What to do with 1yr olds when ofsted come!!

**Lyns123** · 19-03-2009, 02:40 PM

Hi Everyone

I hope someone can help, all my mindee's are aged between 1yr and 18months, when ofsted come to inspect me what should i do with them?? None of them pay any attention to activities, they literally want to just play with the toys and with me but not doing anything amazing just..........playing!! They are happy to play without me as well so i should have some time to talk to the inspector but will they expect the children to be doing anything or is just playing ok at that age??

Thanks for the help in advance xxx

P.s I do plan activities but they never go to plan and the kids are always hitting things in the eyfs just through their play etc

amirose · 19-03-2009, 03:02 PM

From what I have read Ofsted are quite happy for the children to just be playing (its following their interests!). I would just make sure you are interacting with them whilst they are playing (when you are not talking to the inspector!

).

Sounds to me like you have it all covered

Wishing you the best of luck

**Daftbat** · 19-03-2009, 03:54 PM

Sounds fine to me. The inspector will not expect them to be dpoing anything outside of normal for their age group

**venus89** · 19-03-2009, 04:07 PM

Sounds perfect - much better than kids who dislike playing!
We normally go to a group the day my inspector came and I was worried about how my 18 month old mindee was going to be - he's wonderful, great fun to be with, but needs loads of excercise. He's like a puppy

I got out a toy i knew they'd enjoy playing with that ticked loads of EYFS boxes (dolls house with multicultural/disability dolls in). But we spent half the time with him having stories - I let them chose their own and bring them to me and the inspector loved that. Then I had some colouring out for him to do and a few baby toys for the baby and I basically let the kids have free play. She was perfectly fine with this.

**Lyns123** · 19-03-2009, 04:18 PM

Thanks ladies

Was a little worried that they would expect me to be doing arts and crafts or something (they tend to eat the paint so was slightly worried).

We normally attend playgroups in the morning as my 18month mindee is so active as well that he ends up climbing the walls if we don't get out to burn off some of the energy. I'm a bit worried about this as well as i don't want them to miss the playgroup if they don't have too and from what i've read Ofsted give you a couple of days that they may show up, this would mean i'd miss three days of playgroup........ i think i'll be climbing the walls!!!

I wonder if i tell them on the phone that they need the playgroup as it's so inbedded in their routines now that they might let me know what day they are coming!!!

**venus89** · 19-03-2009, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by Lyns123

Thanks ladies

Was a little worried that they would expect me to be doing arts and crafts or something (they tend to eat the paint so was slightly worried).

We normally attend playgroups in the morning as my 18month mindee is so active as well that he ends up climbing the walls if we don't get out to burn off some of the energy. I'm a bit worried about this as well as i don't want them to miss the playgroup if they don't have too and from what i've read Ofsted give you a couple of days that they may show up, this would mean i'd miss three days of playgroup........ i think i'll be climbing the walls!!!

I wonder if i tell them on the phone that they need the playgroup as it's so inbedded in their routines now that they might let me know what day they are coming!!!

My inspector told me that unless it's urgent then you can't put them off in this way - I had told her we had playgroup on a particular day - BUT all inspectors are different. What mine did do was say that if she wasn't there by a particular time then she wasn't coming, so I wasn't hanging around for her the whole day......

**sonia ann** · 19-03-2009, 04:39 PM

What mine did do was say that if she wasn't there by a particular time then she wasn't coming, so I wasn't hanging around for her the whole day......
This is what my inspector said to me it worked well

Sounds fine to me. The inspector will not expect them to be dpoing anything outside of normal for their age group
Just play as you would normally, lots of interaction and "chatting" to the little one keeping them happy and contented

**Lyns123** · 19-03-2009, 04:53 PM

We'll just play as normal then, they will probably nap in the morning as well, it's weird, if we don't go to playgroup then they need to have a morning nap, it's like they need the distraction to stay awake.

Thanks for the help

**youarewhatyoueat** · 21-03-2009, 09:12 PM

Have a mirror for the babies to see their reflection in and do nose pointing and sad and happy faces the babies should love it mine do.Keep it as a standby to bring out if one of them gets upset or needs distracting,in fact have a few standbys,you could always do mark making with shaving foam,my mindees love it and they are both 1.good luck