To think schools shouldn’t tell kids what to say to Ofsted

[Lessexpected]

Just that. Ofsted are coming. All kids been told what to say when asked by an Ofsted person. Aibu to think schools should encourage freedom of
expression?

My DC's old school got told 2 weeks ahead of time! We got a letter about it. They came last week before summer holidays! I immediately thought hang on, aren't they meant to get a call the day before but nope! They knew ahead of time. Primary school

It is extremely rare for any pupil to remember anything a teacher says, so I don't think you need to worry.

We spend months and years filling them with facts that they forget in an exam, so being 'told what to say' is unlikely to stick after one telling.

I also think this is very unlikely. No school would be stupid enough. Of course the kids will let it slip and Ofsted will frown on any suggestion that the school coached them.

More likely the kids asked one of their teachers 'what do we say if they ask us about...' and the teacher tried to help, to avoid any anxiety about an unscheduled conversation.

@Ikeepmybumcheekshidden what country are you in?

Ofsted sometimes ask kids very adult questions. They will ask kids with very obvious difficulties questions they can't answer. They then use this as evidence that the school hasn't taught X or y. It is nonsensical. They also ask leading questions. They don't allow for the fact that many kids can't remember what they did yesterday.
E.g. How does this learning connect to your prior learning? Here they are expecting kids to parrot back that in term 1 they learnt about X and that this connects to the learning in term y where this was revisited and developed.

Does your teacher tell you how you can improve? What did she say about this piece of work? Here they will get the child's book and pick out a piece of work. The kid is expected to remember what Mrs X said as she walked around the classroom. Chances are the kid won't remember and will say either I can't remember or she didn't say anything.
Does your teacher explain things well? This is quite a big question. Which things? When? Does the child pay attention? Do they like the teacher? Is it better to say yes or no. If I say no then this gives me an excuse for not doing well or completing my work.
Is the work easier than in Year ... I heard a kid answer this one. They said the work was easier than last year. I taught the child two years running. The content and skills were much harder. He was doing really well so he thought the work was easier. It wasn't.

I say all this to explain why schools try to teach kids to answer questions. You are right that it is bonkers but it is all part of how stupid the system is and how it is about ticking boxes and answering the questions correctly. Schools also coach teachers in what to say as well.

I remember a challenging Y11 lad being asked complex questions by an OFSTED Inspector in my lesson. He looked at her like she was mad and shrugged at her. She left the lesson and before the door had closed behind her he asked ‘What the fuck is she asking me for? I’m never here’. He was
utterly embarrassed in front of the whole class and the incident undid weeks of meticulous work to get him attending and engaging in lessons.

Worked in schools and nurseries and the trouble kids get taken away when Ofsted comes, normal kids get told the right things to say. The system is shit.

That absolutely does not happen these days. With only half a day's notice, getting 'problem' kids out of school simply couldn't be done, even if schools could get away with it.