A quick google and this is basically what they are looking for:
- look at how staff keep children safe
- watch the children play
- ask children what they’re learning from the activities and experiences staff provide them with
- ask staff about how engaged the children are and how much they understand
- talk to parents about what they think of the care and education provided
- observe the interactions between the childminder and children and how well the childminder supports their communication and language development
- talk to staff about their assessment of what children know and can do, and how they are supporting children to develop further
- make sure that the staff meet all their legal responsibilities, including for vulnerable children
I’m no expert but to prepare I’d make sure I was familiar with the safeguarding policies at the nursery, that you’d know where to go if you wasn’t happy with practices etc.
Also be familiar with the framework on how you monitor and track the children’s progress.
On the day they will want to see that ALL children are active and engaged all day, my dds nursery failed because some children were left to wander around aimlessly at times apparently. My dd comes home showing me her yoga poses, singing French and Spanish songs, signing the colours of the rainbow, showing me her new football skills, her writing, what they’ve grown in the garden etc etc. so I’m not worried about it but some kids clearly slipped through on the day.
Another thing that was highlighted in the ofsted report was that they liked seeing that all children were encouraged to give things a go themselves, with adults knowing when to and not to step in I.e Getting their own breakfast, clearing away their plates, putting their own coat on, filling their own water bottle, washing their hands etc.