panic panic panic.. Ofsted just rang

I have always thought satisfactory is a horrible word. I agree it doesn't sound very positive. The fact that it lasts 3 years is also unfortunate. Even if in that time you take courses, get more experience or just carry on doing a good job there is no way of moving it up to good. I have been lucky over the years to gain good when it was the highest and outstanding when that grade came in. I am no better a childminder than many who have gained satisfactory or good, I am just good at what I do, both paperwork and with the children and I know how to show it both on paper and in words.

That sounds like commonsence, but lots of childminders know what they do but have a problem putting it into words. That is why I think the EYFS Practice Guidance is so helpful, it gives childminders THE WORDS TO USE when they see a child doing something. It also helps you to know what to look for and how to plan ahead.

I am sorry to hear you might move out of minding into a normal job. I feel like that myself sometimes. Then my 10 year old asks to bring friends home after school or in the long summer hols, or i have to get him when he is sick and all my plans go awall.

I am lucky at the moment to be full, not sure what I would do if I started to empty due to natural wastage (children starting schools or nurseries I don't pick up from or going to high school).

All the above postings are right: if you are a new minder, Ofsted will not be expecting paperwork like mine. They would be suspicious of too much paperwork or formal detail. It is only because I have been minding for so long and I have done my NVQ Level 3 and EYFS Level 3 and stayed up night after night to get the paperwork right that I am at this point now. I have had nights where I didn't go to bed at all (not recommended for anyone - I am naturally a night bird and don't need much sleep). I have now found a manageable way of recording everything, but it has been a very long journey. My kids had to do without a mum and my husband thought we had separated without me telling him. I made sure it did not affect my day to day minding but my private life didn't exist. My parents were great, I kept changing the way I did my observations so many times they thought they had different children each time they read about them. I was insecure, I cried, had temper tantrums, thought about giving up on more than one occasion and going back into office work. I felt very sad that my setting was turning into a formal nursery (I've got over that now and feel it is a home environment again). You would have to see my set up and my FEW setting files and my observation files to see how little paperwork I do now.

I think new minders coming into the profession have such an exciting journey ahead of them, if they take their time and do a little at a time. The main thing is they enjoy the job of looking after the children and don't stress.

Ofsted will only mark you as unsatisfactory if they find something that puts the children at risk. To get satisfactory, you need to go through the welfare requirements and highlight everything that is a requirement and make sure you have covered it.

Sorry the chart didnt come out right. Not sure how to type it so it shows right on the site.

I'll try again

DAYS OF THE WEEK - Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri

PSED

CLL

PSRN

KUW

PD

22/2 BB
fell
off chair
KC said
"you
awright
B..." WOULD GO next to psed under Monday

Does this make sense?

Sorry the chart didnt come out right. Not sure how to type it so it shows right on the site.

I'll try again

Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri

PSED

CLL

PSRN

KUW

PD

22/2 BB
fell
off chair
KC said
"you
awright
B..." WOULD GO next to psed under Monday

Does this make sense?

CD

Then each time you do an observation write on sheet.

I must admit I don't have any under 1's. I have two x 22 months, one due to start nursery this Sept and two due to start school this Sept. They are my youngest. They are the only ones I have to do observation and assessments on.

The others do have their own files, but I only put photos on these and the children do the rest. The OLDER CHILDREN WRITE THEIR OWN COMMENTS under the photos and they put in their own work (drawings etc.). Ofsted love this kind of input from the children and the children really OWN their own files.

I only record the WOW moments for the littlies. If I am looking to observe something in particular, say for instance whether a child knows where its body parts are, I will set up an activity and only observe that child. Otherwise I record things spontaneously as they occur day to day.

I have a weekly sheet on my wall:

Mon Tues Wed

PSED 22/2 BB
fell
off chair
KC said
"you
awright
B..."

CLL 23/2 Watching
CBBS MM
copied
Justin
Doing
Sign Language

PSRN 24/2 Edu Beam
MM balanced
one foot on
one foot off

KUW

PD

CD

Don't know if this is going to come out ok, but the idea is that you have the days across the top and the 6 areas of learning down the side. Each time I observe a wow moment I jot it down on the sheet, bit like using post its except that you dont lose the bits of paper and the chart can be filed for evidence for Ofsted to show that you cover all the areas of learning over a period of time.

Then when I have time, I transfer any photos I have taken from my camera to my pc, and check the chart for details of what actually happened at the time. I then put the observation on the child's file. At the end of the school term I do a summative assessment which is just a list of all the things i have observed over the term.

