Oh god my ofsted inspector has just called me - I am so gutted :(

I am shocked that they can just change the grading like that.

Sorry for you SammyK

Oh sammy you must feel really really cross.

Bloody hell! You poor thing!

Here is another story of OFSTED's contrariness: a friend CM was called for inspection. She was given WEEKS and WEEKS notice. While she was getting ready she discovered her FA certificate had expired so she called the inspector who delayed her inspectio so she could attend the FA course. Had she not done so she would have been graded inadequate.

I tend to agree with Nannynick but you have all my sympath. What bad luck.

Aw Sammy, that's a bummer. I think I'd try to appeal to. I know when I was minding and inspected, I had something out of place, but they put a recommendation on my record and as soon as it was done, it was removed, iyswim. I can't even remember what it was now. Surely, since you have first aid training and have shown that we are booked on another course, they should be slightly more accommodating. Its not as if you have no knowledge at all.

I also agree with others. As long as your current parents are happy with the service and you don't need to recruit new mindees, you'll be fine.

I had a 'satisfactory' grading once and I could give a flying fig. I was full for 12 years, with most mindees coming from recommendations. I can understand that your grading is slightly more damaging. To your self confidence, if nothing else. Speak to your parents, I'm sure they'll all be fine about it and at the end of the day, they are the ones that count. Do give an appeal a go though.

Is it worth appealing? Not sure on that one, as they inspected, found the paperwork out of date, thus you didn't meet the criteria. You had an excuse and have rebooked the course, but as it stands at the time of inspection the paperwork wasn't correct.
It's a pain but Ofsted did their job and applied the rules. If the inspector had accepted an out-of-date certificate, then we would be moaning about that, wouldn't we.
Probably best to move forward get the course done and try to get Ofsted to reinspect again at a later date.

oh god what a nightmare you poor thing. Can imagine how you feel. It doesn't help that these courses are so difficult to get places on and are so expensive.
Mine lapsed in the summer, I called ofsted to tell them that I would bewithout a valid cert. for three months and they said it was fine. I thinkthis sounds very unfair. You have made every reasonable effort to renew it, both by booking on one in the first place and then by rebooking when you couldnt do the first one. Very unfair, very for you. Do you feel up to ringing them tomorrow and pointing this out? Would you feel up to appealing? I think this would be fair enough if you just hadn't bothered to renew but in your circs. it seems very harsh. I understand why you feel gutted, it's a bloody hard job at the moment as it is,without this type of thing knocking your confidence as well.

Inadequate is a hurtful word though, it must be very demoralising

Get the paperwork up to date and try to move forward - as others say, this this is just hoop-jumping, you know whether you're offering a good level of childcare or not.

Isn't the point of OFSTED to report on educational standards?

I'm sorry, but who cares! I appreciate that the grading can be important for new parents, but as long as your existing parents know why, and it doesn't seem to affect your ability to look after the children, just treat it as a paper exercise!

And you'll know for next time.

Not worth worrying about. Really!

Is this going to cause you problems recruiting mindees? Because I'm sure your existing parents will understand, if you explain the reasons.
You know you are not inadequate.

surely youcan't be graded as inadequate just for having some lapsed paper work?