MrsL Posted April 2, 2012 Posted April 2, 2012 We are expecting OSTED any day now. I am a Foundation Stage Leader and feel I have all my data in order, however I am still nervous about the interview! I just wondered if anyone who has already been OFSTEDed recently could share what sort of questions they ask about data? For instance do they ask what percentage of children exit FS at 6+, that sort of thing? Thanks if anyone can help!
dreamgirl Posted April 2, 2012 Posted April 2, 2012 During my interrogation recently they didn't ask me anything about data!!!!!!! Mind you I had provided head and them with a pack of all my data and an analysis of it. On the day I was given a sheet to fill in ......out of the blue......with lots of data required going back to 2007 I think. Wanted all scores , points 6+ in all 13 areas , average individual point scores etc etc. couldn't t complete all of it as I didn't have all the data as our LA doesn't give it to us in the same format they wanted. Also mine didn't go back that far. I was very stressed, sitting on floor in nursery cloakroom trying to pull this together with no warning. I too had got all my daa ready incidentally. So I was prepared but not in their format. Completed what I could then gave it in and said I couldn't complete it there and then and needed more time. Didn't hear any more about it. We got a good so I presume what I did was ok. In my interview all she wanted to talk to me about was how I led the FS. What did I do as leader. How did I monitor teaching standards in FS. So no data!!!!! I think my head teacher had one quite a lot of work before hand on data. Our nursery data shows they come in well below national expectations. Our KS2 results show they leave at national or above so we got a good. In early years progress is very good cos they come in well below and leave above. So I think the data spoke for itself and they wanted to check that what they could see happening on the ground backed up the data. Hope this helps.
MrsL Posted April 2, 2012 Author Posted April 2, 2012 Thats really helpful, thank you! We too have very low baselines and children leave average and above, so are in a similar situation. I have recently spent a day observing in nursery so that will help. Not sure what else I would talk about! Was expecting it to be all data!
dreamgirl Posted April 2, 2012 Posted April 2, 2012 So was I!!!! I think a lot depends on how well your head can manage the team. I think one thing they were particularly looking out for was challenging activities in reception and also how well the children were motivated in CI and how confident and independent they were in their own learning. they observed on entry, talked to parents, heard children read and talked to TA's who were hearing readers. One thing that is very important. They were very keen on looking at how well adults enunciated the sounds in phonics. Teachers were ok but a couple of our TA's didn't sound out the sounds as well as they should have and that was picked up. They were keen on all the adults being good models of spoken English. also important to remember that although the framework is new and that early years does no longer have its own bit, the inspectors will still look at the old framework for FS and expect to see all the same things. It won't all appear in their report but they will still expect to see all the things from before.
dreamgirl Posted April 2, 2012 Posted April 2, 2012 If you are not sure what else to talk about, make a list to take with you. They asked me how long I had worked in the school. I was so nervous I couldn't remember. They asked me how long I had been the FS leader. Again I couldn't remember!!!! Cos I wasn't expecting to be asked!!!! So write down some things about what you have done or do as a leader of the FS. Do you do peer observations, plan together, review data termly to identify which children are not on track and what they need, do you have regular meetings to monitor progress, do you moderate writing together to ensure consistency, do you direct their CPD, ......things like this just off the top of my head. I wish I had done this because I don't feel I sold myself as much as I could have. Anything you want them to see cos you think it is good...eg learning journeys.....take some over to where they will be based so that in their chatting time they can look through your stuff. Otherwise they might not see it. Very little time. They didn't look at any of my teaching or coordinator files as theybwerevin the classroom. Whereas they did look at the learning journeys over their lunch and really liked them.
Guest Posted April 2, 2012 Posted April 2, 2012 Have just been reading your discussion with interest as I too am expecting OFSTED in the very near future. I have just been asked to go back to the first eyfsp data that we entered and look at it again so that I can come up with a percentage that came in at each age band. We had previously always referred to the eyfsp points on entry.( think I am going to be busy over Easter !) As this will be my first as Learning leader your tips on possible info to have handy will be a great help as I too am really nervous about the interview and would clam up and not remember anything until afterwards, when its too late. Good luck.
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