sarah707
12-03-2017, 12:50 PM
Looking at recent Ofsted inspection reports, the following areas of provision are coming up regularly…
• More detailed individual planning / next steps to drive children’s progress
We will cover this in our ‘individual planning’ webinar in April - Free Webinars - Live Training for Childcare Providers - Childcare.co.uk (https://www.childcare.co.uk/webinars).
• Providers need to ask parents for regular updates from home
Ask parents for information about their child’s home learning and record it – we use a different coloured pen – so Ofsted can clearly see constant interaction.
• SEF / action planning not robust enough to show how the provider drives improvement – involve parents in action planning
It is not a requirement of the EYFS to do a self-evaluation form (SEF). If you choose not to do the Ofsted SEF that’s fine – but it is important you can show evidence of how you plan for the future and how you use today’s lessons to improve tomorrow’s practice.
You will find some SEF guidance notes here –
Guidance for the new SEF 2015 (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/guidance-for-the-new-SEF-2015.html).
• More detailed information about children’s starting points from parents
We will cover this in our ‘assessment’ webinar in April - Free Webinars - Live Training for Childcare Providers - Childcare.co.uk (https://www.childcare.co.uk/webinars).
• Lack of partnership working with other settings
We all know how tricky it can be to engage other settings – however, it is a requirement of the EYFS so write to them, ring them and chase it up… don’t let them be the reason you get a lower grade than you deserve at inspection!
• Attend / do more training – it’s important to keep CPD updated as well as attending the statutory first aid and safeguarding courses
This is why we have introduced the new webinars – you can do continued professional development (CPD) training from the comfort of your own home in the evening at a time to suit you.
Keep an eye on the training schedule for more information – and don’t forget to set a phone alarm so you remember to participate in the training on the night! Free Webinars - Live Training for Childcare Providers - Childcare.co.uk (https://www.childcare.co.uk/webinars)
• Improve outside play
We will cover this in our ‘Outside play – environments’ and ‘Outside play – resources’ webinars in April / May - Free Webinars - Live Training for Childcare Providers - Childcare.co.uk (https://www.childcare.co.uk/webinars).
If you can’t wait that long, gold Childcare.co.uk members will find Information Guides which cover outside play through the seasons and generally here - https://www.childcare.co.uk/information/childminder-plus.
• Provide regular activity ideas for parents to use with children at home
A lot of providers struggle with this and we will plan a webinar to cover it in the future. You will also find some useful guidance on the Chidlcare.co.uk website for gold members here – https://www.childcare.co.uk/information/childminder-plus.
It is important to be able to talk confidently to Ofsted about how you share information about things children have enjoyed in your provision and suggest parents follow them up. Some providers loan books or resources to parents as well for children to use at the weekend but this their choice.
• Improve the environment and resources by providing…
This is a common inspection outcome and inspectors can pick on any area of provision to say you are failing to provide a rich environment or sufficient / relevant resources for different ages.
Some areas of provision that come up regularly include –
o Literacy rich resources – if you don’t want labels have your reasons ready and point out other ways your environment is literacy rich;
o Real food to explore in role play (argue this if you have a problem with it and talk about all the cooking you do);
o Multicultural musical instruments – they can be expensive so make them;
o Gardening and growing food – not easy if your inspection is in winter!
o Access to electronic equipment … let the children go on YouTube with you to find songs and rhymes; play online matching games on the CBeebies website; listen to e-books; look information up together so children learn that information can be retrieved from computers as well as books.
• Missed opportunities to …
This is also a common inspection outcome – it can link to just about anything if the inspector thinks you are not quite good enough to be graded ‘outstanding’ yet but they want to encourage you to do a little more in one area of practice or another.
It is commonly linked to…
o Use maths – counting; weights and measures; size and shape; in front and behind; opposites etc… maths comes up a lot during inspection feedback - it’s clearly been a focus point recently
o Give little ones time to reply – take it slowly and let them think before jumping in (calm your own nerves if that’s the problem).
o Link children’s learning with what they are doing at home – if a child arrives with something from home talk about it and link to it in your planning.
o Include books – maths – mark making etc in all areas of provision
o Model new language during activities
o Make meal times into learning experiences – cook with the children and involve them in food preparation, sharing out, tidying up etc.
o Learn about the world around us eg visit supermarkets from different cultures;
• Use child’s home language during play
I know this is not popular with speech and language therapists BUT the EYFS states we must use children’s home language so buy a dictionary and ask parents to record a song in home language, make some dual language posters or signs, buy or borrow dual language books and learn some key words to support the child’s play.
Important notes
Ofsted inspections are changing from April 2017 – Prospect and Tribal no longer have the contract to deliver them and inspectors will be brought ‘in house’. You can find more information about how that might impact providers here –
http://www.childcareexpo.co.uk/ofsted-are-bringing-inspections-in-house-what-does-it-mean-for-providers-by-sarah-neville/.
Don’t forget there is a new EYFS 2017 -
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/596629/EYFS_STATUTORY_FRAMEWORK_2017.pdf
You need to know the changes so you can update your policies and other information. My guidance to the changes is FREE – it is linked from here –
http://www.childcare.co.uk/download/eyfs-update-march-2017.pdf - UPDATED LINK...
I hope this helps support you during inspection. Remember Ofsted are not the enemy - they have a (sometimes very difficult) job to do and mostly they do it very well. We do hear about occasional blips but they are in the minority - and if you do have a problem ask advice!
