My Ofsted Inspection by Tealady aged 38 and a half

[Tealady]

Well I have been waiting for the call since Oct 11 so my inspection this week was long overdue especially as my last grade was "Satisfactory".

Mrs O came at the arranged time and she was lovely. I checked her badge, signed her in and on my visitors log I have highlighted what I want visitors to do regarding their mobile phone. She checked my notice board on passing to see what I was displaying and then I showed her through to where she could set up.

It all went really well and she was only here for an hour and a half. I was really surprised when she said she was done but she said the way I had set everything up was great so she only needed to chat to me to fill in the gaps.

Basically I have a through lounge/dining room. I set up the dining table with all my paper work, moved it near a socket so she could plug in her laptop (which she doesn't use as she feels sitting there typing is impersonal). I had printed off my SEF which she used as her basis. I also had references from parents and all my paperwork laid out on the table (certificates, forms, LJ's, Planning, Policies & Procedures) with the lockable box nearby so she could see what I use to keep info confidential. I also set my laptop up in the corner of the table in case she wanted to see anything I hadn't printed off, but what I also did was set the screen saver to show all my Childminding photos that haven't gone into LJ's so that was rolling through whilst she was working. All this time she could see the "Childminding show" (her words) as I was playing and interacting with my Mindee and DS in the lounge.

The focus did seem less on the paperwork (but that may have been because it was all there for her to look through at her leisure) and more on the learning and development of the children. She was writing everything out and what she had in her book was a form that showed the seven areas of learning and she wrote comments about what I was doing and tying them up against these areas. After a while she showed me this and she had not put anything in literacy. I have books and we share these a lot but during her inspection she didn't see much evidence of anything else. Therefore I would suggest that you ensure you make it clear what you do to cover all areas and also do a wider range of activities to cover as many areas as possible. I fell down as I just picked activities more based on what would keep the happiest and engaged for longest as I thought I would be having lots of questions fired at me or that I'd have to be showing her around and pulling out paperwork.

She also asked how I found the 2 year check, how I share info with parent's and other settings. On the other settings I didn't have a huge amount of evidence but gave examples of dialogue I had with pre-school, the planning and songs they have let me have and how I involved mindees other minder in his 2yr check.

She also asked me about diversity and I told her that I find multicultural resources easy lots of modern books, Happyland toys ect have all sorts of people doing all sorts of things, however I find it harder to find resources relating to disability but we do watch Mr Tumble programmes that I have recorded for when quiet time is needed. She didn't make much comment so I she wait for what the report says.

She didn't look around my setting, although she could clearly see the garden, kitchen and rooms downstairs that I use. I don't use the bedrooms at the moment as I don't have any nappers but thought she may have checked my bathroom.

My recommendation was to "create a print rich environment" which could include labelling my boxes, but she also suggested making little books for the children with pictures that interest them so they can see the word for it. I did explain how my mindee and DS are both recognise the printed word in the environment and I will point out familiar letters i.e. B for Benjamin on a sign and said how at the butchers the chap says he will extend opening hours for me when I come in as the LO's like me to read all the labels to them.

As I said before it was quite quick an painless, but I put that down to being organised and having everything to hand plus that fact she's been doing inspections since they were done by social services so kind of knows exactly what to look for and how to get a good measure of a minder.

After all that I am now officially a "Good" childminder.

[FussyElmo]

Well done

[mrstom]

Well done!! Brilliant feedback too x

[The Juggler]

well done you xx

[lubeam]

Hurray well done

[lisbet]

So pleased for you x

And thanks for the very useful feedback

[sskent08]

well done, thank you for sharing

[oxfordshirecm]

Well done such a different report to another childminder who sounded like she had the worst inspection ever. So nice to here not all inspectors are scary x

[MessybutHappy]

Well done, and fab feedback! Yours sounds similar to mine, and not at all like some!

[sarah707]

Brilliant feedback thank you for sharing!

[Rick]

Well done

How refreshing to have a fair and helpful inspector. That's how it should be! I had one too but not all do. Poor Lincsminder had an awful one http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/fo...tion-ever.html

[funemnx]

Well done Tealady!

Great feedback, thank you

[lizann]

so pleased for you hope i get one like yours at my next inspection

[hectors house]

Congratulations - and well done for getting a human, common sense inspector who could see what a fantastic job you are doing.

[Allie]

Well done on your inspection result, so nice to see some of them (Ofsted) are human after all. Thanks for all the feedback my inspection is 4 and a half years over due!!!!!!


Allie

ps I hope I have your inspector

[shortstuff]

well done you and thanks for the feedback. I will bear it all in mind at mine coming up x

[angeldelight]

Well done to you and thanks for the feedback

You can relax now



Angel xx

[blue bear]

Well done Tea lady,great feedback.

[pat75]

Well done!!! Thanks for your feedback.

[Houlgated]

that sounds really positive, well done. I am keen to get mine over with (was due in August 2012) but on the other hand i feel i need to sharpen up on areas first.