Ofsteds Visit

[Guest]

Hi all, I wondered if you could give me some tips. I run a sessional pre-school and we had our Ofsted inspector today! She seems very nice and has told us there is nothing to worry about with what she has seen. She is due back on Monday for the education side and I wondered if anyone can give me some tips on exactly what she will be looking for or things to make sure she sees.

I am glad that it is nearly all over but really worried about the outcome, please help.

 

Carol

[Susan]

Good luck, hope all goes well.

[belle06]

Good luck I have always found it useful to go on the Ofsted website and look at some other reports that received good and outstanding this gives you an idea what they like to see

[HappyMaz]

The first thing is not to panic - if she has told you there is nothing to worry about then you can relax a bit!

 

Have you downloaded the booklet "Are you ready for your inspection?" and the Self Evaluation Form? These will give you some hints about what she'll be looking for.

 

She'll be interested to see how your planning, observation and assessment systems support individual children's learning, and how you deliver the Foundation Stage Curriculum. Our inspector was particularly interested in how we would answer a parent who came into the setting asking how well their child is achieving and meeting the stepping stones/early learning goals - ie how our assessment systems demonstrate children's learning and achievements.

 

One of our early years advisers asked me the key question: how do we use our Nursery Education Funding to ensure that children are enjoying and achieving?

 

Be proud of what you do and what you have achieved, but be realistic and don't try to pull the wool over her eyes: be clear about what you want to achieve, and your plans for your setting. Make sure you take every opportunity to show her how well your setting is doing: a bit like when a prospective parent visits and you want to show them all areas of the pre-school.

 

There will be lots of other advice on here as everyone's inspection throws up different issues. I'd advise that you identify the bits of advice that seem relevant to you and don't try to change or improve everything overnight. I hope it goes well - let us know how you get on!

 

Maz

[Inge]

our inspector looked at amm Maz said , and also how adults were interacting with the children during the session, and spoke to the children a lot about what they were doing

 

Inge

[Inge]

and we gave her a album of pictures children and adults doing things she would not see on the day..she cannot see everything!

 

Inge

[hali]

lucky you - we are still waiting... good luck for monday am sure you will do well

[Guest]

Excellent advice already, just wanted to add my best wishes for Monday

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Thanks all for your support and positive remarks, I think all is in place so we will have to just wait and see.

 

Carol

[dublinbay]

Best wishes for Monday Carol. I'm sure everything will be fine. Do let us know won't you.

[Guest Wolfie]

Good luck for Monday, try to have a relaxing weekend!

[Helen]

Great advice above Our inspector was particularlyinterested in quality interactions between children and staff, following their interests, using everything as a learning opportunity, and, most importantly, children having lots of fun. (She was a great inspector!) Really good luck for Monday, and let us know how it goes.

[Guest]

Well it's all over thank goodness and we got a GOOD!

Thanks for all your help

 

Carol

[Lucy P]

Well Done Carol

 

You can relax now

[Guest]

Well done

Congratulations on getting a good. We had our last week and it is very stressful indeed, just as it is afterwards as you need to plan the next steps overall. We got a satisfactory which is good considering we are in a church hall and very limited in how we can implement things and given the environment. But good news is we can now plan ready for our big m,ove in April and all the things ofsted will want to see when we are moved, as we will have to have 2 more ofsted being in a new envirment etc...

Can't wait and my superivisor is a credit to work with, our working relationship is fantastic that we were told by the inspector we are very professional!! so that is good enough for me...

Claire

[hali]

excellent Carol well done

[Guest]

Congratulations Carol, and well done Claire, hope your future move goes as you plan it.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Congratulations both on your outcomes - isn't it a great feeling when "the Inspector has left the building!"

relax and enjoy your success.

Nona

[Guest Wolfie]

Many congratulations - time to relax!

[Guest]

Well done Claire, although she was very nice it was great to lock the door behind her!

I think they expect soo much from us pre-schools that have to set up each day in a building that we can't do anything with.

At least it's over for another couple of years.

I'm relaxing now with a nice BIG glass of wine

 

Carol

[hali]

bless you im having a large glass too and mines not over yet

[Deb]

Congratulations, enjoy your wine! (and yours hali - might join you).

[Beau]

Well done Carol.

[Guest]

Well done to you, that wonderful feeling of knowing they are not coming for a while lets your team enjoy their job more and PLAY with the children again - hurray!!

Edited March 11, 2008 by Guest

[Guest]

Just had our inspection today and came back satisfactory as we never had combined inspection and had requested an inspection to see what we needed improvement on as our development worker left late last year and the new one hasn't introduced herself and have had to go with the old system of inspection of care.She's coming back Friday to feedback, and all the days for the heating to play up it was today and had workmen in trying to fix the heating. We were on school grounds and the school kindly lent us a fan heater which she questioned was safe after overhearing us ask the caretaker if it was safe and his reply was yes, the school had to use it in a classroom..Found this a bit unnerving. She asked same questions to several member of staff as to how many children we have who are funded. Oh well, its over for a while now and nearly at end of large glass of wine and off to bed ready for a more relaxing day.

[dublinbay]

Hi again alchross. I met you (virtually) on another thread, also about Ofsted.

Well, its over now and I do hope your glass of wine or three went down nicely!

Enjoy the rest of your week and good luck for your feedback. Let us know how you get on won't you.

[Deb]

What a day for the heating to pack up!

 

Anyway, thought Ofsted were going on strike!

 

Well at least it's over, bar the feedback, and you will have something to build on which is what you wanted. We got a satisfactory the time before, followed by a good this time. One does sometimes wonder where and how they draw the line. Accept the good feedback and build on the those areas that need improving.

 

Have a relaxing day today and let us know how you get on on Friday.

[Beau]

Hi alchross and welcome from me too. I hope the feedback you get is useful and can help you to develop as a group.

[HappyMaz]

Welcome to the Forum alchross

 

So glad its all over for you! I hope the feedback is useful: just make lots of notes - and hopefully there will be two of you so you won't miss anything

 

Maz

[Guest]

This is site is addictive,thank you all for your replies and i am so glad i have started using this site, it has so many ideas and even letting off steam after bad day is a relief.Business partner emigrating to Australia soon and will be using this site more and more for new ideas and how to manage more efficiently. I can hopefully add my ideas and experiences for benefit.

 

Thank you again!