I have my Ofsted inspection in less than two weeks - yes I know I'm an idiot....

[FrazzleRock]

...as just looking at my Childminder Self evaluation form and thinking holy crap, how the hell do I fill it all in?
There are all these questions on planning and next steps which I don't do.
I do the children's daily diaries and observe them and link everything to the six outcomes of EYFS but I don't plan. I don't agree with it.

So, I'm now in deep doo doo. Mainly because I still haven't completed my SEF - or rather only done two pages, which, quite frankly, I've repeated myself over and over.

Can they fail me for not planning? I'm not bothered about getting outstanding. I'm happy with a good. Hell, I'm even happy with a satisfactory! - which I have now.

Doi we still have to fill this SEF rubbish in?

frazz I'll be back this evening to go over a few things okay?

thanks bald

CAT me to start the ball rolling

I refused point blank to fill mine in, toldmy Inspector I wasnt going to, she said just as well as she hadnt looked at it anyway.

She did look at my Network Accreditation assessments tho and said they were more informative as they are done every 12 weeks.

Oh gawd WTF are Network Accreditation assessments....?

Dont panic Frazzle, you only get them if you are accredited. they come round and check up on you once every 12 weeks (in theory), they then send you a assessment, which I show Ofsted.

( I got an Outstanding without it as well, but that was within the first two weeks of the SEF being in Existence)

I have no intention of doing it before my next Inspection either, and if I drop to a good, well so what!

We do more than enough paperwork without the repetitive SEF.

that makes me feel easier Shoshe.
Do you reckon I'll get away with no planning too? I really don't agree with it.
We go to playgroups every morning, I have no idea what they've got planned so can't see how I can plan.
If we change our minds and go to the park, it's a last minute idea, not planned.

Surely they'd be happy enough that I actually managed to follow the EYFS outcomes. Surely they will be happy that the children are obviously happy and thriving in my care...? Non?

Just on my way out & I know BALD will reassure you as will many others on her but just wanted to drop in my pennys worth - the SEF is not compulsory!!!!!! Its a good idea as it gives the inspector something to work with & have a flavour of your setting before they arrive (assuming they've read it lol) and in theory can lead to a shorter inspection. What is required ideally is that you have some way of showing the inspector how you think about & improve your practice on a regular basis, keep up to date and do training.
As for planning - I don't either really. If you are observing the chn and then providing a follow up activity based on your obs that is all the planning you need. for example in my diary (1 pg per month) it says 2 weeks ago that E asked to do handprints while we were at toddlers so on her next visit it says we did handprints & that the next day this was followed up further with E & S with hand & footprints as E enjoyed so much. Next week there'll be something about water play with E & S as both enjoyed washing their feet as much if not more than painting them. I have 5 chn on my books & all attend part-time but I can still fit a month's 'planning' onto 1 sheet of A4.
Good luck!

I do do planning, and obs linked to the EYFS, I have to for accredit. but dont think you will get away with none.

Mine changes tho, I write in what we propose to do for the week, with another section with what we actually did, that I write in after, a lot of the times it is different than planned (last week we were going to do leaf printing from our walk, but we found loads of ladybugs, so ended up doing a whole afternoon on them, that is what the mindees wanted so being child led that is what we did)

Oh poo, well that'll be lots of extra waisted writing as I can plan, but we won't do anything I planned to do...
Serious anxiety kicking in. Loads of stress in personal life at the moment, really could do without this crap

waisted? Wasted!

Have you got Handbook with all your policies up to date ?

Risk assessments?

Fire Drills and Contact checks all done?

If not do you want a hand?

I put a note in mine that my planning might go out the window (or words to that effect) if the children want to do something different. For example if next steps for a child are sensory play and I have a great activity planned indoors, then they want to play outdoors, I just adapt it, so it is sensory play outdoors. Certainly no plans cast in stone ... it just doesn't work with child led play ... well to me it doesn't anyway.

No HSMM to me it's a contradiction in terms!

Dear lord - FIRE DRILLS!

Shoshe - yes please. I'm so rubbish. I know I'm bloody great with the kiddies, just eternally hopeless at keeping up to date with paperwork. I'm quite surprised I manage to do the EYFS diaries on a daily basis!
So frustrating. I know the fire drills, policies etc are for my own benefit. All my policies are up to date and I get the parents to sign a form to say they've read all ten thousand of them....

Shall we use the new PM inbox ???

[runs around the room in excitement]

Frazzle - Are you sure it's going to be in the next two weeks, have they called? My 6 months came up at the end of Aug and I'm still waiting for my call. I started to feel sick and have sleepless nights at the start of Aug, I'm not really any closer to being ready but now I just want them to call so that I can get the bloody thing over with .

I too have had issues with doing the SEF, the way I read it all the questions are the same thing over and over and I'm sick to death of the bloody thing already, I started off doing huge answers and am now down to about two lines per question!

I'm sure that I've seen people on here mention that they don't do planning, as long as you can argue why you don't then I should think you'll be ok. At the end of the day I'm sure you do plan, you'll have things in your head that you think the kids will enjoy and it'll be because you've observed them doing something similar or that you think your activity can develop further....

new PM box.....?

Frazzle new pm box is up top next to log in section

Is what paperwork do you have in place and what do you need as I would be happy to share some with you.

Ok Fraz, have sent you three emails (was easier to explain in separate emails) hope it helps.

oooh, Shoshe...I only got one email....

You now should have 5!