Guest Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Answers on a postcard please I sent ours in (by snail mail) in early September but I'm already feeling it needs updating as we have been busy recruiting, changing approaches, etc. Would love to know how often everyone else is updating theirs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Should I ever get round to completing mine and submitting it (!) I intend to review it each term or as we make substantial changes to our working practices. (Note the use of the word "intend" - I also "intended" to have it finished by last May!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 PRACTITIONERS HEALTH & SANITY WARNING! Don't mention the SEF! We have tried updating ours in the new downloaded word SEF format (Sept 2009) and started to do it (watch out there are some very subtle changes which may catch you out) - then thought I would copy and paste my word version online ready to submit - BUT - online version is still in old format along with old format guidance! So.... went back to word doc (new version download) and spent too much time yesterday doing it to send snail mail (as I thought that would be best option) only to find that on the Ofsted website it states that the new word/pdf format is no longer available as it needs some adjustments and it won't be available until November! So if Ofsted ask where it is and why it isn't updated - I suppose we could always reply with the answer which format, new? old? word? pdf? online? or the one that's not yet available? Are they deliberately trying to confuse us? Sorry SuzieC8 it doesn't answer your question - but as Ofsted can't seem to make up their minds about formats - I wouldn't worry about how often it is sent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 This is one of the issues I have always had with the SEF. It is or should be a working document which is constantly changed reviewed added to , and for it to work should be so. If every time you made a change you had to submit it they would probably have it every few weeks. If me, I would keep a working document on the go at the setting, changing it as needed and perhaps submit annually, or when they get their act together and sort out their issues at most 6 monthly. it should be for the benefit of the setting and not to justify your work etc to Ofsted. should you decide not to submit, so long as you can show you are doing some form of self evaluation it still is not mandatory so they really cannot complain if your current one filed with them is out of date. In reality it will always be out of date as you change and review it regularly. (In our area they discourage the sef and have other evaluation style/method , they offer monthly workshops to help complete and this has been popular with the settings, so there is probably a black hole in our areas with no sefs submitted. I don't know the details just that many are using it. Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttercup Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 what do you evaluate and how. at the moment we evaluate plans which are written on the plans and activites. do you do any thing els and how? buttercup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jenpercy Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 mine is an alternative form devised by our LA but I sent it in by post and got a letter back thanking me for submitting my SEF, so it is probably an idea to send them something. On the subject of how often to review, I had the advice from somewhere that SEF, and operational plan should be reviewed termly. And with 40+ policies to be reviewed, we would have endless staff meetings just to do this. Then there's planning, and daily evaluation of activities, oh and EYFS learning journeys to complete. This is for a Kids Club with 7 EYFS, that's less than 20% of the children we take and about 98% of the paperwork. When do we have the time to do thngs with or for the children? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 When I had my inspection last week, the inspector said that the SEF should be updated at least once a year and when anything changes. She also mentioned that it should be done in a different COLOUR, so that they can see what is new and the new bit should be dated as well. She said the facility should be up and running soon on the government gateway site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Answers on a postcard please I sent ours in (by snail mail) in early September but I'm already feeling it needs updating as we have been busy recruiting, changing approaches, etc. Would love to know how often everyone else is updating theirs? I have had mine in paperform since they came out and avoiding it like the plague! got ofsted due in june/july 10 so now im finally online, will have to do one soon and probabily update 6mthly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 I have had mine in paperform since they came out and avoiding it like the plague! got ofsted due in june/july 10 so now im finally online, will have to do one soon and probabily update 6mthly. Hi and a very warm welcome to the forum! Always a pleasure to meet a fellow SEF avoider! I did (finally) submit mine last November - the sense of relief was just wonderful! I have a zillion updates to make now - but they are just written on to the document at the moment - a proper online update may happen in the summer hols! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Hi , I have just updated my SEF and plan to do this annually. I found changing the old one was quite straight forward and a lot easier than the first time I completed it. As a committee run group it is a useful tool to keep everyone informed of the projects to complete and areas of strength. However I am glad it's finished and submitted for another year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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