Ofsted And The News

[Guest]

On the news this morning Ofsted were commenting about the amount of unsatisfactory childcare there inspections have show etc., etc.

 

I would love to reply - What about all the unsatisfactory Ofsted Inspectors, the complete incompetence of their office staff who loose paperwork. Despite numerous phonecalls we were without a 'Suitable Person' for six months, because the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing.

 

There are of course some excellent inspectors out there, but they really need to get their own house in order. I know of unsatisfactory settings that have waited nearly a year to be re-inspected. Surely they should be re-inspected much quicker than that, as six months is more than enough time to turn things around.

[Posy]

Completely agree Sheila. Also would be interested to know what they are planning to do to address this issue. My bet is there'll be another bundle of initiatives and training dreamt up by someone who once stood next to a child in a restaurant or shop.

Posy (sorry, feeling negative today)

[Marion]

I've only glanced at the full report but I think this is another case of the news high lighting the bit they think will get the most reaction. http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Inter...0003507640aRCRD

[Marion]

Incidentally the report is called "Getting on well"

[HappyMaz]

I've only glanced at the full report but I think this is another case of the news high lighting the bit they think will get the most reaction. http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Inter...0003507640aRCRD

And Sheila21, there's a space for you to tell Ofsted what you think - perhaps you should leave them a message venting your spleen!

 

Mind you, I have to say (bearing in mind I haven't read it yet) that Ofsted won't have been highlighting the negative stuff in the report - its up to the likes of the Daily Mail to put the least positive spin on things.

 

Maz

[Marion]

From what I can see the negative points on the news were all contained in "Annex D" of the report which is the section for the complaints made to OFSTED. (It doesn't state whether they were upheld as far as I can see)

[Guest]

If you read the actual Ofsted report it is quite favourable but listening to the local news this morning most of the country is inadequate according to them. Why do they keep doing this to us? what have we done wrong this time?

[Marion]

As I said BAD news sells more newspapers than good.

[beth1]

Incidentally the report is called "Getting on well"

 

Great report name a lot to be desiered then!

 

 

Beth

[HappyMaz]

As I said BAD news sells more newspapers than good.

I'll add this to my list of 101 headlines you'll never see in the Daily Mail:-

 

99% of pre-school settings satisfactory or better - read all about it!

 

Maz

[Rea]

I havent read the report but I did hear about it on the news this morning. The report said a number of childminders didnt have enough toys amongst other things, my immediate thought was that at £2.50 -£3.00 an hour that the childminders in my area charge, that doesnt actually leave a lot for toys. If parents are happy to pay an absolute minimum for their childs care then they really do get what they pay for. We are happier in this country paying £5.00 for a take away than we are to have our children looked after properly.

The old saying is 'if you pay peanuts you get monkeys'.

As to the news only reporting the bad stuff, well its what they do best. Recently they have been on about how the A level results are high because the exams are easy. That may well be the case, but on the other hand, would it kill them to congratulate the kids who are actually studying rather than hanging around on street corners? According to them, all teachers are rubbish, all early years staff are rubbish and the kids we work witrh are rubbish too.

Aonther spleen vented

[HappyMaz]

The old saying is 'if you pay peanuts you get monkeys'.

True but not always the case. Its fair to say that most of us in childcare earn (and pay) low wages, but I have to say that my lovely staff are absolutely fantastic - not a banana in sight!

 

It is a sad indictment on society that people pay more to get their house cleaned than to ensure their children are cared for properly. That's no reflection on the worth of cleaners either - they charge what the market will stand for doing a good job. its just that our priorities as a nation are all wrong. The Government knows that for the most part the childcare workforce is dedicated and professional and will do their best for children despite the low pay. The alternative would be too awful to contemplate - and much more costly for the Government to fund properly in order to fulfil their aspirations for the levels of economic activity amongst parents.

 

Anyone else got something to get off their chest - it seems to be the day for it!!

