but just wondering how if you could get outstanding before that you can't now because surely what was outstanding then should still be outstanding if you see what I mean?
    Yes. I also thought this was a harse comment from the inspector but maybe it's a warning to those of us still waiting.

  29. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by mumofone View Post
    No I know that but just wondering how if you could get outstanding before that you can't now because surely what was outstanding then should still be outstanding if you see what I mean?
    They have changed the goal posts...the new framework has a new set of grade descriptors it is supposed to be harder to meet the criteria for Outstanding, the expectations are even higher now. I would highly recommend you read The Early Years Inspection handbook in has all the information about what the inspectors look for.
    Pixie Dust

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  31. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pixie dust View Post

    They have changed the goal posts...the new framework has a new set of grade descriptors it is supposed to be harder to meet the criteria for Outstanding, the expectations are even higher now. I would highly recommend you read The Early Years Inspection handbook in has all the information about what the inspectors look for.
    I was outstanding at my last inspection, as was my friend. We were at training and read through the new handbook and think we'll be lucky to be good!

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  33. #19
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    JCrackers...wait for your report than think whether you want to appeal if it is not factual and look at the recommendations she has made.
    I am not convinced this inspector understands that mark making is NOT just using pens and they don't have to be on show as long as the children know where to find them, select the activity and initiate their learning.

    The important thing is she observed your teaching .....that's where the main change is ....and looked at the children's outcomes.

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  35. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by FloraDora View Post
    Just to answer your pens concern : I have markmaking organised like this: I have my normal bookshelf in my living room available during the week. - on 2 shelves I have mid week: lower shelf - height of 1 year old.....big spherical hand sized crayons that they can't get in their mouth and chunky pencil crayons, a little drawer unit with paper/ tracing boards/books/ colouring/ envelopes etc... in it - fine for little ones too. Magna draws.
    On second shelf that LO's can't reach so for 2-4 - felt tips, wax, chalk, speciality and others that I change in and out...stencils, rulers, set squares, white boards and chalk boards. All in baskets, easy to put away...the young ones love just scribbling, no pen tops in sight, the older ones choose from next shelf up....but know they need to leave felt tips or whiteboard pens on shelf as they use them because of younger child...table is next to shelves. Any other Mark making is on the craft trolley in the dining room/ other side of door gate if young child here.
    FloraDora - your post has just inspired me to look again at how I store the children's art supplies so that toddlers are more catered for. At present we regularly do "drawing in our books", but I've now tracked down some large crayons and chalks (egg shaped ones - is that what you meant by spherical?), and will also dig out my Magna Draw kits (I've got 1 out constantly, and about 3 hidden away - Why hidden? I can't even remember!). Then it will also be out with the envelopes etc. (We have a mailbox in the garden for writing to the fairies - some envelopes in the shed beside the writing stuff would be nice, I think.)

    Thanks again for the inspiration. I don't have an inspection any time soon (I think) - I just want to make it more fun for my little ones.

    All the best,

    LK

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