Gold membership

My gold membership ended today.
I am obviously not renewing it as I have now retired. I received my official Ofsted letter, following me informing them of my resignation yesterday. I sent them a nice positive letter and email.
I didn't expect anything more but all it said was:

' We have closed your file and you are no longer registered to provide childcare'.

I have received many letters after resignations in my 40 year career in Education....all warm and confident building, thanking me in a positive way for my contribution to the sector or role I had worked in, I keep them in a special journal about my career path....this last one has got to be the most blunt, hard sounding one I have ever received.
I have not been a childminder for that long, but have followed Ofsted advice well and received an outstanding assessment at inspection, I must admit I did expect a minimal ' thank you for your contribution 'in the generic letter. I feel for those childminders that have spent their whole career offering a great service, as I expect everyone gets the generic same letter.
Anyway, I digress.
Gold membership for childcare .co.uk - I cannot emphasise enough how great this has been. If you are thinking, is it worth the extra? Then I would definately say yes. The help, information, guidance, courses available and professional system for communicating with prospective parents have all been brilliant and such good value for money. You cannot, in my opinion get better value for such a high standard anywhere else.

I wholeheartedly second your comments about childcare.co.uk.

The Ofsted thing is saddening : all the more so for being entirely predictable. Contrast that with the departure of the odious Wilshaw from Ofsted, slithering from one to news studio to another sumptuous press lunch date to pour out his tiresome valedictory speeches.

It says everything about today's education system of "use 'em up, then throw 'em away". CMs, teachers, parents and children only have value so long as we're all 'performing to government targets'.

Ironically, you will have done the greatest good amongst children and families by delivering all the things of real value that cannot be measured by inspections, Early Years Outcomes criteria, SATs or certificates.

Rest assured, you will be missed here. (And I've no doubt Wilshaw will eventually get the knighthood you deserve. )

I absolutely hate responses like that. I remember the first time my DD was off sick from nursery. I sent an email to the office (their preferred choice of communicating absence) and didn't get an acknowledgement, but no worries, I assumed it was just the way. She was off for three days and I sent an email in each morning explaining that she would still not be in, I did get a response... "Dear Mrs ****, Just so that you are aware, you only need to send one email per illness." No brief sentence such as "I hope *** gets better soon". I thought it was so rude and a terrible example to set to parents in what was a very challenging catchment area. Her current school is so different and it really has an impact on your personality when you are constantly surrounded by connectivity and consideration. (Not sure if they are the correct words to describe what I mean...)

Anyway, I digress. It is very disappointing from Ofsted. Please, please, please don't ever retire from the forum. I hope it doesn't feel like you are still at work when you give out your amazing advice and examples from your 'current' and past practice, and of course the endearing and inspiring posts about your family and your hobbies. There is so much negativity (understandably in many cases) in both childminding and the teaching profession at the moment that it is so important to have enthusiastic ambassadors like yourself around, people who truly have children at the heart of their work.

Great advice about gold membership.

Ofsted are making progress but they still have a way to go :/

I am so pleased you found the Childcare.co.uk gold membership useful - it does offer so much doesn't it? :clapping:

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Originally Posted by sarah707

Ofsted are making progress but they still have a way to go :/

I am so pleased you found the Childcare.co.uk gold membership useful - it does offer so much doesn't it? :clapping:

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Definitely!👍👍

Thank you so much for your kind comments about gold membership FloraDora.

It's lovely to hear that you found the gold membership benefits helpful and good value for money.

Wishing you all the very best in your retirement from childminding and thank you for all your support and contributions to the forum over the years.

Richard