 

Maz

[Rea]

True but not always the case. Its fair to say that most of us in childcare earn (and pay) low wages, but I have to say that my lovely staff are absolutely fantastic - not a banana in sight!

 

It is a sad indictment on society that people pay more to get their house cleaned than to ensure their children are cared for properly. That's no reflection on the worth of cleaners either - they charge what the market will stand for doing a good job. its just that our priorities as a nation are all wrong. The Government knows that for the most part the childcare workforce is dedicated and professional and will do their best for children despite the low pay. The alternative would be too awful to contemplate - and much more costly for the Government to fund properly in order to fulfil their aspirations for the levels of economic activity amongst parents.

 

Anyone else got something to get off their chest - it seems to be the day for it!!

 

Maz

 

 

Absolutley maz, I agree that most are doing a great job, I do get mad though when the news reports on the small minority who arent and dont even bother to state why they arent. It would be interesting to know if the low charges are a factor in why the children havent got many toys, or even if the childminder does lots of outdoor activities that dont need toys.

[HappyMaz]

Absolutley maz, I agree that most are doing a great job, I do get mad though when the news reports on the small minority who arent and dont even bother to state why they arent. It would be interesting to know if the low charges are a factor in why the children havent got many toys, or even if the childminder does lots of outdoor activities that dont need toys.

An interesting area for research I'd say. Or do I really mean "opening a can of worms"?

 

Maz

[Annie-pops]

Yes, it would be interesting to see how many unpaid hours an OFSTED inspector puts in compared to, for example, someone employed in a community playgroup. I think they maybe need to have a greater understanding of what goes on at the "coal face" when they are placing value on what someone does.

[Guest]

Maybe we should invite our local mp or someone high up in Education to spend the day at a pre school.

Not where staff are being paid what they are worth as they subsidised by government but in the private or voluntry sector and they can see our service is an equal match!!!!!

Moan for the day!!!

[Guest]

oooooOOOH! Don't get me started!!!! Not daring to read the report yet after the year we had with their imcompetencies! 2 inspections in 9 months and both to give us outstanding!! what a waste of public money!

[Marion]

The report is pretty positive it's just the news has only chosen to report the negative bits.

[Guest]

Sometimes it's good to let off steam!!!

 

Going back to my point about Inspectors. Does anybody know how you become an inspector, what the qualifications or experience required is and what training you receive. Maybe I am doing them a disservice and they are well trained, experienced with relevant qualifications.

[HappyMaz]

Sometimes it's good to let off steam!!!

 

Going back to my point about Inspectors. Does anybody know how you become an inspector, what the qualifications or experience required is and what training you receive. Maybe I am doing them a disservice and they are well trained, experienced with relevant qualifications.

I'm sure if you go to the Ofsted website there's a part somewhere where they list vacancies...

 

Maz

[Rea]

Thats a bit of a sore point with one of my friends. She had 3 interviewws with Ofsted, got the job, only to be told on the first day there was a 2 week residential training course to attend. She and another lady left that same day due to family commitments.

 

She was also surprised that throughout the interviews the most important criteria was her use of the computer, very little interest, if any, shown in her childcare qualifications or experience.

[Guest]

Way back when, when Ofsted Inspections first started ( following social services Inspectors) I applied to become an Inspector and to go on Inspector training, I got through even though a couple of people I knew at the time in my then LEA and a person quite high up in the PLA didn't. I was quite chuffed.

Anyway I did a 3 day course up in Norfolk, I live in kent, ( luckily had a relative to stay with). At the end of the three days we were assessed, part of the assessment was a written observation of a video of a compilation of childcare settings. From this observation and other written information we were given, we then had to write an 'Inspectors Report'. This was quite difficult because we had to pretend that all the evidence ( video / case studies) was just one setting, but to me there were quite a few contradictions in combining the different settings. Anyway, I marked the 'setting' down a bit for creative development opportunities, they were very much adult led, you know the tissue duck syndrome.

