To think the school knows the date of the OFSTED inspection?

[Vinvertebrate]

My DS7 has SEN (autistic, ADHD, dyspraxic, SPD and a slew of other acronyms). He has 1:1 in class. There are a few other children in his year with milder SEN or who are just a bit disruptive. He goes to a naice OFSTED outstanding C of E school.

DS and a few others have been "selected" to go on a non-educational trip that is being organised by the school for a date coming up in the next couple of weeks. Places are supposedly randomly allocated, but it seems to be all the children at the less compliant end of the scale. He's really excited but I am a bit uneasy because it's so....unusual.

OFSTED is also due. I always thought the date was not known to anyone in advance, but now I'm doubtful. AIBU to think the school has advance notice of the date and is getting the challenging kids out of the way?

They don’t know

Nope they get a call the day before Ofsted land.

If they haven't been inspected recently they may anticipate a call but they wouldn't know.

I promise they don’t know. They know that they are due one. They don’t know when they’re coming until they get the phone call the day before. Then it’s madness and all hands on deck.

No they won't know, it's a call at lunchtime the day before.

As others have said not a chance they know.

I'd think it more likely that they know OFSTED is due and would like to use the extracurricular trip as evidence to support their rating, rather than trying to get rid of your DC for the day.

Regardless, you are able to speak to/ contact the OFSTED inspector on the day, and if you have any complaints can make your case then. It would be followed up and taken forward, to the point of even potentially extending the inspection if necessary.

They definitely won’t know. They could (possibly) be trying to work it out based on when other schools in the area are having them, but it’s very much guesswork, also the inspections are over two days.

It’s possible the random selection wasn’t as random as they said, but they don’t know when OFSTED are coming in until the phone call comes the day before.

And yes to PP’s point about using the trip to showcase support for children with SEND.

Agree, they do not know. I work in a school and we are due as well and have been anticipating a call since we came back in September. All the schools that had their last inspection around the same time as us have been done in the last few weeks so we still think it’s imminent but until we get the call we don’t know for sure.

Non educational in school time?
What's the trip?

Nope, they don't know until the day before. We usually get the call around lunchtime and then it's panic stations!!!!!
They'll obviously know they're due an inspection but my school went way over when we were due.
I agree with the poster that said it's more than likely to show what extra provision they provide for additional needs children.
They can't bloody win!

Thanks for the replies. It seems I am just being a cynical old trout.

I'm not complaining, I'm just curious.

I'd rather not say what trip it is because it's unusual and quite outing. However, it's not something that would ever be in a curriculum.

Read the news. Teachers are attempting (and succeeding) to take their own lives because if Ofsted. No, they don't know. There's always one parent who trots this out generally because they have no idea what's going on.

Nope.
daughter of teachers here. Ofsted literally ring Monday - oh well be in tomorrow! Byeeee!

They don't know. I promise you.

@Witchcraftandhokum I've freely admitted to having no idea, so that’s not exactly a gotcha.

We had an Adviser who was always trying to second-guess when they'd turn up and he was always wrong;it just led to a heightened sense of anxiety,especially for the last inspection I experienced before retirement as they'd been way overdue.We used to joke about 'Jim and his faulty crystal balls' (not his real name😁).

Noo OP,it goes like this;the Head gets 'The Call' call, typically late morning .We would all get a message to meet in the Staffroom at lunchtime,which was ominous in itself,and that's when we got told. If we didn't get a phone call by early Wednesday afternoon then we were 'safe' for another week!

I work for an organisation who is anticipating Ofsted at any given day - believe me, I wish we knew when it was but we don't!

My child’s school is part of a scheme that offers special trips, often sports-related but not always, to kids with SEN. My son has taken part in a bowling competition and a summer activity day. So it might be something like that.

They don't know about ofsted.

it'll be the school box ticking in advance of an expected inspection so they can show what wonderful support and opportunities they give to kids with SEN.

Is it a cinema trip by any chance?? If so it's not just your school ! @Vinvertebrate

Not the cimema @musicinspring1 - I'd rather it was though!

Nope. We were on tenterhooks for a year because we knew we were due. Still came as a surprise when the call came.

I work at a school. It's always been 48 hours notice here. We are well overdue an inspection (due one around 2020!), and Ofsted has targeted local schools twice since the beginning of the year - they normally do a few in each area together, but we're still waiting - here no one can predict.