Guest Posted September 27, 2003 Share Posted September 27, 2003 Hello, am new to the forum. Work as a Nursery Nurse in a brand new school (40 pupils in total). Will be inspected by Ofsted in November - 'informal' (ha!) visit next week. Presently work alongside the KS1 teacher in whole class teaching sessions (YR 1, 2 and Reception) although we are lucky enough to have enough room for the Reception children (all 8 of them) to work with me following Foundation. This means I do do some whole class stuff with them on my own which may mean I will be observed. Would be grateful if anyone has any feedback/advice on how best to prepare (not including alcohol!!!) for the visit - anything you were picked up on? anything I need to be aware of??? help!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Hi Danny - Welcome to the forum and thanks for your post! Hope the informal inspection goes well and prepares you well for the full one in November! I'm sure some of the members will have useful comments to make - is this the first full inspection you've undergone? Sometimes it can help (along with the alcohol) to calm the nerves by forcing your mind to treat it as a useful learning exercise - to be as open to any suggestions that the inspectors make, and to take gratefully any feedback they offer you. One of the worst things you can do is to be hostile or defensive. If you genuinely enjoy the work you're doing and feel on top of it, then this communicates extremely well to inspectors. but I'm sure you've heard enough of this sort of pep talk - I'll let the experts take over and offer you more specific tips... Welcome again, hope you find lots to inform and entertain!! Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Hi Danny, and welcome I think the most important thing you would want to show the Ofsted inspector is how good your relationships are with the children, how you inspire them to learn through their play, and how your interactions with them encourage the development of their verbal skills. There, said in one sentence....not much, then, is it? Good luck, and let us know how you get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 4, 2003 Share Posted November 4, 2003 Dear All, I cannot believe out of all the FSF members working within educare that no-one has had a recent combined inspection - surely someone somewhere can tell us of their experiences? Nikki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted November 5, 2003 Share Posted November 5, 2003 Perhaps they have wiped it from memory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 5, 2003 Share Posted November 5, 2003 We are having ours sometime this month-after Monday next week is all I know. I will report in when it has happened. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Have just had the first part of our OFSTED inspection this morning-I feel as though I have been through a wringer!!! Staff were very tense and you could feel the tension all around. There were two inspectors, one for education and one for care. They were ok but it was quite intimidating having two complete strangers following your every move and questioning everything you were doing. They were very disruptive in that when a member of staff was supposed to be going to tell a story one of them started to ask a whole load of questions of her. What do you do? Answer the questions and keep the children waiting or tell her she'll have to wait or ask somebody else? Very difficult. We have got one of them back tomorrow and then both of them at the end of the session for verbal feed back. I will let you know what happens next!! Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Keep your chin up Linda, it will all be over soon. I must say thouigh that your inspectors should know better than to stop you whilst you are working unless there is something specific that they require right then (eg a lesson plan). I hope tomorrow is better for you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubblejack Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 to Linda, Stick to your plan and tell her "the needs of the child must come first" She should know better. Don't let them intimidate you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Thanks Mundia and Bubblejack. The big thing now seems to be management styles and staff appraisal and assessment. So if they don't get you on your planning and observations and assessments of the children then they get you with the staff side. At least this time tomorrow it will all be over and we can relax and look forward to Christmas!!! Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Hi Linda - I feel for you. Makes me wonder if they ever have the experience of someone following them around on their inspections asking them why they're asking particular questions. Who inspects the inspectors? <_> That really shouldn't happen. If they have questions they should save them for after a contact session is over. Still - if what we know about you is correct, this will just be nerves and they'll give you the acknowledgement you deserve. As Bubblejack and Linda say - keep your chin up and stick to your plan. You're the expert! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 As a matter of interest, my last OFSTED, the inspectors were inspected inspecting!! Twice as many people than the 8 we already had. So it really does happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 OK Mundia - If you want to get picky about it - who inspects the inspecting inspectors?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Ok so you've got me on that one. bet there is someone though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Hi Linda, I'm sorry you've had such a stressful time; I agree with the others, they were really out of order interrupting the flow of events. You'll have a feedback form to fill in at the end of the inspection process, and I would certainly point this out. The inspector training needs adjusting, doesn't it? I notice that Ofsted have recently been advertising for people to train as early years inspectors; anyone want the job? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 Hiya Helen, Yes I saw that too - looked at it very carefully - what a package they are offering!! A very nice salary with lots of extras for use of own home, cost of electricity etc. providing inspectors with filing cabinets, computers, chairs etc etc. Whole package looked very interesting as far as rewards go - once again though where is the money going in at the bottom for nursery staffing - yes, they are trying but not nearly hard enough and yet Ofsted seem to be able to secure good benefits!! Nikki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 After attending an early years cluster group, they actually told us that we were quite at liberty to tell the inspectors, if we were dealing with something else, that whilst we would answer any questions, could they please raise it/them at a more appropriate time, i.e. after the session, during a break. Sometimes during a busy session I find it difficult enough to think clearly let alone answer questions. Nikki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cat33 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 We had our inspection in June this year and all I can say is I hope I am gone by the next one! I think it was unfair that my Practitioners were judged on the teacher standards. We were OK but , as all my staff are not qualified, we could only rate satisfactory. We have an inspection for our daycare in the afternoon, that was excellent. You cant win! I think the most difficult thing after an OFSTED is to refocus and go on. I feel I want just to enjoy my work without the pressure of producing perfect paperwork and a Managers file!! So, a there are 6 years before they come back, We are going to have a great christmas!!! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 6 years before they come back?????? We were told by our OFSTED inspectors that the maximum you could get was two years for the care aspect and 3-4 for the education! So we can expect a care reinspection in two years time and then a combined one in four. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Cat33 You realy need to query this 6 years before your next inspection. I have just had a look at the OFSTED booklet "Are you ready for your inspection" and it states that 3-4 years are the maximum number of years, that is for acceptable and of a high quality and acceptable and of good quality. Don't wish to put a dampener on your Christmas but I think you need to check. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Ah but are you a day nusery or pre-school/playgroup? Or are you main stream school? If you are the latter then of course those don't apply to you do they? Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cat33 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Linda, thanks for replying. We are a main stream school. We are inspected by HMI which is very tough but am sure it will be 5 or 6 before they are back. I am the FS Manager, so work in both settings. In FS1, the morning session is government funded and the afternoon session is payed for by the Parents, so we have "sessional daycare". Bit of a nightmare to organise! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 23, 2003 Share Posted November 23, 2003 Chris I am intrigued by your set up. Can you explain more? I assume that in the mornings you are an LEA nusery class and in the afternoon pure childcare. Do you have the same children all day? How do you structure the sessions? It would be really interesting to know. Thanks Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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