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So... what do we think helped us – 2 childminders from oop north in Knutsford, Cheshire – to get another outstanding inspection grade?
Lots of things – our inspection preparation checklist definitely helped:
**Know the EYFS – know what you must do – and check you are compliant.
We printed it and used it as an audit, working through it together.
**Know the Ofsted early years inspection handbook – know what Ofsted are looking for during inspection.
Again, we used it as an audit to check we met expectations.
**Know the children – inside out and backwards.
I didn’t need notes – my co-childminder did. It’s fine however you want to work.
**Know safeguarding – the basics and different scenarios.
Yes, I know safeguarding because I’ve been training it for many years but every inspector asks different questions, so I was ready for the tricky ones and renewed my own CPD before the inspection.
**Be prepared with documents and information – so you aren’t scrabbling around in cupboards.
Our inspector only wanted to see statutory documentation. I have my parents / Ofsted file – it’s updated when something new comes in straight away.
I also printed copies of our safeguarding and complaints policies because they are statutory, for the inspector to read through.
**Share with parents – make sure you work closely with parents all the time, so they are ready to tell the inspector how amazing you are.
We updated them with a few bits before inspection ‘just in case’.
**Show through doing – keep to your routines and show through your words and actions on the day that children receive this kind of care and learning every day.
Our inspector said she could see that inspection day was their normal daily routine.
**Pandemic – it hasn’t gone away - be ready to talk about the impact of the pandemic.
I have delivered lots of webinars to support you with this one.
**Tidy up the display – certificate and parent poster as a minimum.
Too much visual clutter – especially now parents aren’t coming into the setting – can be off-putting.
**Practice the learning walk and joint observations.
We do joint observations all the time – it’s really helpful to make sure we are on our game. We also spent time doing a learning walk – yes it felt a bit silly but it helped us to prepare.
**Aim high – be ready to talk about what we do well and what we are working on next.
We both know we’ve improved over the last 6 years since Ofsted called, so we made a point of showing how. Inspection is not the time to hide your light under the proverbial bushel.
**Focus on the positives – no negativity allowed.
The number of childminders who tell me – ‘the nursery won’t work with me’ or ‘parents aren’t communicating’. I am sure you can find a positive!
**Don’t do anything new or different on inspection day.
This is a BIGGIE!! The children will react and you will feel it all going wrong...
I hope this helps! Sarah.