Inge Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Outstanding in all areas in a pack away setting, committee run with NO Ofsted SEF in place! Many will be aware I left the setting about year ago now having implemented EYFS with them set up planning etc and they took it all up and ran with it.. There have been changes over the last year with environment as money became available from employing EYP, which I never had, but they had their inspection recently and got outstanding in all areas.. I am so pleased for them. ( previously outstanding in one and good all others!) As I have often said Ofsted SEF is not mandatory , and they chose to go with their own form of self evaluation which is ongoing document reviewed regularly and works for them.. so they do evaluate but in their own way and it does not get submitted, just available when needed in the setting... we had always done this having completed accreditation very successfully for 5 years. Feeling was no need to duplicate what was already done! To conclude.. you can get outstanding without submitting an SEF to Ofsted! Just have one in place which works for you .. that is the whole point of it.. to celebrate what you do well, improve your practice and be a working document... (they have never even looked at the Ofsted one!) Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Thats great Inge! Congratulations to all at your old setting, they must all be extremely happy at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted November 23, 2009 Author Share Posted November 23, 2009 Thanks Beau, celebrating and now enjoying a fun time in the run up to Christmas... I just felt I had to dispel a few of those myths that I have seen about getting Oustanding... like you cannot get outstanding without submitting SEF, and another I saw where pack away settings will never get it either. It is hard work but can be done.. Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Brilliant, well done Inge- all your hard work has paid off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 wow fantastic well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 That is just fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsue Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Great for the setting!!! Maybe Ofsted do know what they are inspecting and the inspector looked at what we really would love them to look at (Children achieving with high well being and good staff even though not purpose built building or a SEF) ol: us pack aways can all aim for this go girls and boys!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
currycraver Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Congratulations Inge, time now, rightly, for you to enjoy Christmas. I am so stressed it is making me feel sick n I cannot sleep. We arefailry ready- thanks in part to this fab sight but we have a problem with storm damage- fences down and ivy difficulties. Fences can be fixed in a couple of weeks when my builder has time eee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dottyp Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Congratulations inge - what a fantastic achievement! You must be so pleased of the groups success, based on your previous hard work and dedication. I work in a village hall, pack away setting and was very disappointed at our last ofsted inspection. So much has changed in practise since the EYFS has been introduced, I am sure standards in every setting have dramatically improved! I was also advised by our Early Years rep last week that SEF is not compulsory and as long as you have good development records in place this would satisfy an Ofsted Inspection. dottyp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 Thanks Dotty.. they are all so pleased and wanting to ensure it stays that way now... Turns out the Inspector did not even look at their self evaluation process at all... she was told in no uncertain terms that they did not do the SEF from Ofsted and that they would not be doing it! She laughed at that comment .. then went on to say that just by looking around she could see the continuing development and progress so did not look at any paperwork for it! Also their planning is very minimal, and mostly retrospective unless a child interest sparks some future planning.. she told them that it was more than enough and any thing they did on top was a bonus... I will try to get some examples if I can to share.. but may be a while as they are busy relaxing a bit ! Now I'm off to do my story time again... (do my bit still, story/ song time once a week and reading 'granny' once a week in book corner.. ) Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 excellent , pleased to hear the planning part, thats what was worrying me as most of ours is retropective unless anything from LLN's or keyworkers want to particularly cover something for a child. we're also in a shared hall and even though the setting in large & bright and we use lots of screens and drawer units to make different areas we're not allowed to display things on the walls and if we do sneak up the odd poster it has to come straight down again, do u have this problem ? we use backs of dividers/screens to display some of childrens work but i never feel its enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquieL Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Fantastic news, not just for the setting but for all of us on here who worry about the SEF. Enjoy your story time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anju Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 well done Inge to you and your former setting. I am interested in the retrospective planning - I was asked today (not for the first time) about my medium term plans by our advisory teacher. the thing is, because we build on observations of the children and next steps coming from those, and also follow the children's interests, I don't do medium term plans as such - how can you plan half a term in advance when you don't know which direction the children will be heading in. any thoughts? does anyone do medium term plans and if so, how 'loose' are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 excellent , pleased to hear the planning part, thats what was worrying me as most of ours is retropective unless anything from LLN's or keyworkers want to particularly cover something for a child. we're also in a shared hall and even though the setting in large & bright and we use lots of screens and drawer units to make different areas we're not allowed to display things on the walls and if we do sneak up the odd poster it has to come straight down again, do u have this problem ? we use backs of dividers/screens to display some of childrens work but i never feel its enough. They are lucky in that they can leave stuff up, so it is easier, however there is really only 1 wall available to put children's work on, and