Check you’re up to date with procedures
Check your registers of attendance are up to date. Download a sample register that you can amend.
If you take photos of children on a mobile phone or a digital camera, you need to register with the Information Commissioners Office.
Make sure you know about the prevent duty and can describe how you use the British values in your work with children.
Check you’re prepared for emergencies
Make sure you have emergency contact numbers in case you can’t reach a parent in an emergency. We recommend 3 contacts if possible.
You should practice an emergency evacuation regularly and log them.
Your fire blanket needs to be fixed to your kitchen wall or cupboard.
You should check that your smoke alarms are working.
Make sure you know about children’s allergies and the 14 most common allergens.
Acting on feedback
If you've got feedback from parents and children, consider showing how you act on it.
Ofsted’s 3 i’s
They can be interpreted like this:
- Intention – what you intend children to learn
- Implementation – how will you help them learn it? Which activities, resources, opportunities, experiences, vocabulary will you provide?
- Impact – what has been the result or impact of them learning that? Increased vocabulary? Greater independence?
It can also refer to what you want to improve and develop this year in your setting. Why you intend to do it, how you will implement the changes and what the impact will be.
Know your children
Ofsted inspectors really want to know that you know your children well:
- Know what they can do
- Know what they need to do next
- Know what their strengths are and areas to develop.
- Know their interests
- Know what their home language or languages are.
- Be able to give examples of progress that they have made
- Be able to describe their communication skills
- Talk about what makes them unique.
- Talk about their independence.
The inspector will observe your interactions with children. They are particularly looking out for how you communicate with each other, how you take opportunities to extend children’s vocabulary and their learning. They will be observing how you respond to each other and how you involve the children in what is happening. Remember this is your time to shine and show the great work that you do to support children’s learning, development and wellbeing.