Guest Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 (edited) My setting has two Ofsted registrations as in the summer term for one day a week we go to the school with all the rising fives to start the transition process, this has a separate name as it is on the school premises - this helps the children to get used to the environment and the school is really kind and give us space to do our thing whilst we are there.........well as we are registered separately from the pre-school today we had an inspection but as the children do not start this until the summer term it was a 'paper inspection' meaning the highest grade we could get was satisfactory (there is only inadequate or satisfactory as the children have not started yet) , I felt a bit cheated, but the inspector said that is all they can give with no children, this is now our grading for 3 years! I asked/invited them if they could come back when the children were there in the summer term to get a better picture of what we do and inspect properly - he said no as this was procedure, seems weird to grade us without seeing what we do! I feel a bit cheated......he didn't look at the operational plan at all, it was more like a suitable persons interview and not really about the lovely transitional provision we offer in the summer. He did say he would see me soon as the pre-school session is to be inspected separately any day! Oh well I have got it off my chest, incidentally he was a really nice inspector just doing his job, siad that the inspections all had to be done by March. Edited November 2, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Gosh thats a bit peculiar. I suppose its what happens when an idea such as Ofsted grows up to become a monster. Did you tell him how cheated you felt, and explained to him how it could affect the minds of people looking for a setting? Not one of their better decisions, actually a bit scary. You'll have to keep refering the transition aspect of your setting when you have the next inspection. Good luck with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Wow, new one on me, why a seperate registration? Why can't the transition plans, even if you are attending another setting once a week for 14 weeks be part of your preschool registration?? Good points from Rea, include transistion in your preschool registration Inspection. As for only being able to gain satisfactory when you are actually providing an excellent transition is a travesty. What you have described is a unique service, one I have not heard of before, which should be highly celebrated / recommended and not be penalised because it does not fit in with the Inspectorates agenda ( which is basically the problem) A big for you. Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 just a thought, do you have to pay 2 lots of registration fees, 2 lots of Insurance? I presume the answer is yes. ( I have been out tonight, and maybe I am not understanding your situation properly) Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 It will be 2 lots of everything I imagine Peggy. My old playgroup use one room in the local primary school once a week throughout the school year for the funded children. It helps with transition and also gives more hours for them. They had to have the room inspected and the playleader had to have 2 suitable person interviews to run both settings. They are also inspected on the provision with 2 lots of reports pubilshed on Ofsteds site. I'll have to speak to them and see if they've had a similar experience to shirel. Seems like beurocratic nonsense to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 (edited) Yes two lots of everything......thanks for your support, it is a wonderful set up, when it has started the children spend the mornning with us and then at 12.30 two parent helpers come to take the children with us 100 yards up the road to join the school children for the end of playtime - meaning they are all together, preschool and the schoolchildren siblings meeting others, neighbours etc it is lovely and the parents are part of the process, we finish the same time as the school 15.15. - and then the parents go home and we get the use of the classroom or the hall or the wildlife area - basically wherever the reception class are not, we carry out an activity with the school resources or free play in the classroom where they will start later that year - some sessions we end with a story with the reception class or a singing session led by the teacher they will have , we finish the same time as the school 15.15. this year's children who have just started school from preschool have made the transisiton beautifully as they know the school so well, they already think of it as their own before they go - it is great. Edited November 3, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 My setting has two Ofsted registrations as in the summer term for one day a week we go to the school with all the rising fives to start the transition process, this has a separate name as it is on the school premises - this helps the children to get used to the environment and the school is really kind and give us space to do our thing whilst we are there.........well as we are registered separately from the pre-school today we had an inspection but as the children do not start this until the summer term it was a 'paper inspection' meaning the highest grade we could get was satisfactory (there is only inadequate or satisfactory as the children have not started yet) , I felt a bit cheated, but the inspector said that is all they can give with no children, this is now our grading for 3 years! I asked/invited them if they could come back when the children were there in the summer term to get a better picture of what we do and inspect properly - he said no as this was procedure, seems weird to grade us without seeing what we do! I feel a bit cheated......he didn't look at the operational plan at all, it was more like a suitable persons interview and not really about the lovely transitional provision we offer in the summer. He did say he would see me soon as the pre-school session is to be inspected separately any day! Oh well I have got it off my chest, incidentally he was a really nice inspector just doing his job, siad that the inspections all had to be done by March. Shouldn't you get a "real" inspection 7 months after you have the children there? Then you would be able to be graded properly and this should be the one that lasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 Apparently not, although I may appeal?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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