Part-time teacher and Ofsted call on non-working day with childcare commitments

[YellowDaisies123]

So im going back to teaching in September, 3 days a week (wednesday-friday). My school is due Ofsted anytime. We will get the call on a Monday which is a non working day for me. I'm going part time because my little one is under 2 so I have childcare commitments as well as choosing to be more available for her.
I have a feeling it'll be an expectation that ALL staff will be required to attend once the call has come in both on the Monday after school and the Tuesday. My husband works and is self employed but doesn't work from home so going in at the drop of a hat is a no no for me on a Monday - I cant just leave my daughter and have nobody to just pass her to at short notice. I can however go in on the Tuesday as my husband can take it off if he's aware the day before. My question is, has anyone else been in this situation? I know I'll be made to feel guilty for not attending on the Monday but what do you do? Any experiences and thoughts would be highly appreciated! X

Do you do your job to a good standard on a normal Wednesday when you have been at home Mon&Tue? Of course you do.

As and when the inspection happens, stick to your normal non-working days on Mon&Tue. If your DH can take a half day/WFH on the Wednesday so that he can do all the morning routine and you can just get up at 6 and go into work early, that should be sufficient "ofsted extra" so long as you have decent lesson plans and resources in place for your normal teaching. If there's any extra reminders for things to try to highlight from SLT you can review their messages about that when you get in on Wednesday but trying to spend Mon&Tue doing extra prep is not a sensible use of your time. Your daughter is more important, and you sacrificing your time with her is not going to make any real difference to the ofsted grades

@LightlyRoamingOcelots thank you!! 🙏

Just be aware that if Monday is a bank holiday, you could get the call on Tuesday and then they'll be in on Wednesday and Thursday.

There are no term-time bank holidays in the Autumn term and it's pretty unusual for there to be one in the Spring term but it can happen in Summer with the early May holiday.

31/8 is a bank holiday. Some schools will be back on the Tuesday for a training day then pupils back in on Wednesday.

My days/commitments are the same. I was at softplay when they called with my toddler and was also 36 weeks preggo. I was SENCo so I went straight home, called husband to take the rest of the day off and I went into work. It wasn’t expected, but it was needed for my own professional peace of mind.

it’s once every few years and I was about to put in overtime for the days.

My school were Ofsteded last term (summer term) and I don't work Tuesdays. I was asked to be in and it was hoped I would be but I'm not sure they expected it. I would have thought they would hope all staff who can be in, are in, especially if you have any sort of leadership role e.g senco or EYFS lead because Ofsted will want to meet with you.

Do you have a partner teacher? I am a supply teacher atm but was doing a long term supply at one school when it was ofsteded. PM me for more details if you like. I typed more but realised that it was kinda outing.

Why would you have to go in on your job working day? Part -, time teacher here I certainly didn't go in on my non working days! The only chang was that we didn't have PPA that week during inspection. I really don't think that would be the expectation. What have they said?

So my partner teacher is an apprentice trainee but she's paid and classed as having 50% responsibility.

Forgive my ignorance but what would you do if you did go in on a non-contracted day?
You couldn't be observed teaching, surely? So what is there to do?

I am in Scotland and a teacher. There would be no point in going in on my day off.

What a pity you were away for your non working days and took another phone with you!

The 'normal circumstances' on Mondays and Tuesdays are that the OP isn't there, so it will be normal, won't it?

Are you even insured if you go into school to work on one of your non working days?

@notnorman I cant say that I know the answer to this! 🤔

Wouldn’t it look bad for a school if staff who were not supposed to be working / not paid to be on the premises that day, turned up?? If I was an inspector and saw that I’d wonder why they were there and if the school was poorly managed hours wise.

Youre not employed there on a Monday. You don’t go in!!!

@YellowDaisies123 I’ve been a school governor and teachers teach three days. We had a part time deputy. Why would you need to go in? You might want to hear any feedback but ofsted are not going to sit in your classroom on a Tuesday wondering where you are. You probably need to read up on how inspections work but you won’t be inspected. The only issue might be if you were the SENDCO or had another major leadership role but if you don’t, there’s not usually any requirement for all staff to be there. Ofsted can inspect when there’s a school trip for example. That’s not prevented from going and the staff go with dc.

OP you know you don't have to go in your none working days. SLT can ask but you don't need to change your set and and approved TT.

From what you've said it's a case of 'what if' so worrying about something that could happen.

Ask the protocol but also know your own teaching days are just that.

To hopefully offer a bit of advice and comfort...

Back in the 1990s ofsted inspections were a week long and teacher based. I had at least one in every day for a week.

Moving forward, the 2 day observations but more based on data, still had inspections.

When I went PT and ofsted were in on my days off (sigh of relief) I simply wasn't expected to be in and I couldn't have been in unless they paid for childcare, which of course they wouldn't 😆

So my message is, if you're not in that day then that's not your problem. If they ask then it's completely up to you. Xx

Why would Ofsted ask to see a teacher? Someone else will be taking that class on her day off. SLT don’t have any reason to ask. The only issue is if op has a leadership role.

I was working part time when Ofsted last called and I only went in on my normal working days. I did do some extra prep at home. It didn’t occur to me to go in and neither did anyone expect me to. The HT made ofsted aware that I would only be in on X days and they observed me then. I was also a subject leader and they worked around it. I also had kids at home, so it just wasn’t really a consideration to go in on my non working days.

When I job shared, I'd not have appreciated my 'other half' coming in on a day that OFSTED might be in my classroom. I'd want to be fully in control and for my lessons to function as normal. Their presence would throw my routines out, and the kids would be confused and thrown by the extra presence.

So no, don't go in on Tuesday.

Your day off - you don't go in.
Like in any other job.
Teaching should be no different.
It's not even as if they will pay you!!

If you don’t work that day don’t go in! You aren’t a charity!

You won’t be expected to go in at all. I am not sure why you think that? You will go in and teach on your normal days. If it is a 2 day inspection, you may be observed on the Wednesday. You will have to prepare for those lessons at home unless you want to go into work to prepare.

The call is always on a Monday by noon.

can’t see that it’s unreasonable for you to say ahead of time that you won’t be able to go in on the Monday if you have childcare issues. You can be available by telephone. Our teachers usually stayed until late evening preparing stuff if they could.