Inspection Yesterday: Sharing!

[gcragg]

Hi!

Just thought I'd send a overview of my inspection in case it helps anyone else.

1. Inspector arrived 9.50am (thought I was in the clear!), I looked at ID, asked her to take their shoes off and put over the stair gate away from the children, she then signed in. I reminded her about mobile phones (no pics of the children) and asked her to take care with hot drinks. (I stuck a post it note in my visitor book saying Mobile and hot drinks as was completely paranoid I'd forget to mention.
2. She sat on the sofa, opened her laptop and said "Just do what you normally do" (Agggghhhh!) When she knocked we had been outside in the garden playing and had just starting off coats and shoes as the door went so was a bit shaky as thought I was in the clear for the day. She arrived at ten to ten.
3. General play
(During this time she asked me about the child I was minding (luckily I just had one that day and my little boy both 22months)
I gave her lots of info-likes dislikes.
4.She asked if there was any key areas for improvement I mentioned PSED and asked if I could just check my tracker to confirm I hadn't missed anything. (Had done a review as it was due in Jan anyway.)
Lots of questioning on safeguarding, healthy eating, how I promote being healthy, how I teach the children to be safe (through play as they are so little, I also mentioned being a positive role model and ensuring I talk through things. Eg: We need to come down the steps slowly and carefully so that we don't hurt ourselves.
5.Questions about communication with parents: referred her to parental surveys, examples of emails, photos which I message throughout the day to parents so they feel they are sharing the day with their child, diary entries, emailing weekly planning and always saying any ideas/feedbcak welcome. I also ask parents to email anything that's happened from home that they think is significant from time to time.
6.Reading books with the little ones then got out Mr Crocdile - puppet which they love and put on a gruff manly voice- bit embarrassing but it's what I'd normally do!
My minded child went to the piano and signalled so opened the lid and they had a bash on the keys, paranoid the lid was going to fall but generally they're pretty trustworthy with it.
Snacks
7.More play and questioning.
Milk
8. Naps: I took the little girl up with me as we put my little boy to sleep, she came up with me. They gave each other a hug and then I let her come down the stairs on her own, coming down first ready to support her but fab that she came down the stairs independently (the minded not the inspector!
Asked her if she wanted a cup of tea (had asked her initially and she said no but then realised it had been hours and I hadn't re-offered.) Had nice biscuits but she politely declined. I scoffed them after she left!
During naps I started tidying and then went on to make lunch
She spent a long time looking at paperwork, firing questions

Things she liked:
+ Lots of opportunities for indoor outdoor play
+ Paperwork was "spot on"
+ Progress clearly made in my setting
+ Good with the kids
+Commentry of what I do was good. Oh I….., you're playing with the blocks. Oooo a red cube, where are you going to put it…etc.
+ Weekly pictures labeled with comments/criteria from EYO
+ Letters from parents

Things that weren't so good
- Forgot to refer to Riddor in my Accident and Emergency Policy, knew it from training so no idea why it wasn't in there!
- The little girl i cared for did a poo in her nappy (clearly) I sai I would change in one sec as was getting on a roll trying to get my point across. 15mins at snacks, I tried to get her to sit down. The inspector said "I think that's because you haven't changed her nappy yet" Cringe! Died! I am always so good normally. She later told me an outstanding childminder wouldn't have let that happen.
- My little boy has a tantrum, I figured out he was hungry. Washed his hands first laid out snacks, washed minds hands. A few minutes later she asked for more I said no (thinking I'd give her something else for variety- yoghurt.) Inspector said while I was washing the minds hands my little boy ate most of hers too…..(Double aahhhh! Angry I didn't spot) We still had some yoghurts so think it worked out ok.
- Too many toys out. I'd heard to leave everything out for kids so had lots of toys, she thought it was overstimulating and they needed more space for play
- Tidy as you go
- Medical book has all medications listed. She said for confidentiality they should be split into separate books or papers
- Consider mirror for sitting, minded had been doing lots of dressing
- Consider use of photo books- Our day to the park etc.
- "Everything you do is a learning opportunity": we wash our hands because we've been outside and our hands our dirty. We;re going to wash our hands so that they are clean and we wash off all the germs. This is the example she gave- explaining why and how we do everything.
- Don't forget to give letters from parents, I nearly forgot, remembered in the last 15mins!
- Next time I would try to bypass the inspector although it was so hard as you want to show you understand what you're doing. She said paperwork should tell the story too so to focus on the children not her at all times! (Easier said than done but will bear it in mind!)


She graded me "good" overall. I have been minded since July last year. She said I needed more time to "embed my practice" but I was on the way to outstanding.

The four hours of being watched was intense but feel pleased its done. I couldn't have done any more to show what I do.


PS: Ha spent around nine hours on my SEF as wanted that to do the talking in case I missed anything. Felt glad I put the time in and added dates and examples to add weight to the things I said I'd done. Sarah707(think thats you???? That document was so helpful and made me feel like I'd thought everything through.) Inspector didn't get my updated SEF had done it three days prior. Had it printed ready- was glad I'd done that otherwise I would have had to faff to sort that out
PPS: Thank you!!!! I have felt so grateful for this site at times and particularly in the lead up to the inspection. There are so many posts I read that really get me thinking and have helped me to adapt and change what I do. Thanks to everyone who replied to my "panic" posts about often too. hope this helps, Gemma