Tribal - Inspection cost

**SammySplodger** · 22-02-2013, 05:43 PM

Heard back from Tribal - won't even give me a ball-park figure of cost of an inspection :-(

**funemnx** · 22-02-2013, 06:12 PM

You have to pay?

**SammySplodger** · 22-02-2013, 06:20 PM

No - not at the moment - I was trying to find out likely cost for CMs who remain Independent and IF Elizabeth Truss gets her way with reforms.

**rickysmiths** · 22-02-2013, 06:39 PM

Oh they won't have worked that out yet. However the cost to carry out an inspection is approx £800 if that helps. So approx £200 a year.

**SammySplodger** · 23-02-2013, 01:14 PM

How do you know that, just out of interest? That's outrageous! I had in my head £300, based on an acceptable wage for Mrs O.

I'm wanting to set money aside each month from now on to cover myself. I could not find £800 in one go - no way!

**blue bear** · 23-02-2013, 01:45 PM

As inspectors tend to be graduates and are quite well paid and inspections don't just mean one days work for ofsted I'd think £800 a reasonable assumption but I seem to think that was the figure bandied about some years ago when they were trying to increase the annual fee and Nima capped it so surely it will have gone up to even more by now.

**SammySplodger** · 23-02-2013, 01:57 PM

I'm a graduate and have never been paid that much :-( In wrong job!

So it looks very much like a very good reason for many CMs NOT to remain independent doesn't it?! May well be comparable to monies lost being part of an agency... I'm very angry!

No wonder DFE & Liz Truss 'don't know' how much it will be! 'Course they flippin' do! :-(

**SammySplodger** · 23-02-2013, 02:01 PM

Just mentioned to my husband who is a graduate with a professional qualification and 25 years experience... he costs £350 a day during a GOOD economy.

I do not see why an Ofsted Inspection should cost more.

**jillplum** · 23-02-2013, 05:51 PM

I would rather spend that money on an independant inspection than pay it to an agency

**rickysmiths** · 23-02-2013, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by SammySplodger

Just mentioned to my husband who is a graduate with a professional qualification and 25 years experience... he costs £350 a day during a GOOD economy.

I do not see why an Ofsted Inspection should cost more.

The thing is your inspection does not just take the time the inspector is with you. They have to travel to you and home, may have to stay overnight. They have to get all your info and review before they come to you and then they go away and write your report which is then moderated by their Manager and might need amending before you are sent the draft and then some facts may have to be changed and then it is published. I think the Inspectors are paid approx £250-300 per inspection. They are rarely paid a Salary now. But of course Tribal and Prospects have to cover all their costs and make a profit.

So if it takes an inspector a day and a half to complete an inspection then on your dh fees they are not paid very well.

I don't think £1 per week over a 4 year inspection cycle is a major expense and I would rather pay that than the suggested 20% of my Gross income to an Agency as a fee which would be much more than £152 a year.

**mama2three** · 23-02-2013, 06:59 PM

I know its open to interpretation , but what I have read so far doesnt suggest that independent cms will definitely be paying for their inspections. the only part that mentions paying for inspections is where we request them , reinspection for example. I would be suprised if registration fees dont rise , but then they have been very low for some time. Lets not worry about paying for inspections until we know all the facts and figures. At the rate this is whizzing through parliament that shouldnt be very long!

**SammySplodger** · 23-02-2013, 07:38 PM

I agree if you break it down it doesn't sound too bad, but I calculate it at more like £4 a week.

Wish they would hurry up and tell us something meaningful, instead of worrying guff. Roll on Monday...

**sarah707** · 24-02-2013, 10:30 AM

Ofsted were advertising for HMIs recently - the salary was £70,000 - we are all in the wrong job guys!

**jillplum** · 24-02-2013, 11:59 AM

Well I will just have to become an HMI when the local agency kicks me out for being too vocal

**SammySplodger** · 24-02-2013, 12:32 PM

The 'system' stinks!
I hate dealing with Ofsted, yet I would also not wish to be unregulated... :-(

I had a fairly sensible idea for Gov to save money on Ofsted inspections. For CMs already graded as Good or Outstanding, their subsequent inspections could be online (submitting something like a SEF), proof of training up to date and references / questionnaire from parents. Obviously not 'forever' but it could reduce frequency of inspection. Pharmacies operate a similar system, apparently.

I'm sure a few folk on here could think of several reasons why this wouldn't work - but surely preferable to the current rubbish ideas?!

**jillplum** · 24-02-2013, 12:34 PM

I see what you are saying but. a parent I dont think I would be happy if someone hadnt had an actual visit from an inspector. Daft I know as currently it is often over 3 years since anyone visited the childminders house.

**SammySplodger** · 24-02-2013, 12:45 PM

Couldn't Ofsted do much briefer subsequent visits, after the initial grading, to check we are still 'up to standard' ....and also have paperwork submitted online?

Don't many OIs profess to know our grading as soon as they walk through the door anyway?!

**Smiley** · 24-02-2013, 01:24 PM

As Rickysmiths says Tribal and Prospects use many freelance inspectors who are not paid a salary, they are paid per inspection.
Yes I noticed Ofsted are recruiting HMI's but they are Ofsted employed.
Since the inspection framework changed in September, inspections have to consider all providers to be 'good' and it's then a case of if they are better than or worse than that during the evidence gathering during the inspection.