Help please, ofsted action!!

[sam411]

Hi everyone, I had my first graded inspection 2 weeks ago, which wasn't the most positive of days, anyway today by email i had my report with the following action in to be completed by tomorrow!!!!
action-'develop the programme for literacy by: ensuring the learning environment is rich in print so children can learn about words for example, by using signs, labelling of toys and posters.' It said that this is a legal requirement of the EYFS.

First is the labeling of things a legal requirement???? The inspector mentioned it would be good to do this at my inspection but at NO point did she say it was a legal requirement, that I was breaching it or that I would get an action on this.

Am frantically trying to sort this for tomorrow. Am seriously over childminding 9 weeks in!!!!!

Any help would be appreciated, I want to ring tomorrow. I feel this is a very silly action to have over me?????

Thanks

Sam

[zippy]

Didn't want to read and run, but I 've never heard of it being a legal requirement, and I certainly don't have labels everywhere, where the fun in exploring if you have a label telling you whats in there, load of tosh, I have writing bits around, laminated name cards they can draw on or trace over and they have a ton of books and other bits, but no labels in my house.

[sam411]

Thanks, I thought was a bit silly to give this an action, the eyfs says this:-
"Literacy-
development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest. "

I have books, word cards etc etc, does it say label toys here??!!

[sarah707]

The inspector is not saying it is a legal requirement to have labels on things.

S/he is saying that it is a legal requirement for children to be in a print rich environment.

You need to think about all the ways you encourage children to access literacy - visits to the library, lots of magazines / comics / books, making cards, mark making materials out for children to use, name labels for them to copy, signing in sheets, hello and goodbye posters, notice board for them to display their mark making, letter games etc.

Make a list and say 'this is what I do to encourage literacy'... I also intend, for the future, to ... then waffle on about buying some new dual language books or something.

Hope this helps

[sam411]

Thanks Sarah, it just said I wasn't meeting a legal requirement and suggested things such as I label toys! I have a cupboard of books which the children accessed whilst she was there, posters up in the room, welcome sign, marking making accessible but I guess its not enough! I will follow what you said thanks for replying!

[BucksCM]

I guess I'll be "marked down" then!!
What a load of !!
I have not and will not EVER be labelling my toy boxes! Or covering my walls with posters! Or putting up signs in my house!
Note i didn't call it a setting...it's not...it's my house!

Aaaarrrgghhhh!!!
ofsted!!!

[bunyip]

Oh no!!!!

I had a box of labels which I'd labelled "labels" so I'd always know where the label box is.

Today I found the "labels" label from the labels box on the floor. The "labels" label must've fallen off the labels box, so now the labels box is unlabelled.

How will I ever find my unlabelled labels box of labels?

What can I do?

Will Ofsted downgrade me?

Help!!!!!

[Kirstylob]

As others have said, as long as you have plenty of access to writing/mark making/reading etc do you really need labels to? None of my toy boxes have written labels, they have photo's on them so that the children know which toys go in which box at tidy up time. Most of my children can't read so toy boxes labelled aren't going to help them yet.
Try not to worry, you will be fine.

[sarah707]

I have made enquiries and written the following advice for Sam411 and other childminders who have concerns about actions received after their inspections -

Ofsted inspection outcomes - how to deal with them

I hope you find it useful

[Bananabrain]

Oh no!!!!

I had a box of labels which I'd labelled "labels" so I'd always know where the label box is.

Today I found the "labels" label from the labels box on the floor. The "labels" label must've fallen off the labels box, so now the labels box is unlabelled.

How will I ever find my unlabelled labels box of labels?

What can I do?

Will Ofsted downgrade me?

Help!!!!!

I love you Bunyip. You make me laugh so much.

[sam411]

Hi, sorry haven't been on for a while but thank you for all the helpful replies to this, much appreciated!