rest is on movable boards and backs of screens - well done Inge to you and your former setting. I am interested in the retrospective planning - I was asked today (not for the first time) about my medium term plans by our advisory teacher. the thing is, because we build on observations of the children and next steps coming from those, and also follow the children's interests, I don't do medium term plans as such - how can you plan half a term in advance when you don't know which direction the children will be heading in. any thoughts? does anyone do medium term plans and if so, how 'loose' are they? we ditched medium term plans 2 years ago now.. I started to change it before EYFS came in so they would be able to do child led planning easily when it did come in, although a lot of it was already just they didn't realise it! We have never been asked for any, and use a learning wall to show what is happening and ideas , it is on an old movable noticeboard I made from a coat rail on wheels and material stretched over it! When I started it , from a thread by Biccy on here, it was used as an example for other groups and seems that it still works and had been adapted to their own needs. I would probably be the one to argue that it is a waste of time, why is it needed,ask what is it supposed to show when it is changed immediately and all the other questions which come to mind. She is advisory, you don't have to do as she says.. or am I just a bit strong willed, .. you could always do one for 2 weeks scrawl all over it and note how it changed to show what a waste of time it was.. Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anju Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 thanks, Inge, your reply has made me more confident to dig my heels in and stick to what we do, I can easily justify it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 well done Inge to you and your former setting. I am interested in the retrospective planning - I was asked today (not for the first time) about my medium term plans by our advisory teacher. the thing is, because we build on observations of the children and next steps coming from those, and also follow the children's interests, I don't do medium term plans as such - how can you plan half a term in advance when you don't know which direction the children will be heading in. any thoughts? does anyone do medium term plans and if so, how 'loose' are they? Hello! I am new to fsf and have just been 'browsing'! Not even sure if it's too late to reply to your post. I have recently looked at changing the planning in my nursery unit and sought advice from an EYAT. I was told that the medium term plan should cover every area of learning offered at nursery, e.g. construction, mark-making table, role play area etc. For each area, you should list each of the 6 areas of learning with the relevant DM statements, the basic provision and the role of the adult. So, taking 'construction' as an example: for PSED I have included ... PSED 22-36m To feel proud of own achievements To learn social skills from adults and other children 30-50m To take pleasure in gaining more complex skills To be confident join in with, and learn from adults and peers To demonstrate sense of pride in own achievements To form friendships with other children To accept needs of others with support 40-60+m To persist for extended periods of time at self-chosen activity Basic Provision: • Storage unit clearly labelled with image and label • Wooden bricks • Duplo • Sticklebricks • Mobilo • Octons • Construct-o-straws • Magnet blocks • Popoids • Giant gears • Interstar Role of Adult: • Promote confidence • Support children's needs • Scaffold children's learning • Encourage imagination • Encourage cooperative play - to help, share and talk to one another as they work • Extend vocabulary • Give children space, and take time to observe • Think about possible lines of development/direction (PLODs) • Assessment All this I have fitted onto one A4 sheet and will do this for every area offered within the nursery. This could of course be added to - it is only a first draft. I have so far, only completed this area. I know it will be a lengthy task, although it didn't take as long as I thought it might, but when it is complete my 'medium-term' plan is done; I will not have to re-visit it (unless I want to add something). This is what I have been advised, so will go with it! The long-term plan should be a calendar of events, e.g. festivals to be celebrated, outings, world book week etc. We are due an 'O' inspection in the autumn term (and have been waiting for THE visit for 18 months - our last inspection was in Nov 06!) - so time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Hi there, I have to say that I think that sounds over engineered - the kind of thing that it's easy for an EYA to say, because she doesn't have to actually sit down and do it! We have about 16 areas on our weekly plan, if we did what you've had suggested for each of those, that would mean 16 x 6 = almost a hundred A4 plans!! (And with pack away they would soon get lost!) I suspect you might also find that once this review of the EYFS filters through, you've spent a lot of time doing something that becomes irrelevant. Sorry, I don't mean to sound negative, but I would question how much 'value' there is in the time you would spend on this in terms of how much your children get out of it, if that makes sense? Will staff read and take it in during sessions, or is it a paperwork exercise that doesn't relate directly to what happens within your nursery? If you did want to go ahead with it, I would delegate each area to a member of staff so at least spread the load! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 these sound like the continuous provision plans we were all doing a while ago...have to be honest and for us it was (a very timely and therefore costly) paper exercise that no-body really took any notice of day to day, week to week as they held too much information to take in we use identified learning needs (from our assessments) as the basis for our medium term plan, linked to their current interests as starting points to kick start the activities etc. These are then reflected upon and moved on as the weeks go by, adding in new interests and learning etc Bless the days we all spent our weekend 'planning' only for the children to become interested in more relevant current events and the plans were set aside!! Have a look at abcdoes-typepad.com and there are lots of discussions on this forum around this issue - we've all been through it, got the t-shirt, the photo and the DVD and are probably going full circle in our methods!! Welcome to the forum, you'll find it very interesting and informative ...and you'll be addicted in no time!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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