short and simple guide for Childminders

1. Preparing for our Ofsted
inspection.

2. Steps to impress.
What does it take?
It takes keeping in the loop
Be sure to read magazines, blogs & forums and new guidance,
reports & changes in regulations as and when they are available. If
you don’t have time then and there, save them to our CPD for Early
Years Practitioners facebook page. This will keep you filled in
between training sessions.

3. It takes commitment to ongoing training
keep up to date with training:
Keep a log of past training: note the date, time spent, your reflections,
plans of action, time frame, review, impact.
Note down any training you want to do in the future, cost, time frame,
benefits.
Remember, doing the minimum won’t cut it, especially with
safeguarding.

4. It takes evaluating our service and striving for continuous
improvement
Keep asking yourself how well you’re doing. Use an audit tool if you
wish.
Get opinions of your families, children and other professionals you
work with.
Ask a fellow childminder to act as a critical friend to watch you as you
work and to give honest feedback on what you do well and what could
be improved upon.

5. It takes knowing where each child is developmentally
Be sure you know where each child was developmentally last week,
this week and where you plan the child to be next week.
Every time you do a fresh observation is your starting point.
Every time you annotate what is being learned is your assessment.
Every time you think of the child’s next steps is your planning.

6. It takes working in partnership with parents, carers and other
professionals involved in your families
Have evidence showing how you are engaging with hard to reach
families, dads, school nursery staff etc. Even if this isn’t going
particularly well at the moment, showing that you are making every
effort will still impress the inspector.
Be able to demonstrate how you successfully share information with
others.

7. It takes making sure your paperwork is tip top
Make sure all of your policies, procedures, records and risk benefit
assessments have been regularly updated. If in any doubt at all, refer to
PACEY’s examples but remember to edit them to reflect your own
setting, date them and set your review date. Put a note in your diary
for that date to remind you to come back to these tasks.

8. It takes acknowledging that you are a child’s early educator
Be aware of the teaching techniques you are using.
Make sure that you are doing everything you can with parents and
carers to enhance children’s home learning environments.
Be willing to share resources.
Signpost parents and carers to useful websites and apps etc that
children use in your own setting and children’s favourite books, games
& activities to continue their learning at home.

9. It takes offering an inclusive service
Make sure your inclusion policy is up to date.
Have evidence of relevant training.
Get written feedback from satisfied customers.
Make best use of your Local Authority Early Years Consultants and
SENDCOs and never be afraid to ask for help.

10. It takes effective leadership and management, yes, even for
Childminders working alone. You are running a business aren’t you?
Reflect on your practice.
Reflect on your provision.
Reflect on your resources.
If you find any gaps in any of these areas then show the next steps for
your own setting – what are you going to do to address these gaps?
when are you going to fill these gaps? and what are you going to use to
help you to fill these gaps?