Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Do we think Ofsted won't ring now...!?

60 replies

rollonthesummer · 06/12/2015 20:27

We are waiting for the call in a 'thank goodness it's Wednesday at 1pm again, so we're safe for another week' kind of way! Do we think they won't bother coming in now before Christmas?

My sister is a teacher and her head was at a 'preparing for Ofsted' meeting last week and those in charge was saying there weren't enough Ofsted inspectors around at the moment to do all the inspections that 'need' to be done!

I hope when we do get done, it's one of these 'one day' inspections! Has anyone had one yet this academic year??

OP posts:

Akire · 06/12/2015 22:53

Because schools get notice other care settings for same age children don't. Personal I think it should be no notice for all. Stop all the I've got ofstead in how can I make my lesson outstanding you always see on teachers websites!

noblegiraffe · 06/12/2015 23:03

The gov site says 'The school will be notified of its inspection at around midday on the working day before the start of the inspection. Ofsted can inspect any school without notice where judged appropriate. In no notice inspections like these, the lead inspector will normally phone the school about 15 minutes before arriving.'

So I guess Friday would count as the working day before the Monday. I don't know whether that would be better or worse, ruining the whole weekend. We got the call on Tuesday lunch for Wednesday and it was all over so quickly it wasn't as bad.

Original poster

rollonthesummer · 06/12/2015 23:13

Stop all the I've got ofstead in how can I make my lesson outstanding you always see on teachers websites!

Or the 'I'm being observed/have an interview/I'm going to fail my NQT' so HAVE to make this lesson outstanding.

This doesn't help anyone. One off outstanding ideas, given by strangers who don't know our pupils probably won't work well. It's all focusing on the wrong thing.

OP posts:

calzone · 06/12/2015 23:31

I wish that no warning was given.

Just do what you do and keep it simple.

No need for laminating everything or changing your entire lesson.

IguanaTail · 07/12/2015 00:18

They can come in any week apart from the first week in September (or two weeks if it's a 2 week timetable). Even ofsted want the kids to have met their teacher for the first time

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 07/12/2015 11:15

About ten years ago, we were told that there would be an HMI follow up to a less than favourable Ofsted. Apparently, it could be any time during the following 21 working days. The level of adrenalin required to sustain the energy for that length of time had to be seen to be believed. They arrived on day 19.

leccybill · 07/12/2015 14:10

Last year, we were due a 3-yearly visit. They'd been in February 2011 so the Head said to be ready and expect them in February 2014. He then mentioned about preparing for Ofsted in every briefing, meeting, conversation and email from the January onwards.

They came in December - 11 months later. By then, we were full of Ofsted fatigue anyway, plus the Head had resigned two weeks prior.

ValancyJane · 07/12/2015 18:25

The best one we ever had was when Years 11, 12 and 13 were on study leave, Year 10 were on week experience and Year 7 were on residential. It was seriously low stress knowing you could only be seen with around three groups!!

Pipbin · 07/12/2015 18:29

My friend is an Inspector and he is inspecting this week. No idea where though.

Inspectors have friends?

IguanaTail · 07/12/2015 20:25

Really odd concept.

I know 2 inspectors. I was an utterly crap head of department who left under a cloud. Couldn't teach for toffee. The other one was so bad at behaviour management she couldn't even manage her own form group and had to have endless interventions. She never even managed a department or a year group.

Both are now HMI. They can't actually do the job, but they judge others who do.

Pipbin · 07/12/2015 20:26

I do hope you mean 'one was an utterly crap teacher'.

IguanaTail · 07/12/2015 20:27

Yes one! Ha!

elephantoverthehill · 07/12/2015 20:30

Tell me why that doesn't surprise me Iguana. It's that old thing of if you can't do you teach. If you can't teach get promoted. Sorry feeling very much like 2 weeks to go and today is only Monday.

IguanaTail · 07/12/2015 20:35

Yes pathetic. They go on about "what we look for". Why not actually teach and manage a class rather than wax lyrical about what you expect to see, when you are unable to achieve that yourself??

midnightmoomoo · 07/12/2015 21:25

Our preschool got inspected on the last day of the summer term!!! The inspector was very apologetic but my acting lead was so surprised when she rang the bell that it took about five minutes to let her in!

PurpleAlerts · 08/12/2015 07:08

We had one week before last. Started as a section 8 (one day for an existing good school) that was then converted to a section 5 (additional day where they look for evidence to go up or down- just waiting for the final report- expected any day now!) They usually make a decision for the second day by around 1pm and the second day has to be within 48 hours although ours was the following day.

The section 8 was very much to do with leadership- a book look and quick learning walk meaning that most classes are seen for a few mins each.

They are very much into progress over time so data is important but they are also keen to see recent data drops. The head and deputy were the ones who were really scrutinised (interviewed for four hours!)

The second day was more about what goes on in the classes- more lesson observation based and a big focus on middle leaders and very very big scrutiny on safeguarding (especially the radicalisation stuff and other recent issues such as FGM)

IMO it's much fairer than it used to be- we were told explicitly to not put on a show as they are no longer swayed by this. Progress over time is the buzzword. Also these inspections are led by HMIs who are more expert than many of the old inspectors (but alot more scary as they really know their stuff!)

If they turned up now then they would have to expect Christmas preparations and concerts to be in full flow but as data and progress over time are more important an inspection is more likely than it would have been in the past.

Orangeanddemons · 08/12/2015 07:13

We're having our departmental QA on the last week of term😨

Last time Ofsted were in our place, they came in the middle of our QA. It was suspended whilst Ofsted were in, then we had to carry on with it straight away after.....pretty stressful...

rainbowstardrops · 08/12/2015 07:20

Here here iguana. Doesn't surprise me either.
A couple of years ago we had literally just said we wouldn't get 'the call' now we were so close to end of summer term ......... cue the phone ringing ...... That was the week before we broke up for summer

Original poster

rollonthesummer · 08/12/2015 07:51

very very big scrutiny on safeguarding (especially the radicalisation stuff and other recent issues such as FGM)

What and who were they actually asking about safeguarding?

OP posts:

leccybill · 08/12/2015 13:20

After me mentioning upthread about waiting til last December, we went into SM in December and have had two monitoring visits since. The third was a little overdue. They are coming tomorrow - a year to the day of the SM inspection.
I left in July - whoopee!

ConesOfDunshire · 08/12/2015 17:57

A friend in a London secondary got the call yesterday for inspection today and tomorrow.

Merry Christmas!

NoBloodyMore · 08/12/2015 18:30

Our school was inspected 17/18 December 2 years ago so they can & do work that last week

rainbowstardrops · 08/12/2015 18:33

Also, we got 'the call' last Wednesday and they came in Thurs/Fri. Right when we needed to start practising Christmas plays. We now have ONE WEEK!!! 😬😂 It's going to be very 'rustic'!!!!!

PurpleAlerts · 08/12/2015 18:44

What and who were they actually asking about safeguarding?

Everyone who was interviewed- making sure we all knew the proceedures, asking when we last had training, checking we all knew about "prevent duty."

Out head said it was one area they were very persistent about.

PurpleAlerts · 08/12/2015 18:46

I think one of the TAs was also randomly asked about safeguarding.

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread