So, Ofsted are coming next week......

[mookie]

I'm absolutely terrified. All of a sudden I feel very vulnerable.....my home, my professionalism, as I employ my husband; my livelihood and my pride is depending on this.....

My last inspection was awful....it was soon after I first registered and it was the day after Boxing Day. I had 2 children and promised them that between Christmas and new year, they could just bring in their presents etc. ..... I got a satisfactory. If I get that again....I'm giving up!

I'm following my usual plans so will be doing baking or making a collage as a few of the children are struggling with their shapes so am planing a shape collage. ...

I'd rather have a tooth extracted by a chiropodist!

And....I've lost all my certificates! Obviously put them somewhere safe but no idea where!

[sarah707]

Don't panic!! I know it feels scary sometimes but Ofsted are not the enemy.

I have written this blog that you might find useful - Ofsted are coming! - Independent Childminders.

Make sure you can talk about how you have changed things after training - that's more important than showing the certificates.

Keep calm - know your safeguarding - know your children - you'll be fine

[mookie]

Hi mouse, I sent them the letter. Prospects said due to the nature of my complaint I should send it to ofsted. I then forwarded them a copy of my letter.
The report is horrific. I use some, minimal, montessori methods, worksheets, dry wipe materials purchased from learning resources, use tracing paper etc...she said i was setting the children up 'for failure'. She complained that they children were 'too good' and it was a shame there wasn't a 'sen' child to observe.
The report is nasty, rude, false and has some really horrid things in it....Trust me, I wouldn't short list myself as a possible childminder if I read the report

[loocyloo]

Hi mouse, I sent them the letter. Prospects said due to the nature of my complaint I should send it to ofsted. I then forwarded them a copy of my letter.
The report is horrific. I use some, minimal, montessori methods, worksheets, dry wipe materials purchased from learning resources, use tracing paper etc...she said i was setting the children up 'for failure'. She complained that they children were 'too good' and it was a shame there wasn't a 'sen' child to observe.
The report is nasty, rude, false and has some really horrid things in it....Trust me, I wouldn't short list myself as a possible childminder if I read the report

oh sweetie, I want to press 'like' except I don't 'like', I just want to offer you support.

best of luck with it all. big hugs xxx

[mookie]

Thank you sarah 707. ....I will look at your blog now...and probably again tomorrow. I have Monday. ...Tuesday. ....xxx
..

[FloraDora]

I want to say don't panic...but I so understand how you feel...my stomach churns when people tell me about their impending OFSTED inspection... the key is to think carefully about what your priority preparation is.....They will look at your development points from your last inspection...to make sure you have acted on them..so I would make sure you put in your SEF, or you show evidence of what you have done to address these.
Then read the info Sarah suggests...great advice.

All my fingers are crossed for you.

[mumofone]

I'm absolutely terrified. All of a sudden I feel very vulnerable.....my home, my professionalism, as I employ my husband; my livelihood and my pride is depending on this..... My last inspection was awful....it was soon after I first registered and it was the day after Boxing Day. I had 2 children and promised them that between Christmas and new year, they could just bring in their presents etc. ..... I got a satisfactory. If I get that again....I'm giving up! I'm following my usual plans so will be doing baking or making a collage as a few of the children are struggling with their shapes so am planing a shape collage. ... I'd rather have a tooth extracted by a chiropodist! And....I've lost all my certificates! Obviously put them somewhere safe but no idea where!

Aw good luck mookie, I'm dreading mine too!! What age children have you got on the day?
Best of luck :-) xx

[JCrakers]

The best thing you can do is keep calm. Have a look at the list of things that you need to have in place and go through them and tick them off.

Then when you know that you have all the legal requirements you can spend some time on going through all the other stuff. Remember that its focused on how you teach the children so as you are doing your activity spend lots of time on:

Asking them relevant questions during the activity (and all the way through your inspection)
Giving them time and expand to answer is important
Be full of knowledge about the activity, teaching them as you go. Talking about shapes, numbers will also help your Maths areas.
Be prepared to answer questions about each child if she/he asks...such as what they are getting out of the activity. A 3yr old will be getting something different out of the activity from a 12 month old.

My advice would be to just talk with the children a lot, teach, teach, teach!!! And know where each child is at in their development and what you are doing to further their development

You'll be fine

[mookie]

Thanks all. I'm embarrassed to say, one of her comments actually in her report was 'a child walked around aimlessly ' .... I know it sounds bad, and I promise this never happened. We were doing a superhero activity discussing what makes us 'super'. One of the children, a 7 year old very active lad, walks as he talks and I'm assuming that this was the incident she was talking about. He was saying that his super power talking very fast talking...This was the only thing I can think of. And it was only a little activity. She actually missed the activity where the children were cutting their bananas and shape matching their plates. (They also did cooking which she actually said I was at a 'GOOD ' rating at this point)
This is one of her many negative remarks.
I don't know what I did to make her dislike me. She made it clear that she didn't like Montessori and also certainly wasn't happy that my husband worked for me.
As I'm sure you can tell, my grade was 'needs improvememt' which, if that is true, I would welcome any advice. However, her advice was to bring in a local outstanding cm to help or she could 'coach' me! I said no to both. Other than that, there was no advice, just complete negativity. One child was scared of her, a parent complained to me about her rudeness and I swear I'm telling the truth.
I'm actually hoping they re-inspect me. Even if the grade stays the same but is a fair, honest and just inspection.
Sorry to moan. Xxx

[mookie]

Aw good luck mookie, I'm dreading mine too!! What age children have you got on the day?
Best of luck :-) xx

As it's me an hubby who work together....we have 1 baby of 8 months and 4 or 5 four year olds! Gulp!!!!!