Chat soon, Sarah :D
• More detailed individual planning / next steps to drive children’s progress
We will cover this in our ‘individual planning’ webinar in April - Free Webinars - Live Training for Childcare Providers - Childcare.co.uk (https://www.childcare.co.uk/webinars).
• Providers need to ask parents for regular updates from home
Ask parents for information about their child’s home learning and record it – we use a different coloured pen – so Ofsted can clearly see constant interaction.
• SEF / action planning not robust enough to show how the provider drives improvement – involve parents in action planning
It is not a requirement of the EYFS to do a self-evaluation form (SEF). If you choose not to do the Ofsted SEF that’s fine – but it is important you can show evidence of how you plan for the future and how you use today’s lessons to improve tomorrow’s practice.
You will find some SEF guidance notes here –
Guidance for the new SEF 2015 (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/guidance-for-the-new-SEF-2015.html).
• More detailed information about children’s starting points from parents
We will cover this in our ‘assessment’ webinar in April - Free Webinars - Live Training for Childcare Providers - Childcare.co.uk (https://www.childcare.co.uk/webinars).
• Lack of partnership working with other settings
We all know how tricky it can be to engage other settings – however, it is a requirement of the EYFS so write to them, ring them and chase it up… don’t let them be the reason you get a lower grade than you deserve at inspection!
• Attend / do more training – it’s important to keep CPD updated as well as attending the statutory first aid and safeguarding courses
This is why we have introduced the new webinars – you can do continued professional development (CPD) training from the comfort of your own home in the evening at a time to suit you.
Keep an eye on the training schedule for more information – and don’t forget to set a phone alarm so you remember to participate in the training on the night! Free Webinars - Live Training for Childcare Providers - Childcare.co.uk (https://www.childcare.co.uk/webinars)
• Improve outside play
We will cover this in our ‘Outside play – environments’ and ‘Outside play – resources’ webinars in April / May - Free Webinars - Live Training for Childcare Providers - Childcare.co.uk (https://www.childcare.co.uk/webinars).
If you can’t wait that long, gold Childcare.co.uk members will find Information Guides which cover outside play through the seasons and generally here - https://www.childcare.co.uk/information/childminder-plus.
• Provide regular activity ideas for parents to use with children at home
A lot of providers struggle with this and we will plan a webinar to cover it in the future. You will also find some useful guidance on the Chidlcare.co.uk website for gold members here – https://www.childcare.co.uk/information/childminder-plus.
It is important to be able to talk confidently to Ofsted about how you share information about things children have enjoyed in your provision and suggest parents follow them up. Some providers loan books or resources to parents as well for children to use at the weekend but this their choice.
• Improve the environment and resources by providing…
This is a common inspection outcome and inspectors can pick on any area of provision to say you are failing to provide a rich environment or sufficient / relevant resources for different ages.
Some areas of provision that come up regularly include –
o Literacy rich resources – if you don’t want labels have your reasons ready and point out other ways your environment is literacy rich;
o Real food to explore in role play (argue this if you have a problem with it and talk about all the cooking you do);
o Multicultural musical instruments – they can be expensive so make them;
o Gardening and growing food – not easy if your inspection is in winter!
o Access to electronic equipment … let the children go on YouTube with you to find songs and rhymes; play online matching games on the CBeebies website; listen to e-books; look information up together so children learn that information can be retrieved from computers as well as books.
• Missed opportunities to …
This is also a common inspection outcome – it can link to just about anything if the inspector thinks you are not quite good enough to be graded ‘outstanding’ yet but they want to encourage you to do a little more in one area of practice or another.
It is commonly linked to…
o Use maths – counting; weights and measures; size and shape; in front and behind; opposites etc… maths comes up a lot during inspection feedback - it’s clearly been a focus point recently
o Give little ones time to reply – take it slowly and let them think before jumping in (calm your own nerves if that’s the problem).
o Link children’s learning with what they are doing at home – if a child arrives with something from home talk about it and link to it in your planning.
o Include books – maths – mark making etc in all areas of provision
o Model new language during activities
o Make meal times into learning experiences – cook with the children and involve them in food preparation, sharing out, tidying up etc.
o Learn about the world around us eg visit supermarkets from different cultures;
• Use child’s home language during play
I know this is not popular with speech and language therapists BUT the EYFS states we must use children’s home language so buy a dictionary and ask parents to record a song in home language, make some dual language posters or signs, buy or borrow dual language books and learn some key words to support the child’s play.
Important notes
Ofsted inspections are changing from April 2017 – Prospect and Tribal no longer have the contract to deliver them and inspectors will be brought ‘in house’. You can find more information about how that might impact providers here –
http://www.childcareexpo.co.uk/ofsted-are-bringing-inspections-in-house-what-does-it-mean-for-providers-by-sarah-neville/.
Don’t forget there is a new EYFS 2017 -
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/596629/EYFS_STATUTORY_FRAMEWORK_2017.pdf
You need to know the changes so you can update your policies and other information. My guidance to the changes is FREE – it is linked from here –
http://www.childcare.co.uk/download/eyfs-update-march-2017.pdf - UPDATED LINK...
I hope this helps support you during inspection. Remember Ofsted are not the enemy - they have a (sometimes very difficult) job to do and mostly they do it very well. We do hear about occasional blips but they are in the minority - and if you do have a problem ask advice!
Chat soon, Sarah :D