New Chair

[Guest]

Can i just ask a question. We have just finally found someone to become our new chair and she has now recieved a phone call to say the ofsted inspector will visit her at home in two weeks to test her on the EYFS and conduct an interview to see if she is suitable.... has anyone else had this as my old chair was chair for 4 years and never had this, when we were inspected she did speak to the inspector but not on this level.... my new chair is now terrified........

[Guest]

I think i have posted this in the wrong place but not sure how to move it.... sorry...

Edited February 16, 2010 by Guest

[Guest]

Our Chair is new and was told by Ofsted that they are no longer doing suitable person interviews with Chairs, just the leader/manager of the setting. We are based in Somerset

 

Claire x

[Guest woodentop]

hi simcity. I was interviewed as leader but they had no interest in chair, no questions or anything - made me a bit cross as everything landed on my plate, committee just ran and left me to it = very quick to come and ask me all about it afterwards though.

[JacquieL]

Simcity I've moved the topic and hope you feel this is in the right place.

[Rea]

I wrote to Ofsted in November telling them I was now chair and other changes to the committee. I have had no acknowlegement from them at all, although I do know they got the letter because they sent the new Reg notice to my house.

If I was in your shoes I would phone Ofsted and explain that while this person along with the committee are the registered persons, you are in charge of the day to day running and implementig the EYFS. I know in theory it should be the registered person but while we still have to have committees made up from our parents, we cant expect them to know things like that. Its daunting enough taking over as chair, without having an interview for it. If she answered wrongly would you have to go throught the process again of finding a chair? Would you even get one after this got out?

If they insist she has the interview be there with her with all the reg's. I do feel for her, hope you get something sorted.

[Guest]

I'd be really interested to hear how this pans out because we will be looking for a new chair this year after nearly ten years, and this is one of my big worries. We can smooth out the worries of the liability with insurance, but asking a good natured and generous parent to get their head around the whole of the EYFS with no training is a bit much. I know practitioners who haven't even done that!

[Guest]

My Chair (position since Sept) had her suitable persons interview in November after they had contacted her following her notifying them.

[Inge]

I think she needs to give them a call and question why ? have they got muddled and think she is taking over day to day running...

 

with a committee it is not one person who is 'responsible person' but committee as a whole with chair to lead them...

 

I have seen them interview and chat to chair but not usually in any great detail and last time we changed manager this is what happened, not chair...

 

They must be short of work as if they intend to do this every time a chair changes they would be at many settings every year.. ours changed annually!

 

Perhaps if they insist you ensure you are present to support her and explain implementation of eyfs is your responsibility... and chair / committee take your advice on it.

 

 

Inge

[thumperrabbit]

We had this, not with our current chair but the one before, although they didn't visit her house, which I personally feel is a bit much.

I thought it was a too much for them and spoke to my Early Years advisor who assured me it was common place - it was the 1st time it had happened to us and we've been open 46 years!

 

Anyway the inspector rang her and questioned on recruitment, safeguarding and inclusion, she had the policy and procedures book by her side and made it clear to the inspector that she was reading it and that the committee employ the staff to answer and do the day to day running of the setting.

 

I hope things go as in Cupcakes experience as getting a committee together is a battle as it is, without all this pressure.

[Guest]

I can see them wanting to ask about policies and procedures but to ask the chair about the EYFS is like asking a parent govenor at a school about teaching methods! I wouldn't expect them to know that and I certainly wouldn't expect a parent who was standing as chair to know about the EYFS or even ECM to be totally honest. I would expect them to have at least a passing acquaintance with our policies though, even if they had to look them up as they discussed them.

[Guest]

i had a suitable person interview on the phone when I became chair in 2006. It took about an hour or so and was very indepth - I did it reading the standards and policies file. I had been on committee for a few years by then and had some clue, but not much! I have always felt it was expecting too much - the chairperson doesn't necessarily know very much at all especially when they have just taken o nthe role. Coming to your house would be even more daunting. Surely it would be better for them just to do a safeguarding style interview and then give some guidance! Would be very interested to know what happens.

[Upsy Daisy]

I think that coming to her house is a gross invasion of her privacy and I would contact Ofsted and suggest that they meet her at the setting with you there to clarify roles and responsibilities.

[Rea]

I think that coming to her house is a gross invasion of her privacy and I would contact Ofsted and suggest that they meet her at the setting with you there to clarify roles and responsibilities.

 

I second that.

I was thinking about this last night and I would be horrified at the thought of them coming out to me, and I'm kind of used to the whole thing.

[lynned55]

We have changed Chairs 4 times in the last four years and always notified them, apart from the standard letter we may interview you) they have never even acknowledged this info. How on earth is a 'layperson' expected to know enough about the EYFS to be questioned on it?

There is no way I would allow them to interview me at home, even if I was being interviewed as Manager I would insist it was in the setting- my goodness what a gross invasion of privacy- What other job would you be interviewed for in your own home? I have to admit if I was a parent never in a million years would I volunteer to do anything after that.

Edited February 17, 2010 by lynned55

[Deb]

In my previous setting, our previous chairperson had a suitable persons interview, but to my knowledge the subsequent two did not.

 

Could you suggest that you also attend the interview to support her in the circumstances?

 

I have just completed a suitable persons interview as a new manager.