Having wrestled a couple of friendly inspectors into my net I asked them to tell me simply, what a typical inspection day might look like. Our inspectors, Justine and Sonia (not their real names) have both been working as inspectors for several years and have inspected a wide range of settings including childminders, day nurseries, preschools and playgroups and after-school clubs. I started by asking them about their preparation for the inspection (page 4, para 28): J: We are sent all the information for the inspection several days before the inspection is due so we have time to prepare properly. We will be told in our information if there is anything particularly we need to ask about, they might have had a compliance letter and we need to check that they have met all the agreed actions. We also check which registers the setting is on and we make a note of which people are associated with the setting so that we can confirm this at the inspection. S: We look to see if there is a SEF, and we make sure we read it! We look to see if the setting has notified Ofsted (paras 3.8, 3.13, 3.16, 3.17, 3.18, 3.49, 3.51, 3.77, 3.78) about anything since the last inspection e.g. a notified accident or incident and we make a note that we will need to ask about this during the inspection. We read the previous inspection report to see what the setting has been asked to work on and we will look at the Ofsted website to see if there have been any complaints or compliance notes added to their page. J: We will look at the setting’s website if there is one and we will do a quick internet search to see if anything comes up about the setting R: Like what? J: Well, they might have been in the paper talking about a charity event or some trip out in the community. Or there might have been a safeguarding issue that was in the local press but which the provider didn’t notify us about. R: Why is this important? J: It gives us a really good sense of the setting before we get there and it might give us some things we want to ask the provider about. For example, if I see that the children have had a visit from the local fire brigade I might ask children about other links with the community. If there is an ‘unreported’ safeguarding issue that is certainly something I will need to talk to the provider about as potentially that is very serious. R: What about if a setting doesn’t have a website, or hasn’t been in the local paper and hasn’t uploaded a SEF? S: It doesn’t matter and doesn’t have any bearing on my judgement – it just means I will have more to do on the day as I still need to know about self-evaluation for example – so I will need to read their SEF, or whichever method they are using to reflect on what they are doing when I get there. R: Once you have got an idea about the setting, what happens then? S: We arrange to make the pre-inspection phone call (page 9, para 31). This might be done in the first instance by someone from the central office, they will advise the provider that their inspection is scheduled for the following day, or if it’s a childminder, within the next 5 days. I then follow up the call at a time convenient for the provider and talk through the inspection process and make sure they understand what will happen. The phone call usually takes me about 15 minutes, but I give myself ½ hour to make sure that everything is covered. If the provider is very familiar with the inspection process and has read the handbook it can be quicker. Firstly, I make sure that I’m talking to the right setting! I check their Ofsted registration number to confirm I’m going to the right place! I make sure they understand the process and what I’m going to be doing on the day. They need to know that I will need to talk to staff, to parents and to the management team. I also remind them (or tell them if they didn’t know) about the joint observation (page 17, para 70). I make sure they have access to the inspection handbook and that they can let parents and their registered provider know I am coming. I will also make sure that they have had the list of documents (pages 10/11, para 37) I will need to see emailed to them so that they can get things ready. R: We have had a recent articles on the forum about the joint observation process J: I always tell providers that it’s fine to put the documents in a big pile and I will go through them. I also make sure that providers don’t take things off the wall – I’m happy for them just to point them out to me when they show me round – I then go back to them in my own time, during the inspection, and check the information. R: What about staff files and children’s files that are locked away? J: Personally, I don’t ask the provider to get those files out and leave them ‘lying about’ so that they are available for me. What I usually do is ask the provider to get the files for the children I am tracking when I am ready to look at them and then I look and give them straight back. If there are any issues in the files I might ask to see more examples of different children’s files. S: Yes, it’s the same with staff files. I ask to see them when I’m ready to go through them – if it’s a small staff team I will look at every file – I’m looking to see that safeguarding procedures for staff are robust, that staff are suitably qualified and supported and that the provider is meeting all the statutory requirements If it’s a big setting I will look at a random sample, and then more if I have any concerns or queries. R: That’s useful to know, we’ve just written a series of articles about making sure that staff are safe to work with children! S: Good work! J: If it’s a big setting what I tend to do is look at the manager’s file, the most recent starter file and also the files of the key people for the children I am tracking. But, like S I will look at more if I have any concerns. R: What else do you cover in the pre-inspection call? S: I ask about the numbers of children they are expecting and the numbers of staff. I also want to know if any of the children are funded for early education or if any are funded for early years’ pupil premium. I also want to know if any children have additional needs. I will make sure that I track (page 14, para 53) a sample of these children as well as some other children to get a sense of the ‘balance’ in the setting. J: I also ask any housekeeping questions during the phone call – like parking arrangements, hours of opening, if the setting is hard to find – when the childminder might be back from her school run – that sort of thing. And then I give the provider an idea of when I am planning to arrive. S: Yes, and if, on the day I’m running late I always phone to let them know! I wouldn’t want them to think I had forgotten them! R: Sometimes you don’t make a pre-inspection call do you? J: That’s right, there are occasions when we still inspect ‘unannounced’ Sometimes we’ve just been unable to contact them for the pre-inspection call, even though we’ve made several attempts. Other unannounced inspections (page 11, para 42) are normally because there have been concerns raised about the setting. The actual inspection itself would be the same though. R: How do providers respond to the pre-inspection call? S: I find it is a really good way to begin to establish a professional relationship with them and usually I am able to calm their nerves and allay some of their fears simply by showing them that I am a ‘real’ person. Some providers say that they like the notification call because it gives them a chance to get their paperwork organised before I arrive – others don’t like it because they spend the whole night before worrying – so far it’s been a pretty even split. As experienced inspectors we can see very quickly what’s been organised ‘overnight’ and what is common practice for that particular setting! Strong staff and managers are always strong, with or without notice, and the same goes for weaker staff and managers. J: Personally, I like the notification call – it means that the provider already knows me a little bit and can put the staff at ease. I’ve heard several times during my conversations with staff “Oh yes, she said you sounded nice on the phone!” I can see the benefits of it, particularly for managers. Previously I’ve done inspections when the manager is off on a course and they’ve come racing back so that they are there. I think it means that although everyone is still nervous they feel ‘prepared’ R: Thank you, I hope our readers have found this useful. I look forward to talking to you about the actual inspection day. I have started a thread about ‘Preparing for inspection following the notification call’ if anyone has any ‘top tips’ they would like to share.
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