5 Handy Tips for Nursery Inspections for Nursery Managers

Having an inspection is a nerve-wracking experience for everyone.  With such short notice - usually only half a day - inspections bring another level of stress on top of the usual challenges.

So to make things easier for yourself and your team, be prepared!

By following these 5 handy tips and using Azilo Training, your experience should be a good one!

1 - Be Organised

As inspections can happen super quickly, it’s always good to remain vigilant and be prepared.  There’s nothing worse than panicking or being unable to find documents in front of inspectors, so being organised is key!

Making a checklist is a simple but effective way to ensure that you have everything organised for your inspection.  Keeping track and knowing where key documents are, such as your policies and procedures, and your team’s training certificates, showcases your organisation skills and saves time.  

• Azilo Training can store all of these documents for you online, so everything is in one place.  This means saving time and reducing stress! Win-win!

2 - Prepare Your Team

Inspections can be a daunting process for your team - for some team members it is their first time and, for others, their nervousness at answering questions from the inspector makes them panic and forget answers that they know.  

So prepare your team to put them at ease and give them confidence, and this, in turn, will positively showcase your nursery setting.  By providing a handy information sheet based on the key criteria from the inspection framework for your team, you can provide key information and the opportunity for your team to plan answers to possible questions.    

Also, provide information on what to do if your team does not know the answer!  As your team will be under pressure, their nerves might get the better of them, and they might forget answers.  Let your team know that it is okay; advise them to just calmly tell the inspector that they are feeling nervous and cannot remember right now.  And if they display the understanding and knowledge in how they would find the answer, this can prove to the inspector that they know their stuff!

• Using the Skills Gap Development Quiz feature on Azilo Training, you can check to see if there are any gaps in your team’s knowledge and assign them the courses to complete, to ensure your team are on top form!

3 - Get the Basics Right and Up-To-Date

Ensuring that all of your team have the basic and relevant training completed and up-to-date is a must!  Has your entire team completed their First Aid training? Make sure it’s recorded. Have you delivered an evening course with your team on Child Development?  Make sure it’s recorded. Did you work with a team member on a One-To-One training session? Make sure it’s recorded.

Avoid any headaches on inspection days by taking the time to make sure you have your team’s certificates accessible, up-to-date and in order.  It can only take minutes to do, compared to any potential fallout that may occur after the inspection if things are not quite right.

• Make things even easier with Azilo Training by using their tracking feature and compliance alerts to provide notifications when your team’s training needs to updated or completed.

4 - Ensure Your Staff Are Developing

Despite the financial pressures and time constraints on nurseries, it’s still super important to show that you are invested in your team and their development.  A way to do this includes providing them with the option to complete an array of further training to expand their skills and abilities.

During an inspection, this will be impressive to the inspector as you and your team are actively seeking further qualifications or certificates to constantly develop and provide the best care possible at the nursery.

• At Azilo Training there are over 150 courses, providing every user with the training they desire.

5 - Keep Calm and Positive

Finally, if the manager is confident and calm, then it positively impacts the team.  Remain at ease and in control, and it will put any nervous team members at ease and allow them to perform better during an inspection.

Leading by example is another great way to demonstrate expectations and what is expected from your team.  

• By using Azilo Training to manage your team’s learning, you can reduce the stress of organising your team, leaving you more time to prepare yourself, your team and the nursery for inspections and gain that outstanding grade!