As we’re registered on the Childcare Register with Ofsted, it means they can inspect us.
Well, we had our first Ofsted inspection last month – and we passed!
Being Ofsted registered is why we can offer childcare vouchers and tax-free childcare at some of our venues.
Ofsted inspections for childcare register providers
These are a little different to what you’re used to hearing about in schools.
We don’t get rated on the same scale as schools – good/outstanding/requires improvement/inadequate. We get rated compliant or non-compliant.
What happens on an Ofsted childcare register inspection
Ofsted want to know that we run childcare that keeps within their regulations.
Like schools, we don’t get much notice.
Ofsted arrive and check that our coaches for that session have been DBS checked and there is a first aider. They ask us questions, ranging from how we manage children's behaviour to our policies about fire safety. They then spend some time observing our coaches and the children in a session.
The whole visit takes about two hours.
Why haven’t we been inspected at any of our other venues?
Ofsted inspect 1 in 10 of those on the childcare register each year. We’re on there for each venue we’re at, so this inspection was only relevant to St Paul’s. That means we could get inspected at Walter Infants, Evendons, Colleton, Oaklands or Cranford Park in the future, or even St Paul’s again next year.
Like school Ofsted inspections, you just don’t know.