OFSTED initial meeting advise please!

[Guest nadzy]

So we have just had a phone call to say that Ofsted are finally coming for a 'Meet and Greet' in order for us to obtain our EY number and to become fully registered. This process has replaced the 'Fit persons' interview.

 

Has anyone had ANY experience with one of these? Is there any advise that I can get please!!

[Guest]

Hi nadzy

We had our registration visit last week with a lady from prospect and we received our certificate today! Yay!

The lady came around 10 as promised and spent about 30 mins looking around the premises making suggestions for improvement.

Then we sat down in the office and she said she will try and make this as relaxing as possible. She left 4 hours later..!

She basically first checked the owners details and employment history as he is the registered provider. Then she started asking questions on the EYFS and what we are intending to provide. She asked about policies and procedures, safeguarding, health and safety, first aid training, recruitment and many other things.

She basically wanted to know how we are going to implement pretty much everything in the EYFS to be honest but it is pretty straightforward as you will have thought about most of those things already.

Overall if you know what you are doing it wasn't too bad.

[MarshaD]

I had my registration visit yesterday. My lady spent about 2.5 hours with me. She asked me all the questions that are on the preparing for your visit form first of all. She asked me about all the aspects of all the areas of learning and how I would cater for a two and then a four year old. Then we had a look round (I'd set up). She then asked me about safeguarding and welfare including risk assessment, safer recruitment, child protection - types of abuse and signs / symptoms; policies, including mobile / camera, no smoking; staff training / development; inclusion; two year check. She asked me whether I smoked, drank, took drugs. Also surprisingly they'd picked up a couple of things from my health check so she questioned me about these too.

She was very nice and the whole thing was not half as terrifying as I was expecting it to be. She told me then and there that she would recommend me to OFSTED, so hopefully a certificate will be wending it's way to me soon.

Good luck!

Let us know how you got on.

[Guest Nuby]

How long was it from starting your setting to getting a visit MarshaD and Nadzy? are there any tips you can share with us as we are only just starting out!