This Week and Inspection Day.

Charity shop finds on Monday.  Monday mornings involve a trip to the bank to deposit a cheque, pop in the coop and pick up any supplies (quite often bananas - I go through sooooo many!).  Picked up Rye some more books too. 

The hat he's wearing I did buy for me, but its a tad too small, and looks a bit daft - still it came in handy today - that sun was blazing this afternoon.

Playing with geometic shapes, after C has gone home.  Rye really does love these - I confess though I cannot remember, for the life in me, how they all go in the box properly. I must go back to the website and look at the photo so I can figure it out.

Photos taken today.  Gosh, today has been beautiful, and for me, began at 6:30am this morning.  Quick tidy of the bathroom and Rye's bedroom, (he's prefering to sleep in with me, and I confess it is rather nice to have his warm little body next to mine.), then downstairs to have a quick tidy round and disinfect the floor - with my vinegar and mint solution, in attempt to keep the ants down.  It does work a bit, not as bad - although I'd forgotten to put a pear core in the bin, that Rye had last night, and of course it was swarming in the little things. Sigh.

I just found myself wandering around the house constantly, wondering to myself whether to move this or that.  Formulating possible to answers for any questions she might have etc.  As the morning progressed, I really thought the OFSTED inspector wasn't coming, she arrived about 11pm.  She is one of these lovely people who is able to put you at ease immediately.  We sat in the garden, watched the children play, chatted, she observed while the children and I played with a punch balloon I've tied to the washing line.  Then we came in for lunch and the children had pasta with tomatoe and mascapone sauce and salad.  The inspector appeared very happy that the children were offered salad. 

Then once lunch was eaten, I took C upstairs for her nap, the inspector came up briefly just to check the upstairs areas were safe, then she went back downstairs while I settled C.  Much to my utter relief, she thought my observtions, planning, risk assessments, policies, permission slips, etc were really good and she said that while I need to look at how to develop the observation, assessment and planning folder - I'd made a really good start.  So very chuffed with that.  In fact, she made 3 recommendations:

1. Look to develop the observation folder.
2. Link with other childminders and childminding groups and share good practice.
3. Cover the gravel in the garden.

So, she's given me the grading, "Good", which is excellent and what I was hoping for.  (The gradings are: Unsatisfactory, Satisfactory, Good, Outstanding).  I won't have another inspection now for 2-3 years.

After she left, I fallopped and enjoyed a well earned cup of nettle tea and Rye enjoyed colouring in some the sheets I'd printed for him, off the internet.  Today, has been really good, just really nice to know that what I've been doing is good, the inspector is happy, C is happy, mum is happy.  Oh, bless C's mum, she wrote me a lovely letter for the inspector, raving about how happy she was with my service, how well C has come on etc. :-)  A wonderfully positive and affirming day.

And, to boot, we had a lovely afternoon, once I woke C at 3pm, in the garden playing.

Trying to hide in the box, followed by the exclamation, "Oh, I'm too big, darling".   I love this habit Rye has of calling me, "darling".  Very funny.

Oh incidently the punch balloons, I bought a pack of 5 from the Works for 99p and to my utter joy they are biodegradable balloons too!