Just read this on a Facebook page

[zigzag]

The following is from a childcare managers Facebook page.   NOT MY INSPECTION EXPERIENCE.  Just reading it makes me want to cry with sheer frustration.  Do the inspectors know nothing about young children and child  development? I was feeling quite positive about the new inspection framework, but after reading this am really not sure anymore😢

 

We recently had our Ofsted inspection and have gone from Outstanding twice to Requires Improvement. We do staggered starts and the last 6 children had literally started the day before which I had told her on the phone. She said that was fine and I could speak to her on the day about what we would be doing for the children. However on the day there was no chance. She said we were spending too much time settling the children and making sure they were ok/happy and not enough focus on an ambitious curriculum from the minute they walk through the door. She said staff didn't know the children well enough and hadn't formed strong bonds. She said staff hadn't read to the children (not true), a quiet child she was tracking hadn't been spoken to (not true) and "there was chaos on the carpet then those children were taken away from this learning (aka chaos...) to go outside" - the door was opened to the garden to extend the play. Two joint obs were done. First one was a messy glue/powder paint activity. Staff modelled how to do it, provided narrative, extended it when they started using hands and fingers to make marks/pictures. She said it was too repetitive and didn't like it. 2nd obs was story at carpet time. Goldilocks with props and songs. Most children did really well and adult support was provided for children who needed it. She said not all the children were highly engaged and concentrating so why did we do it. Sorry for the long post but I'm rather devastated by it all and staff are demoralised. I just felt that the inspector came in with an agenda. Safeguarding and recruitment she was happy with but that was it really. I know how well our children do and how school ready we get them as parents and school tell us but none of that was taken into account of how we run the curriculum throughout the year :-( when I told her we were popular by word of mouth because parents recommend us, she rolled her eyes! It was a terrible day.

[louby loo]

I read that too, finding it very depressing to be honest.

 

 

[zigzag]

1 hour ago, louby loo said:

I read that too, finding it very depressing to be honest.

 

 

Oh my god I am just horrified by it.  We stand no chance if we have an inspector like this, we put the happiness of the children above all else.  May be time for a change of job if it’s going this way😢

[louby loo]

11 hours ago, zigzag said:

Oh my god I am just horrified by it.  We stand no chance if we have an inspector like this, we put the happiness of the children above all else.  May be time for a change of job if it’s going this way😢

Think that's the reason I'm feeling a little unmotivated at the moment.

I love the 'childcare' side of the work- but the actually running of the place the 'non-paperwork' paperwork side is all getting a little overwhelming.

Our last inspector loved we had little paperwork/planning etc and the fact all the staff knew all the children- but it just takes an inspector with a different view to completely ruin your world.

We had to re-register a year or so ago. During the setting visit the inspector was really not happy, and picked up that we had a soap dispenser out on a shelf that children could reach..... I really had to bite my tongue not to point out that actually there are 4 in the toiling area freely available for children to use!!   

[sunnyday]

12 hours ago, zigzag said:

Oh my god I am just horrified by it.  We stand no chance if we have an inspector like this, we put the happiness of the children above all else.  May be time for a change of job if it’s going this way😢

Dear zigzag

I read your post early this morning and have been thinking about it ever since, I have fired up the laptop, something I never do on a Sunday in order to reply

This is one persons experience and yes, it sounds absolutely awful, if indeed this is word for word what happened then I sincerely hope that this manager will launch an appeal. It doesn't, however mean that we are all 'doomed'...….

I spent years always getting 'good' and once back in the day when this was a judgement I managed a 'very good', Also years of my LA advisors (various) saying "well I don't really understand why you are not outstanding", my reply was always "nope, nor do I, you would have to ask Ofsted". Our 'actions' or 'reasons why not Outstanding' were always petty in the extreme

July 2018 Inspection day dawned, all I hoped for and all I expected was to maintain our 'Good', but we were lucky enough to get a very skilled Inspector who was prepared to 'stick her neck out' and we got our first Outstanding, I have tried to think about why, when really there were no 'changes' from previous inspections - I do think that my deputy who is also my Senco gave a very good account of herself and her practise and I know, as the inspector told me. that I showed myself to be 'proactive and positive'. This is not a 'stealth boast' but rather my way of saying don't let this get to you, it is so easy to get disheartened by reading about such a negative experience.