My observations look something like this:

PICTURE IF ONE IS AVAILABLE (ON THIS OCCASION THERE WASN'T ONE SO i JUST PUT A BOX WITH - NO PICTURE AVAILABLE - IN IT.

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Making Relationships
(16 - 26 mths)
DEVELOPMENT MATTERS:
Can be caring towards each other

22/2/09 CHILD LED: While the children were sitting eating lunch BB fell off chair KC went over to him and said "you awright B..." and came to me and said "BB fawl". I gave BB a cuddle (he hadn't hurt himself) and thanked KC for telling me.

PARENT COMMENT:

FORWARD PLAN: Choose books and stories in which characters show empathy for others

If you look in your practice guidance you can easily find the language to use for your observations. After a while you instinctively know which area of learning they come under, you know the age of the child, the rest is there for you to easily look up.

If you are ok on the computer if you go to
www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/eyfs/ and click on search areas of learning and development you can cut and paste all the info you need. The early support stuff is good too if you have a child who is struggling.

I am not plugging the site, but if you go to eyfs-in-practice they have a folder with all the welfare requirements in it - you just slot in your evidence. Their policies and procedures are very good too - you can just adapt them to your setting. There is also an example of how to do your observations and assessments and the above provision sheet.

Good luck SillyMillysMummy! I also registered in Dec so it's looming I'm sure. Doesn't help having Support Worker adding pressure that I must attain at least a "Good" but for me "Satisfactory" will be good enough!

Anyone out there due an inspection who has caller id on ya phone - don't answer any calls showing 'Private', it'll be Ofsted! Ha, ha, ha

Mine overdue and was supposed to come end of last month but then got appt for operation so have postponed it till end of March. Mine also said she couldn't tell me when she was coming, but I only work a Wed & Thurs afternoon at the moment, so can narrow it down to at least 2 days. Have, however, known some cms who have waited in for several weeks and not had 'the visit'. If you normally do playgroups, drop-ins etc, tell them that and carry on as normal - narrow them down as much as you can. Good luck everyone

mine coming in 2 weeks. i am soooooo scared

am dreading mine too - only been registered since December but had a call from Ofsted today - nearly wet myself when she said who it was!!! once I'd got a grip realised she was calling to see if I was minding yet (I am) and then she said I will be contacted to check for availability to inspect soon .

must get paperwork in order! Keep telling myself satisfactory is fine, especially for the first one. Good luck for when you go ahead with it, x

SMM, calm down! the fact that you are concerned about it shows that you are certainly not inadequate. remember that you only need to achieve the standards. the pressure to beat them is put on us by OFSTED!! postpone it now because you're ill. cannot have the extra hassle while you're poorly.

i have no doubt that you will not be rated inadequate!!

PS i got satisfactory at my first (and so far only) inspection. so, you see - there are FAB childminders out there with "only" satisfactory

If you're ill you could always delay it!

SMM - I have some nice planning sheets & you could plan 2 or 3 activities - if you want to email me

paperfreek, your list is just brilliant! Thanks so much.

thebody, don't panic! I have been minding for 3 years and my pracitice is nowhere near paper's. remember that we only HAVE to get satisfactory because that shows that we are meeting the standards. anything over and above is a well earned bonus. get your basics in order before adding optional extras. paperwork, environment, happy children are your basics!

(having said that, I have just copies PF's list because I am due my inspection in a couple of months..... thanks Pf!)

I thought I was ready and now Paperfreek I am ready to hide my head in shame, mind you my littlies are really little so lots of your ideas would be beyond them, but you have sure given me food for thought. Well done.. you sound fantastic..

Paperfreek, how on earth do you manage 15 mindees? Your paperwork must send you CRAZY!
Have you any tips on how to keep it 'quick, easy and effective' ??

I used to be a support childminder till sure start decided to withdraw the scheme from childminders and take it into the children centres. Minders used to come to my setting and see how I work and take ideas etc back to try themselves. I have been minding for 17 years so i have had long time to practice.

I do have a wonderful bunch of kids and parents. I look after 15 at the moment, including two sets of 3 siblings and 4 sets of 2 siblings. All ages from 1 year to 10 years. I have children who come back to visit who were 2 when i took them on and are 19 now.

Unfortunately, I am not so good when it comes to common sense where animals are concerned. I have a lot. My kids and mindees are crazy about animals and my house is like a zoo. My son's two chinchillas were supposed to be boys and we have just found two kits in the cage omg they are so cute. Now we have 4.

As you can see, paperwork has to be quick, easy and effective.