
This week started much like any other, preparing lessons and resources for the week, getting classrooms set up, and introducing the children to new concepts; that was until Tuesday lunchtime when we got the dreaded call. As staff gathered together, everyone was nervously discussing their plans for the next two days when our Core Leadership Team came in to brief us. I must say, despite the fact none of us were exactly excited about the days ahead, we were made to feel inspired and encouraged by management which really helped ease us into the inspection.
Image source: https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk
On day one, observations were rife. No one was safe, and although this was intimidating, we just did what we always do, teach to our best standard. It’s often suggested that for Ofsted we should be delivering lessons with bells and whistles, ones where year one children are reciting War and Peace from memory. This time around I knew this was so far from what was needed. Yes, we made extra sure that every member of staff had resources ready and prepped in the morning (we’ve all had days where Mrs Lloyd is running to photocopier to grab the Theme plans), and yes, we talked through our lessons with our colleagues beforehand, but ultimately we were our everyday selves.
The inspectors took books to measure progress, spoke to children, observed transitions throughout the day, met with teachers, the Senior Leadership Team and of course, our Core Leadership Team. A team made up of an Executive Principal, Principal, Deputy Principal and two Assistant Principals, all of whom were not only ready for their role in the day, but ensured every single member of staff felt supported and ready in theirs. We were all asked about progress (of course), assessments, provision for target children, safeguarding and also wellbeing. We were encouraged to be honest and concise in our feedback and we were. We all sang our school’s praises, and we really meant it, because what it really boils down to is the fact that we love our school and we are passionate about every aspect of it. The children here are loved, supported and challenged in equal measure, the staff are developed and listened to, and we know that every single person here wants the absolute best for the children we work with.
So, if you are awaiting the call yourselves, I won’t tell you not to panic, but I will say that if you can go in and fight for your school, show them your determination to be better and your commitment to the progress and attainment of the children in it, despite any grading, you’ve succeeded. We made it out alive… somehow!
You must be logged in to post a comment.
The author
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
Jigsaw supports teachers to champion children and young people designed as a whole-school approach programme with weekly lesson plans. Jigsaw provides all teaching resources, helping teachers confidently teach a well-being curriculum.
Is it Time to Play? provides high-quality planning, resources and training rooted in the core value of play-based learning. Specifically tailored to the unique needs of the Early Years (including Reception classes), Is it Time to Play? resources truly make “Play and Learning Fit”.
A-life provide interactive workshops Health & Wellbeing that take the workload off the teachers and engage children so they learn to develop healthy habits from a young age. We have taught over 1 million children through our school workshops that are engaging and accessible-for-all.__https://www.youtube.com/watch
https://discoveryschemeofwork.com/
Discovery RE® is an enquiry approach to Religious Education for Primary Schools which consistently delivers excellent learning outcomes. The programme is a comprehensive set of detailed medium-term planning for Religious Education from Nursery to Year 6 (for 3–11-year-olds).
https://cornerstoneseducation.co.uk/
Curriculum Maestro is a game-changing online platform that helps you to implement and manage your primary curriculum all from one place. It includes a fully sequenced curriculum, projects, resources, teaching and assessment tools. Curriculum Maestro is aligned with the new Ofsted framework and is easy to implement, saving you and your staff hours of valuable time.
VEX Robotics is educational robotics for everyone. From primary school to college, VEX solutions span all levels of education with accessible, scalable, and affordable solutions. Beyond science and engineering, VEX encourages creativity, teamwork, and problem solving in groups.
https://www.oneeducation.co.uk/
One Education has worked with schools for over a decade, providing specialist training and consultancy services to raise standards and pupil attainment. We offer support across the whole school, empowering school leaders, business managers and teachers to champion excellence at every level.
Operoo is a school operations and productivity platform. We help thousands of schools and trusts to eliminate slow, expensive and repetitive tasks. Operoo helps schools streamline and digitise processes, drastically reducing the associated costs: From student pre-admissions, permission forms, payments, and school trips; to medical information and emergency contacts, incident reporting, staff agreements, and more in over 100 languages.
As the executive principal in this school, I’m relieved that Rachel felt the leadership team were prepared and motivating. In fact, the swans were paddling like crazy under the water and trying hard not to let the panic show! I have been through many an ofsted inspection and generally find them a positive experience but this one felt brutal- I’m just glad it didn’t show!! All credit to great teamwork- thanks Rachel, enjoy the half term break.
Thanks for your comments Nicky! We loved the blog and so did our community! Hopefully this is the first of many from Rachel. Of course, we would also welcome your thoughts via a blog! – Damien