When your inspection day comes, believe that he/she is there to recognise your hard work, be positive, inject some positivity into your staff team (I truly believe that is important).

So in other words 'take heart' dear zigzag and you too louby and trust that you will get skilled inspectors

[finleysmaid]

if i could give sunnyday a round of applause at this point i would. 

[sunnyday]

40 minutes ago, finleysmaid said:

if i could give sunnyday a round of applause at this point i would. 

Where's the blushing emoji...…..

[PaseyLtd]

Oh Zigzag, having very recently experienced what sounds like a very similar inspection, I genuinely feel for the setting.

If I say that at the end I suggested the inspector was being overly harsh, missing various good aspects of the provision placing one element above all else.  She agreed that that was exactly what she was doing going on to drop the grading from good to requires improvement.

I too felt totally demoralised, like Ofsted aren't focusing on what children need to develop and reach good outcomes, but more on technicalities to lower grades.

The setting did complain, and whilst this made no difference to the grading, the wording of the report was altered to reflect that the grading was purely due to some staff not being sufficiently aware of the Prevent duty.  The rest of the report reads so beautifully regarding relationships with children, learning outcomes, tracking of development etc that it sort of makes a mockery of the whole process in my humble opinion.

I totally accept that staff need to have an understanding of all things connected to keeping children safe and why those 2 members of staff on the day, couldn't give acceptable answers I can't answer.  All I do know is that afterwards, once calm they could! The managers on duty had a comprehensive understanding, however this still wasn't enough!

 

Edited September 17, 2019 by PaseyLtd

[Rafa]

I recently moaned on another thread how I was becoming completely disenchanted with the expectations from Ofsted and there continued 'upscaling'.  Now having read this original post I can only say - Good Luck!!! ........

Because that's what our businesses rely on, LUCK. Certainly Not funding, and not our exceptional commitment to early years but the say so of a randomly picked Ofsted Inspector who knocks the door. (Or rings the phone as it is now)  They could be a an Outstanding Inspector or one that desperately Needs Improvement - not our choice.

I like Sunnydays upbeat attitude and when it's going well, it's going well. We do all need to be positive about our settings!

However,  surely a setting that has previously been Outstanding twice should be given more credit for knowing their job and doing it well.  We all have bad days, doesn't mean  we should have our legs kicked out from under us.  If Ofsted deem that So So MUCH should be 10/10 on one given day then give us more respect!  We must be worth our weight in gold! We are the people who can supposedly produce an ambitious curriculum? that will instantly transform 6 tearful newbies into attentive little angels it seems. We have the WOW Factor!  No disruption here........

They are not living in the real world I'm afraid.

Sadly the government and also Ofsted are slowly becoming the death knell of early years. 

[louby loo]

Many (many) year ago I met a driving instructor. Long story short, he let 4 young 17/18 yr old girls sit in his  house and wait for my dad to collect us when my car broke down. Anyway whist chatting to us he told us not to take it personally if anyone failed their driving test- as not matter how good you are- if the instructor has had a bad day-  you will fail!!!     I think this is the same with Ofsted. 

( his wife was there I should add - but can you imagine letting young girls do something like that now! )

 

Also, I actually have a friend who is an inspector, she told me she tries to give people the chance to correct themselves if possible. For example she had to give a RI to a setting for an incorrect  paperwork, she kept giving hints like "I just need to use the loo before I check all this is all correct' and 'I just need to stretch my legs before  checking  this paperwork' and then 'I'll have my lunch and then check this paperwork' each time leaving the manager alone with said paperwork in front of them hoping they would take would take the hint/opportunity  to  check and rectify their mistake.....   They didn't  !!  

[GFCCCC]

On 9/20/2019 at 14:27, louby loo said:

( his wife was there I should add - but can you imagine letting young girls do something like that now! )

Indeed!! I was talking with my sister just last week about a teacher from our grammar school (in the 70's) who used to hold school choir practice at his house - including a Christmas party where we played games in the dark!! - He would be hung, drawn and quartered for doing that now!

[MarshaD]

Had my inspection today. Went ok. Think a couple of the team got performance anxiety and didn’t answer the questions as well as they might. Was fairly positive experience on the whole.