Ofsted Inspection

[Masha]

Hi everyone

I'm very new to this site and have hardly posted, but I'm sat in my office now awaiting feedback from two Ofsted inspectors and feeling very anxious!

When I know my fate I will share what I can with you as, although I'm not a regular poster, I have become hooked on reading all the great advice on here.

More later.

[HappyMaz]

Hi Masha - I hope I've welcomed you to the Forum before!

 

I'll keep my fingers crossed that your feedback is constructive, and good!

 

Maz

[Guest]

Welcome........ and all crossed for you!!!

[JacquieL]

I hope all is well and you have feedback to reward your hard work, to make you feel confident, and for you to build on.

Hello and welcome and I'm glad you have been enjoying visiting the site and that you post again soon.

[Guest Wolfie]

Fingers crossed for you Masha!

[hali]

everythings crossed - sure you will be fine

[Guest]

Hi Masha, Nice to meet you, How do you think your Inspection went?

 

Peggy

 

(note my 'open question' so as to encourage another communication from you , it gets easier now you've started )

[Shiny]

I have everything crossed for you too!! Hope all went well.

[Masha]

Hello everyone and thank you for your supportive comments to a complete stranger! Early years people really are great.

 

Well, it's all over now and we got a disappointing 'satisfactory' in all areas except being healthy where we got a 'good' (yeah!)

 

Now I know that satisfactory is fine and means we're doing fine, but it's still such a difficult word isn't it? Who can really be happy to be told they're satisfactory? Our last Ofsted was 3 1/2 years ago and we got a good so it's a bit of a blow.

 

What I can say, for those who are interested, is that they constantly checked the EYFS welfare requirements and several times pulled me up on something only to double check and find it wasn't in the welfare requirements at all. If my brain wasn't so fried as a result of the stress I might be able to come up with an example!

 

And although our outcome was satisfactory our recommendations seemed minor compared to when we got a good.

 

If more detail would be interesting to anyone let me know

 

Thanks for your support

[Guest]

hi Masha,

 

welcome to the forum - I'm sure you'll soon be hooked, too!

 

It must be really tough being inspected so early under EYFS. I don't suppose the Inspectors have got a handle on it yet either - the blind "inspecting" the blind!? (Not that I'm making excuses for them - I'd get run out of town! )

 

Concentrate on the minor details they've picked up on and know you're doing a great job.

 

Nona

[Guest]

hi masha

I second what nona said relax and reflect on what the recommendations are. I am sure that a lot of settings mine included would come up with the same judgment so early within the EYFS and I think ofsted should take this into account just like we have taken into account their poor /late and misinformation they have handed out to us with the excuse that they are still getting to grips with it all. It is a shame we dont get the chance to grade them especially the help line !

sue

[Masha]

Thanks for your comments nona and suewhit

 

Kicking myself for not completing the SEF now as that seemed to be part of being graded satisfactory, and had a knock on effect on other areas - if you haven't done it yet I think they're really keen on it

[Smiles]

I would be interested in hearing more details. I suspect we will be inspected early next year and will try and get to grips with completing our SEF ASAP. Thanks for the tip. Well done on getting through your inspection.

 

smiles

[Guest]

I hear you with the satisfactory..............

 

Why do we all not like this word when it signals we are doing a job in the right way?!!!!!

 

Maybe time to lobby the O people for a nicer word!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Anyway look on the bright side.

You did OK and you said the recommendations were minor.

Thats what matters.

 

WELL DONE!

[Beau]

What would you prefer to satisfactory?

 

Adequate, sufficient, acceptable, average, passable, tolerable? Satisfactory doesn't seem so bad after all.

 

Well done Masha, at least it is now behind you!

[ATurner]

Hi Masha

Well done on Ofsted. We had our last week and a friend of mine also had theirw. Mine lasted 4.5 hours and hers lasted 45 minutes. We were both inspected 7 months ago and both are on school sites that were being inspected. Hence the reason to be inspected again.

My inspected checked everything, wanted to see my SEF etc. Hers said she did not expect anyone to have completed the SEF so early on (and she hadnt done it) and wanted to see her whether she had acted on the last 3 recommendations. Her result Outstanding. My last report had 2 recommendations the inspected checked these but made 2 new ones!!!

Puzzled because i am.

It just proves that this is all a game with different results from different inspectors.

Dont worry satisfactory means that you are doing a good job

Alison

[Masha]

How about Good, Excellent and Outstanding?

 

I know satisfactory doesn't mean anything negative as such, but I just prefer a more positive approach to things. However, I will concede that it's better than any of Beau's alternatives!

 

A new day and my team are regrouping and getting over the whole experience, and by next week I'm sure we'll have put it firmly behind us.

 

For those of you that are interested, I was told repeatedly by my inspectors that EYFS had raised the bar and that they were expecting fewer 'good' and alot more 'inadequate' inspections. Mind you, I seem to remember similar things being said the last time they changed the inspections!

 

I like to look on the bright side, and now I know we have plenty of time to work our way through EYFS, the SEF, and get everything in place before the next inspection. Just hope they don't change it all again before then!

 

Thanks for all your help

[angela6]

How about Good, Excellent and Outstanding?

 

I know satisfactory doesn't mean anything negative as such, but I just prefer a more positive approach to things. However, I will concede that it's better than any of Beau's alternatives!

 

A new day and my team are regrouping and getting over the whole experience, and by next week I'm sure we'll have put it firmly behind us.

 

For those of you that are interested, I was told repeatedly by my inspectors that EYFS had raised the bar and that they were expecting fewer 'good' and alot more 'inadequate' inspections. Mind you, I seem to remember similar things being said the last time they changed the inspections!

 

I like to look on the bright side, and now I know we have plenty of time to work our way through EYFS, the SEF, and get everything in place before the next inspection. Just hope they don't change it all again before then!

 

Thanks for all your help

[angela6]

Hi Everyone

 

I am new member and this is the first time I have posted on the forum. Had our inspection on 8/10/08 and got satisfactory throughout.

I was disappointed too until I sat and thought about it, considering EYFS is so new, being told that you are meeting all requirements isn't so bad. We are a day nursery and out of school club.

In terms of what Ofsted are looking for, I don't know!! I had not completed my SEF but had started to evaluate with staff and highlighted areas to inspectors which we all thought we could improve, so that they could see that we recognised where we could improve, thinking that they would take our action plans into consideration, these areas then became our recommendations so I don't know whether the SEF will end up being useful or not.

 

I am enjoying reading the topics on the forum and look forward to getting to know you all in the future.

Edited October 9, 2008 by angela6