[mumofone]

As it's me an hubby who work together....we have 1 baby of 8 months and 4 or 5 four year olds! Gulp!!!!!

How did it go mookie? :-) Hope you've got your feet up relaxing! xx

[mookie]

There was lots of negativity and it's an horrific report. The cm she suggested, I seriously question her practice and ethics so no, it wouldn't help.

I know I'm sounding unreasonable, but I'm really not. Like u said, I would happily take on board any advice etc. I've only stated a few of the things in the report and what happened on the day.

[halor]

I recently had my first inspection and I was a bag of nerves. As soon as she arrived I thought I was going to commit on her. Unfortunately when I vomit I pee myself at the same time so all I keep thinking was I was going to commit and then we would be swimming in a sea of vomit of wee and that's what kept going through my head! Lovely thought for you all lol!

In total honesty I thought it went terrible, lo didn't want to do the activities, just chucked them about and wandered off. However, the inspector liked that I didn't keep bringing them back, I just scrapped the ideas and followed lo's lead. I did lots of mirroring and verbal dialogue, I talk too much when I'm nervous anyway!

Know your child, know your safeguarding and prevent duty as they're hot in this at the moment. Big up your strengths and be constructively critical of your work where needed (not majorly though!) and follow this up with ideas for changes etc. Big up your training and also have a couple of ideas of future training you want to do.

I don't do a lot of planning but I do keep a one page ideas spider web and I keep next steps with it so I can cross reference.

Make sure your register is complete with actual times the children are there rather than contracted hours. Also make sure accident forms are signed, this is something she checked with me.

I have a folder with the children's info in that I have termly reports, contracts, all about me sheets and signed permissions. I use online for everything else.

One thing my inspector really liked is my changed to activities. I use a story set where you thread the food into the hungry caterpillar. It's really tricky as quite right to slide them on so I made a box for the younger children. I stuck a caterpillar picture on and the children posted the food through instead.

These are some of the things that first come to mind. The main thing is to know your children, where there at and their next steps. My inspector was lovely and was aware how nervous I was.

I did a really detailed SEF, she was able to get lots of info from this meaning she didn't have to ask so many questions.

God luck, heaps of hugs winging their way to you xxxx

[FloraDora]

Sorry to hear it was a nightmare, you sound like you have done everything you can in the complaints procedure, but prepare yourself that this will stand for a while. Sarah 707 and others have been working tirelessly to bring forward next inspections for satisfactory/ needs improvement, so hopefully this will happen in the near future.

I have supported someone through private, confidential arrangements, not the LEA, who has had two satisfactory inspections and she has really appreciated having a sounding board for her personal circumstances and has said that her confidence has improved which has enabled her to move forward in her practise. So, although you weren't happy with the inspector saying it, it might not be a bad idea teaming up with another childminder, a good or outstanding one that you get on well with. We wrote an action plan and how she was going to address the inspectors and her own issues, having someone to chat with about this is always a good idea. The LEA visit that followed two satisfactory inspections ( this may just be this LEA) was very positive, this is what she now shows prospective parents.

You need to hold onto the good practise she saw and I expect in between the negativity, there will be more positives, but all you can see is the negatives at the moment.....look for them in your report and highlight them, it will make you feel better.

[mookie]

Honestly? It was one of the worse days of my life. It was awful. The inspector upset the children, a parent and myself and was vile. I've just received the report and it's filled with inaccuracies. I won't go into anymore detail as I don't want to get any minders worried about their inspections. I've minded for many years and had lots of inspections and they've all been ok...I've never experienced one like this. 😢😢..

Bet you wish you'd not asked now mumofone! Xxx

[Mouse]

Honestly? It was one of the worse days of my life. It was awful. The inspector upset the children, a parent and myself and was vile. I've just received the report and it's filled with inaccuracies. I won't go into anymore detail as I don't want to get any minders worried about their inspections. I've minded for many years and had lots of inspections and they've all been ok...I've never experienced one like this. 😢😢..

Bet you wish you'd not asked now mumofone! Xxx

That's pretty much what I posted after mine! Sorry to hear you had an awful time as well.

I didn't go into great detail as I don't think my inspection was at all typical, so any feedback I could have given wouldn't really have been relevant or helpful.

Did you complain afterwards?

[mumofone]

That's pretty much what I posted after mine! Sorry to hear you had an awful time as well. I didn't go into great detail as I don't think my inspection was at all typical, so any feedback I could have given wouldn't really have been relevant or helpful. Did you complain afterwards?

Have you been inspected recently the mouse? What happened?
I hope you're both making formal complaints if it wasn't fair x

[mookie]

That's pretty much what I posted after mine! Sorry to hear you had an awful time as well.

I didn't go into great detail as I don't think my inspection was at all typical, so any feedback I could have given wouldn't really have been relevant or helpful.

Did you complain afterwards?

I am complaining now and seeking legal advice. Her report was not only wrong but defamatory.

Never happened to me before. Fingers crossed you all get a different inspector! Xx

[sarah707]

I am complaining now and seeking legal advice. Her report was not only wrong but defamatory.

Never happened to me before. Fingers crossed you all get a different inspector! Xx

If I can help in any way with the complaint please message me x

[Mouse]

You need to clear you inbox Mookie x