How much paperwork do you need to give for Ofsted and internal observations

[Changerofname987654321]

I have just received an email of the list of things we are expected to provide to observers for our department mock Ofsted. We need to provide a lot of what seems like duplicated data eg class profiles of data which we could otherwise print from Sims and copy of PowerPoint and lessons plans. I am think a lot of the info I will be wasting my time producing the same work in an alternative format and I am not sure how I will manage to produce 5 lessons a day worth of such info in one night on top of my usual work, for two consecutive days (who knows how many times this year) on top of looking after my toddler.

How much paperwork does your school expect?

[noblegiraffe]

We don’t have mocksteds (Ofsted don’t want schools to do them either) but we do have observation weeks where SLT do unannounced 20 min observations and there are drop ins and book scrutinies.

Zero paperwork is required for these. Nothing. Just teach as normal.

If you’re having a proper lesson observation for performance management then you have to give a lesson plan in the school format.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

We used to have to provide a small novella for ofsted and internal observations, but now we produce nothing that we wouldn't normally do.

[MsJaneAusten]

Ofsted don’t ask for anything more than you would usually do for a lesson. I’d probably photocopy my seating plan / markbook and print a copy of my resources.

[mineofuselessinformation]

Seating plan with data on it (PG, CG, PP, SEN, etc - we use classcharts), plus a lesson plan - I don't use the school proforma, but a five minute lesson plan adapted for my subject.
I also include a copy of the PowerPoint and worksheets but don't have to.

[TheFallenMadonna]

Lesson plan for pm observations and for Challenge Partners, so I assume OFSTED too (not been done yet in current school, although it is looming...). I always provide data for external observers too. Not for internal because my line manager knows my data!

[elephantoverthehill]

We are expected to have a 'grab file'. This will have seating plans, data, PP, SEN, SOW etc within. The idea is that you just hand it, open at the right page for an inspector. Lessons now should show evidence of planning although not a lesson plan. Yes all the data etc may be on sims, but you have to be able to impart that you know all of that without taking time out of the lesson. In MN lingo - to the inspector here's the now go and chomp on it.

[TheFallenMadonna]

Does having it in a folder show that you know it? I give the data so they can identify groups, and know which books to look at

[elephantoverthehill]

Sorry I didn't want to over complicate stuff. The 'grab file' contains group profiles and individual student attainment against expected progress as well as colour coding the seating plans to show PP, SEN, MN, etc. Oh it's great when I need a student to move tables or we move onto a different subject and different room within the subject specialism.

[TheFallenMadonna]

My last school did this. When OFSTED came they did two hour long learning walks rather than lesson obs, saw 17 lessons and looked at no lesson paperwork. A lot of books though!

[Changerofname987654321]

elephantoverthehill I would obviously print the data out from Sims but I don’t feel copying and pasting it into another document does anything but produce a ridiculous amount of work for me and waste tree when I print of the same data in multiple forms.

noblegiraffe and BoneybackJefferson your schools sounds sensible and realistic.

MrsJaneAusten this is the method I would prefer to use but School is saying it is not good enough even though Ofsted says it is.

[Piggywaspushed]

We had Ofsted last week. we did school lesson plans (took about 10 minutes each.... ) plus were expected to do contact sheets (we have photos for each class already at the beginning of the year.) We were expected to annotate these to show progress/ RAG code.

We were also told to do seating plans showing where all the blighters sat.

It was about 2 hours extra work, in addition to actually planning super duper lessons. I was watched twice. Some people not at all of course for all that work!

I have no idea if Ofsted thought that was too much or not enough but the lady on the first day certainly tracked down the SEN and PPs from my seating plan it seemed )although that may be coincidence as she was sat near to them)

It was galling when they left the stuff abandoned at the back of the room at the end..

[Piggywaspushed]

Oh and also she sent an SLT envoy to ask me loads of questions (while I was teaching!!) that were on the bloody lesson plan!!

I would also in hindsight do three copies of it all, in case they do paired observations.

[DumbledoresApprentice]

Nothing is required for internal observations, although I often do a quick handwritten plan (don’t spend more than 5-10 mins on it) and have a copy for the observer just in case they’re interested. We’re only observed once a year so it’s not too much trouble.
For Ofsted we were asked by SLT to have a seating plan that indicated ability of the pupils for the inspectors to use if they wanted it.
That’s it.