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Ofsted number anyone?


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Suddenly had a panic attack today - because I have a new phone........didn't recognise the ringtone (twice) and missed 2 calls! What if it had been 'The Call'? Which made me think, when Ofsted call to notify you of an inspection - what number do they use? Is it inspectors personal phone or is it an obvious Ofsted number and if so Which One??? I want to load in my NEW PHONE so I can tell if it's them I've left hanging!

Anyone had such a call yet?... Thanks in anticipation.

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Usually, there'll be a call from the office which will inform you of the inspection and then a follow up call from the inspector to go through the arrangements. Could be from the inspector's own phone - usually number withheld. Sorry not to be more helpful!

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Not really stargrower, they may leave a message and call again. My friend made the mistake twice of not witholding her number when she started inspecting and on both occasions the setting called her back several times with various questions, right into the evening, and so it makes sense for their numbers to be witheld. She did very quickly after that!

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Number was with held when we had our call - been at 2 settings one full day care and one 2 x sessions over 2 days and half days the rest. Both calls were: just after lunch time for one (inspection following day) mid after noon for other (inspection on Monday morning).

 

You could look at it as a 'dummy run' for the real thing if she doesn't turn up - chance to practice _ just trying to see the positives!!

 

If it is hope all goes very well.

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This is from the inspection handbook

Notification of inspection

 

1. Group provision will normally receive a telephone call at or just after midday on the working day before the start of the inspection.

 

2. In group provision, if the provider or their representative is unavailable when the call is made to the setting, the inspector should ask to speak to the most senior member of staff available.

 

3. If all reasonable steps have been taken to make contact with the setting but the inspector has not been able to speak to anyone, then the inspection will continue the following day without notice.

 

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Let's hope they try harder to contact us than yodel do when trying to deliver a parcel ;-p

Ha Ha, well NO inspection! So it was possibly "you've been chosen to win £5000"! Yay! Or my library books are overdue.......

 

Shall keep my phone turned up to LOUD and in my pocket at all times then! (No camera on it) - almost wish we were back to not knowing now.......it's going to make me twitchy!

 

Thanks for all replies! : )

Edited by Rafa
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We got no notice! Just rang the bell at 8:50 one Friday morning! Ofsted being their usual organised self had our old land line down as our number (had been disconnected some 6/7 years ago) no email either. She said she had tried really hard to get a number/email for us but had failed. However a quick check on Google brings us up phone number as well!

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We got no notice! Just rang the bell at 8:50 one Friday morning! Ofsted being their usual organised self had our old land line down as our number (had been disconnected some 6/7 years ago) no email either. She said she had tried really hard to get a number/email for us but had failed. However a quick check on Google brings us up phone number as well!

Yep, this is the same Ofsted who struck me off because I hadn't paid my Reg Fee (twice) - despite the fact they sent the invoice to the wrong address, despite the fact they have all my details on file (they apparently don't do email or telephone - uhh?) despite the fact that after the first time I set up a DD!! No notice of my impending doom whatsoever!!

So what hope of a tip off for me eh? And Im always so polite and courteous when - they just turn up!! Ha ha!

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I would rather not know - it does make for an uneven playing field and could mean that settings ensure all staff briefed, maybe bring in extra staff etc., which makes a false picture rather than take it as it is on the day - turn up at start of session and go from there.

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I know from our conversation with inspectors back in April that inspectors can 'tell' if things are not as they are usually - i.e they will spot if extra staff have been brought in or if particular children 'happen to be absent' on the day of the inspection - inspectors are very good at looking back over the last few weeks of staff and children's attendance records and seeing if the 'set up' on the day of the inspection is different. Inspectors will also speak to every member of staff about what they're doing and how they are working - it is very clear to an inspector if a member of staff really understands what they are doing and really 'gets' the children they are with or if they are just 'remembering' what they have been told to say. Inspectors now have to be early years trained to graduate level and have to have a wide range of early years experience - they can smell a rat a mile off - so I don't think that giving notice to providers does give an uneven playing field.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Usually, there'll be a call from the office which will inform you of the inspection and then a follow up call from the inspector to go through the arrangements. Could be from the inspector's own phone - usually number withheld. Sorry not to be more helpful!

We have just had our ofsted and there was no call from the office just a call from the inspector. They rang us at 12.10 and we were due to close at 1. The Ofsted lady introduced herself over the phone and gave us verbal guidelines on the phone. It all went amazingly well and she made us all feel at home and we were not nervous at all and this reflected in our Ofsted outcome.

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Wouldn't they leave a message for you to call them back if it's something as important as an inspection?

The Ofsted lady said that they would just turn up the next morning if there was no reply but my guess would be that they would eave you a message,

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