Well, I failed, the feedback being that I didn't mark this area appropriately, Nuff said.

 

Not sure what the recruitment process is like now, and I must admit since the introduction of the Every Child Matters / 5 outcomes based Inspections, it does seem to me that overall Inspectors are less academic / formal in their expectations and are more 'child friendly' I think we all learn along the way, even Ofsted Inspectors.

 

Peggy

[Rea]

And just to add, I've been talking to my friend who now runs the playgroup. They had an inspection a while back. The inspection was to have been becuase they were using additional premisis (new classroom at school as well as usual church hall) She phoned them to say as it had been 2 years since their last inspection she would do a complete one. Their last one had recieved a well deserved 'good', but she said 'I dont know how you got a good last time', this was before she'd set foot on the premisis!!!!

The inspection was given as a 'satisfactory' due to her asking for something which was called something else at the group, and so they questioned her to make sure they fully understood what she'd meant. She said as they didnt know what she was talking about she wasnt going to give them a good.

 

Incidently, it's the same inspector who at my SPI asked why we didnt use builders sand when B&Q, Toys R us etc had run out!

 

I will say though that I know there are some very good inspectors out there.

[Sue R]

This seems just the Safe and Sound farce all over again. Don't bother tackling the paper/media, they don't want to know unless you can add more SHOCK!!

 

And, for the record, the only Inspectors I have had any dealings with have been brilliant - understanding, knowledgable and supportive.

 

Hang on in there!

 

Sue

[Sue R]

Oh,

 

Suppose I should come clean and say a good friend of mine is an Ofsted inspector. She has already said she would NEVER come to either my nursery, or our sister one!

 

Sue

[HappyMaz]

Oh,

 

Suppose I should come clean and say a good friend of mine is an Ofsted inspector. She has already said she would NEVER come to either my nursery, or our sister one!

 

Sue

What? Not even for a cup of tea, Sue?

 

I'm sure there are procedures in place to prevent any 'conflict of interests' visiting a setting you knew though!

 

Maz

[Sue R]

Yes, sorry, of course!!

 

Getting my wires crossed, VeryStressfulWeek!!

 

Sue x

[Guest Wolfie]

Peggy, I did that training too and was an RgNI for about three years, coming out of it because I felt I wanted a more supportive role rather than an inspecting one. When I look at how thorough we had to be back then, the quality standards in place for our work - which were VERY high, I was also a "critical reader" for a couple of inspection companies and had to make sure that inspector judgments were based on sufficient and well based evidence - the amount of evidence we looked at and the length of the report that we had to produce, compared to what is produced now and how little time is actually spent in the setting, I can't believe it!

 

I was a really nice inspector, promise!

[Guest]

Peggy, I did that training too and was an RgNI for about three years, coming out of it because I felt I wanted a more supportive role rather than an inspecting one. When I look at how thorough we had to be back then, the quality standards in place for our work - which were VERY high, I was also a "critical reader" for a couple of inspection companies and had to make sure that inspector judgments were based on sufficient and well based evidence - the amount of evidence we looked at and the length of the report that we had to produce, compared to what is produced now and how little time is actually spent in the setting, I can't believe it!

 

I was a really nice inspector, promise!

 

 

I'm sure you were Wolfie , and I hope I would have been too.

No regrets from me for not getting through, at the time though, I just felt a bit like the tokenistic non degree holding applicant. :wacko: . But that is just my sceptical side, which I try to banish away, as I much prefer my positive side.

 

Peggy

[HappyMaz]

I'm sure you were Wolfie , and I hope I would have been too. :wacko:

No regrets from me for not getting through, at the time though, I just felt a bit like the tokenistic non degree holding applicant. . But that is just my sceptical side, which I try to banish away, as I much prefer my positive side.

 

Peggy

Ah Peggy, there's nothing at all wrong with a bit of healthy scepticism, especially with the counter balance of all your experience and wisdom!

 

Maz