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New Ofsted Certificates Important
I was at a meeting with an Ofsted Early Years Manager yesterday.
I thought you would all like to know what is happening about the new certificates.
Ofsted have approx 70,000 new Certificates to issue. They have a basic problem. Their printers can physically only print them at a certain rate. This means that they have now worked out that it will be something like March 2013 before they can send all of us our Certificates.
They have therefore taken the view that the new rules apply and the conditions on your current certificates do not apply. Unless you have been prevented by Ofsted from minding say under 5s for some reason and I know one minder with this and this condition will still apply.
Numbers will revert to what Eyfs says which is 6 under 8s. You will know if you currently have less because you house/flat is small and this would still apply and you can work out by using the details given in EYFS . If you have your own children in this age group that will reduce the number of minded ones you can have.
When working with one assistant if you have enough space you can take on up to a further 6 under 8s and so on. You will have to write up your own Variations and get the permission of currant parents, if for instance you want 2 under ones or over 3 under 5's. You then file this and Ofsted may check it when they inspect you. You must never exceed the numbers stated in EYFS.
If you currently have rooms in your home that are not registered for use then you can now write a risk assessment if you want to use them.
If you want to offer overnight care then again you write a risk assessment. The advise was to have a Home Safety Check done by the Fire Brigade. You need a bed and all the bedding and they have to be within hearing at all times. They do not need their own room but obviously if they share it would need to be age and sex appropriate.
Ofsted have reduced their paperwork and they do not want calls from childminders over everything all the time. In the words of the lady, 'we are professionals and we (ofsted) expect you to be able to work within the terms of EYFS and document things yourself as the need arises'.
So there you have it straight from Ofsted. It was a shame more couldn't come yesterday it was a very informative session and we were able to ask questions all the way through.
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thank you ricky.
think they need some more printers! (LOL i'm surprised we aren't having to print off our own certificates !!! )
i do hope ofsted have told their inspectors the same as you were told!
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thank you for sharing - I would have loved to have been there but unfortunately geography was not on my side
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Thank you, really helpful x
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Thank you, really useful information
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Thanks RS. That's really useful information.
I got my certificate a couple of weeks ago. It's in my 'waiting to be laminated' pile
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Thanks I was told it was ok to do my own RA etc to have a sibling as an extra, but was panicing as the letter they send implies you must wait for certificate
Allie
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Thanks Ricky - that is very useful
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Originally Posted by
rickysmiths
Ofsted have approx 70,000 new Certificates to issue. They have a basic problem. Their printers can physically only print them at a certain rate. This means that they have now worked out that it will be something like March 2013 before they can send all of us our Certificates.
It beggars the question then why they didn't start printing them earlier - it's not like they haven't known for months what would be happening and when!
RS - thanks for the info, glad it was a positive meeting.
Miffy xx
Keep smiling!
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I received a letter on Saturday from Ofsted 'Notice of intention to remove conditions of registration'. I have to send a form back accepting the conditions which are basically the removal of 'no more than 3 in the early years group etc etc, must not use first floor, and must not provide overnight care' after I return the form they will send me a new certificate. The letter does say that I must comply with existing conditions until my new certificate is received
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Originally Posted by
christine e
I received a letter on Saturday from Ofsted 'Notice of intention to remove conditions of registration'. I have to send a form back accepting the conditions which are basically the removal of 'no more than 3 in the early years group etc etc, must not use first floor, and must not provide overnight care' after I return the form they will send me a new certificate. The letter does say that I must comply with existing conditions until my new certificate is received
Yes I believe they do but the manager who conducted the meeting and is fairly senior said that they were not holding to that because of the length of time that all the certificates were taking to come. No one in my area for example has had one yet and as the timing is now much later than originally thought they are treating all of us as if we had had our new certs.
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I had a letter from them a couple of weeks ago and sent my reply last Saturday. Got my new certificate today.
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Do we know how they are sending them out? Alphabetical order? By region/LA? Pot luck?
Miffy xx
Keep smiling!
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Originally Posted by
miffy
Do we know how they are sending them out? Alphabetical order? By region/LA? Pot luck?
Miffy xx
No Idea Miffy she didn't say, just slowly!!!!. If they hadn't worked out ages ago how long it was going to take them to print, so perhaps they should have started in July when EYFS was published why would they have planned they way in which to send them out????
Last edited by rickysmiths; 19-11-2012 at 09:18 PM.
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I only know one minder who has had the letter. It seems ridiculous to me how we have to comply from 1st September yet they can take months to get themselves into gear.
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Originally Posted by
blue bear
I only know one minder who has had the letter. It seems ridiculous to me how we have to comply from 1st September yet they can take months to get themselves into gear.
Sorry I miss read your post! Oh yes but they are a government dept aren't they!
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I have had this information about variations and the confusing letter going out from Ofsted confirmed in writing for a long time - exactly as it was told to Ricky at the weekend.
It forms part of my document - Changes to Conditions of Registration
And is also confirmed in the Ofsted variations factsheet.
I think they need to train their phone operators better because clearly they are not communicating the requirements properly
Meanwhile - you can organise your own variation for continuation of care in exceptional circumstances without having to ring Ofsted if you follow the process set out in the EYFS and my document above.
I hope that clarifies for those who are concerned
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