FSFRebecca Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 On Monday FSF met with Gill Jones (Ofsted's Early Education Deputy Director) and one of the conversations was about Ofsted's new 'mythbusting' campaign. Gill is very keen to hear from us regarding the myths surrounding inspections; we said we would help. So, on this thread please - what have you heard that may/may not be true? We will make sure that they are all received and hopefully we will be able to provide some clarity for everyone. Helen and I put our heads together and came up with the following to start you off: You have to have a display of British Values in your setting If you can't access your SEF then Ofsted have 'frozen' it because the inspector is reading it If settings near to you are being inspected you will be 'done' soon as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 I was also told this one: You are not allowed to refer to documents in the leadership and management part of an inspection, you have to remember it all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 My personal favourite is that Ofsted inspectors will hold any paper versions of supporting documents you give them up to their faces to feel if it's warm or not, and in doing so check that you haven't just written it and printed it off for them! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrower Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 My personal favourite is that Ofsted inspectors will hold any paper versions of supporting documents you give them up to their faces to feel if it's warm or not, and in doing so check that you haven't just written it and printed it off for them! That's funny! ::1a You might have just printed it off for them to look at... I love how these rumour start and I'll be interested in seeing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 That last one is too funny! I've always advised that unless it is in writing, in an Ofsted handbook then it doesn't exist but hey ho! CX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 I'd challenge the one about other settings near you being inspected so you'll be done soon - they are definitely in our area! we were the 3rd in 3 weeks locally! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsp Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 I always thought that outcomes of inspections could not be shared until the reports go live on the ofsted website - true or false? I have seen people write, on some of the many forums available, that they have been told they can share straight away?????? So, which is it?????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 I always thought that outcomes of inspections could not be shared until the reports go live on the ofsted website - true or false? I have seen people write, on some of the many forums available, that they have been told they can share straight away?????? So, which is it?????? All reports are subject to moderation by Ofsted. As such you are always advised not to share the outcome until the report is published. Sharing widely is always a risky decision on the part of the provider. This is in the handbooks and all inspectors will advise you of this when they give their judgement in the schol or setting. Not keeping confidentiality could lead to the inspection being nullified and reinspection happening. It is a fact. Cx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 I'd challenge the one about other settings near you being inspected so you'll be done soon - they are definitely in our area! we were the 3rd in 3 weeks locally! This could be as simple as an inspector who lives nearby and is looking to do local inspections. Inspectors until now were issued the settings via the portal and allocated them as they saw fit within their workflow. I might have inspected in my area and so might another inspector who was also nearby. They generally say what their area will be and how far they will travel. Don't forget there is also a window for all settings to be inspected in and many settings are now being completed before the final transfer of inspectors over to Ofsted from Tribal and Serco. It's just a coincidence. Cx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I always thought that outcomes of inspections could not be shared until the reports go live on the ofsted website - true or false? I have seen people write, on some of the many forums available, that they have been told they can share straight away?????? So, which is it?????? Para 114 The inspector must make it clear that the findings are restricted and confidential to the relevant senior personnel and that they must remain so until the provider receives the final report. If the provision is judged to be inadequate, however, the provider must inform the local authority immediately after the inspection. Para 117 ...state that the grades are provisional and so may be subject to change as a result of quality assurance procedures and should, therefore, be treated as restricted and confidential until the provider receives a copy of the inspection report (except in the case of an inadequate judgement where the provider should inform the local authority) This actually means that only the people in the feedback or really relevant senior personnel e.g a provider who can't be there should know the provisional outcome. Many of our school don't even tell staff until the inspection report is published. Cx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 My fave myth is one oft repeated by one of my dear staff members...... "they only come to find fault" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondie Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 My fave myth is one oft repeated by one of my dear staff members...... "they only come to find fault" Not sure anyone can disagree with that one :lol: ::1a 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsp Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Thanks Catma. That is always the way I have done things but was just concerned that last year some groups were stating that they had been given different information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 Can you stop an inspection part-way through if you feel that this isn't a typical day and things are going very pear-shaped and your attention is being distracted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share Posted March 13, 2017 Sean Harford has come back to us on the British Values question: "You have to have a display of British Values in your setting" He says "Oh no you don't :)" (emoji is his!) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share Posted March 13, 2017 More responses from Gill Jones: You are not allowed to refer to documents in the leadership and management part of an inspection, you have to remember it all Gill says: "Of course you can" If you can't access your SEF then Ofsted have 'frozen' it because the inspector is reading it Gill says: "No freezing by Ofsted" If settings near to you are being inspected you will be 'done' soon as well Gill says: "No, when you're inspected depends on your date of registration" Outcomes of inspections cannot be shared until the reports go live on the ofsted website - true or false? Gill says: "true -can't be shared with parents but false - can be shared with LA. (in terms of sharing with staff) that is for the setting leader to decide, report must remain confidential until publication" 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 Ofsted love or want to see a particular aspect of early years provision for example a mud kitchen or a tuff tray (I proudly have both in my provision but it drives me potty when someone's say what will Ofsted think or Ofsted like to see....The detail of the ethos and provision is predominantly down to the provider and the parents who will vote with their feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 Ofsted love or want to see a particular aspect of early years provision for example a mud kitchen or a tuff tray (I proudly have both in my provision but it drives me potty when someone's say what will Ofsted think or Ofsted like to see....The detail of the ethos and provision is predominantly down to the provider and the parents who will vote with their feet. Response from Gill: "No we don't!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Can you stop an inspection part-way through if you feel that this isn't a typical day and things are going very pear-shaped and your attention is being distracted? Has she said anything about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 Not yet. I'll post it again 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 message from a childminding friend.....Ofsted have asked childminders if you seek permission from a parent regarding sharing photos say for instance two children in one photograph) and later one parent retracts that permission (up to 5 years later) you need to collect and destroy all photos (sorry someone turn this in to a question...brain not working!) (personally cant see how you could but a myth going round childminders or not a myth???) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 message from a childminding friend.....Ofsted have asked childminders if you seek permission from a parent regarding sharing photos say for instance two children in one photograph) and later one parent retracts that permission (up to 5 years later) you need to collect and destroy all photos (sorry someone turn this in to a question...brain not working!) (personally cant see how you could but a myth going round childminders or not a myth???) Have asked 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted April 3, 2017 Author Share Posted April 3, 2017 Ofsted have written about their new mythbusting campaign in the latest edition of Nursery World magazine. You can read the article here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted April 5, 2017 Author Share Posted April 5, 2017 Ofsted have produced their mythbusting document alongside their inspection materials today. Mythbusting 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Has she said anything about this? Hmm, so we still don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 I don't think it covered any of the myths we mentioned on here :-/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted April 6, 2017 Author Share Posted April 6, 2017 I don't think it covered any of the myths we mentioned on here :-/ Apart from one (about interrupting the inspection halfway through proceedings) we have had personal responses to all our questions - they were all put through Twitter and I posted them here as soon as the replies came through. The mythbusting document was written before some of our questions were put and covered the most common misconceptions. Was there a myth you were wanting to know about particularly as Gill Jones and Sean Harford are both keen to answer any questions we can put to them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted April 6, 2017 Author Share Posted April 6, 2017 Hmm, so we still don't know. I did ask again but I will send them an email tomorrow and see if they will give a response that way - they are still really keen to answer questions, maybe the 140 character word limit on Twitter is not enough. I'll keep trying. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildflowers Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Maybe they don't want to make people aware of this possibility, if it exists. If a morning was going pear-shaped, I would ask the inspector if they could come back another day, just in case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted April 7, 2017 Author Share Posted April 7, 2017 Can you stop an inspection part-way through if you feel that this isn't a typical day and things are going very pear-shaped and your attention is being distracted? Here is the response from Sean this morning: "I'm afraid the inspection cannot be stopped, but the provider should sit down with the inspector and talk it through." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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