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We've Had The Call!


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Just had the call today and ofsted are on thier way!!!!!

Got summoned to the staff room at breaktime - we don't usually go since we started the new unit 3 weeks ago! so knew right away what it was for!?!?!?!?!?!?

They are coming in on Wed and Thurs of this week!

They've picked a great time! only been FS manager for 3 weeks in a new unit and getting our first intake of FS1 children on Wed morning!!! HA HA - bring it on guys!!!! Two fellas are coming to inspect us and reading between the lines they are more 2ndry qulaified than primary or even foundation stage - so we are planning to bamboozle them with the little darlings!

Needless to say we are running round like headless chickens and spending the weekend in school - but just think this time next week i'll be upside down in a gutter probably - I cannot wait!!

xD:(:(:( :wacko: xD :rolleyes: :o

 

Here Goes!

Sarah

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Good Luck!! I was kindly informed we were very likely to get ours very soon as we have a new head and quite a few other new staff including myself (NQT nursery teacher). Let us know how it all goes.

Elfy

x

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Good Luck to you both.

Sarah we had our OFSTED last year shortly after becoming a FSU and I think it helped as it was seen as a very positive move. Our inspectors werent particularly small child friendly.......when offered a jam sandwich by one he made a hasty retreat :D

Dont be afraid to admit if things arent perfect just yet reflective practice is seen as a good point in your favour and after such a short time no one should expect all the teething troubles to be ironed out.

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We had Ofsted last week for two days and it went fine. We had one inspector and he was in my Reception class for 25mins at the most. I had a meeting with him later to talk about value added. He glanced at my planning file. Have to say it wasn't nearly as scary as last time. Good Luck

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We were one of the last settings to have the old style inspection. My inspector was not very child friendly and only spoke to 1 child when he tripped over them. He sat on the stage and observed. He ignored the children who told him that he wasn't allowed on the stage.

He told me afterwards that he used to be a secondary school teacher.

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Hope it went well. We have just been told we have a "subject inspection" for PSHE as a school. Poor PSHE coordinator is a tad stressed! Anyone any experience of these? Maureen.

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As an ICT coordinator I had a subject inspection a couple of years ago, it was really thorough!I had to know about policy info,standards across the school including how I knew,etc I was also asked about areas of development, ways that children assessed themselves,etc. My tip is to chat to the headtecher beforehand and make sure you are aware of school strengths/areas for devlt, sing from the same hymn sheet as they say. The good thing is that it is only a day, they will probably want to observe a range of classes as they did with us. We got feedback the same day which myself and the SMT attended. The inspectors commented on lessons they had seen and on our action plan/SDP, this was followed up by a written report which again was thorough. To me it was more in-depth than a usual OFSTED from a co-ordinator point of view, however, since then I have a good case to bid for resources to fulfil their targets set. Hope it goes well!

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We had ours this week and all went very well, very nice bloke, approachable and inobtrusive stayed in classroom/outdoor area for about 25 mins (longest of all the classes most were 10 mins!)

Good Luck I'm sure you'll be fine

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Hope its all gone well for the 3 of you.

 

Had a Reading Inspection a couple of years back which was horrendous, the agenda grew and changed as the day progressed so hope you dont experience anything like that as subject inspections.

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Thanks for all your 'good lucks'!!!!

 

well, its all over and it went really well - so well that all of us in the SMT sat dumbstruck - and couldn't think of any questions to ask when he gave us the feedback!

 

We got an overall grade of Good - with many areas of outstanding!!!! had there still been a VERY GOOD category that would have been us!

 

he said the FS was well led and managed - which i was chuffed with - only been doing it 3 wks so i must be something right!!!! :o

I think he must have liked it down in the unit cos he came to visit about 4/5 times and stopped to watch out active maths and PE sessions in the hall - but he was a real human being - even threw his tie over his shoulder and rolled playdough with 1 lof our looked after kiddiwinkles!

 

We had the first lot of FS1 ch starting on the first day of inspection and 1 cried and cried for an hourand a half (not surprised really - mum was supposed to collect after 45mins/hr!!) then the next day he kicked, punched and pulled hair out of the CA! - poor woman! and he saw all of this so this just reinforced what we had said about thier poor social skills on intake!!!

 

cant wait to get the report now - just incase i was dreaming it! :D

Sarah xox x

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi All

 

We too have just had the call today!! They are in next Tues and Weds. Not feeling too bad about it because we were inspected March 2003 and that went really well, but you just never know....do you? From what I have heard it all seems to be data driven...am I right in thinking this? Anyone who has been through ofsted recently I would be grateful for any thoughts or feelings just to put my mind at rest.

 

Thanks

 

Nikki

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We've just been done - not as focused on teaching although brief feedback given- but on Every Child Matters, particularly 'excellence and enjoyment'. They looked at Numeracy and Foundation Subjects in particular, but I think it goes off your school SEF form and the priorities school has identified.I'm in Reception and they asked about standards on entry form Nursery, they did look at any baseline info. They asked about what changes I'd noticed since we became a FSU. Parental testimonials and feedback are seen as a strength so rally round the good parents to write a letter of support. What the children said when interviewed was of importance,not sure what they ask them. Tracking children's progress and identifying children/targeting them was a big area they looked at. They were in 2 days and they tried to complete all observations in the first day, however they did say at end of day 1 what their focus was going to be day after. They were very unobtrusive and were keen to be seen as helping school development. Waiting for final report yet but feedback so far seems good.....Good Luck! It's not as bad as what it used to be!!

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We had ours at the beginning of the year they seemed to be confirming judgements already made against the SEF. Didnt ask to see any planning commented on our observations and assessment but didnt look in any detail. One inspector stayed with us all the first morning and returned briefly in the afternoon Cant say he was particularly EY friendly but we must have been doing something right as we got a good overall he said he couldnt award outstanding as the unit was still in its first year???

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I was 'done' in June. They were very interested in how the children had progressed from their starting point on entry to their current level of attainment. They were also interested in how many children I thought would attain a profile score of 6+ by the end of the year. I also did a 'hard sell' of how fabulous we were, all the systems that were in place for assessment, look at their fabulous work, here's some pictures, come and talk to this child...I was also prepared to stand my ground when they queried things. I wonder, sometimes, if they query things just to see if you are confident in what you do.

 

Based on my inspection I would definitely have some way that you can prove you will be measuring the value you have added to the children. I had percentages that compared the number of children who came in with a 'good' level of attainment (measured against the stepping stones) to the number who would leave with a good score (6+ on the profile). Although it's horrible and doesn't 'prove' anything, meaningless statistics seems to be what gets them all excited.

 

As Kermit21 said, they do go through all the things that were mentioned on the SEF so you'll need to be familiar with anything on it that pertains to Foundation.

 

At the end of the first day they did ask to take my planning folder although I know of lots of other people whose plans weren't looked at at all.

 

The very best of luck to you. I know how horrible the waiting is and the huge amounts of fear that engulf you. The only consolation is that when it's all over you wonder why you were quite so worried.

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Thank you for all your comments - I have spent today finishing off bits and pieces in school and have just been looking through our data for last year 05/06 and identified strengths and areas for development. Tomorrow we have got a day closure for our ISP by the end of tomorrow we will be completely tuned in...hopefully! I will let you know how we get on.

 

Thanks again

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Hi all

 

Just thought I would let you know how we got on...as a school we did really well and they said the Foundation Stage Class was very good. Phewwwww!! Well I am shattered thankfully only 1 day until half term. I have to say it was so much better only have 5 days build up whereas when we last had Ofsted it was 6 weeks!!

 

Thanks for your support.

 

Nikki :o

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