Brutal ofsted inspection!

Brutal ofsted inspection!

by: Mooshie P - 20-03-13 07:14

I work for a nursery that has been open 6 months, ofsted registered us and opened us, 6 months ago we were basically a building site, now we are settling new children in everyday and are looking like a proper nursery.  we celebrate free flow and are fortunate to have a building were free flow is extremely easy to maintain.  

so ofsted came out yesterday and they were so thorough.  they asked me all the questions on safeguarding wich was expected so that was fine they quized me on planning and keyworker planning,  ive only worked at nursery for one month and as soon as I let that slip the inspector targeted me all day! she even got me in an empty room with herself and her colleague and my manager to grill me on my key children.  that I do not have as ive only just started. it was awful I felt like I was being integrated!  ive never known ofsted to pull someone aside like that. 

has anyone else?  

by: Tish501

Our inspection in Jan this year....inspector spoke to all staff but did not take to one side and interrogate.....could be taken as discrimination.Did your Manager nor defend you while they were questioning you ? Seems very  harsh....you can complain to Ofsted....

by: Mooshie P

they said it was an observation on my manager and nothing to do with me. they told my manager what questions to ask me. but I think there was alternative motives in what the inspector was doing.  she made a point of saying it doesn't reflect me as a practitioner but the questions asked obviously did! and she jept jumping in because I think my manager was taking it easy on me. it

by: foxinLondon

It's common practice at schools though. In the report itself all is general, but teachers get their own judgement. If a report says 'the majority of teaching was good', it means that a lot of teachers got an individual 1:1 observation and feedback. Still not more pleasant! 

by: Lil Miss Purple

If that happened to me I would complain to Ofsted. If it was only you taken out and grilled I personally do not think that is fair. It should have been a few members of staff, randomly picked, to go in one at a time. Sadly there doesnt seem to be a 'one size fits all' with ofsted inspectors! I have known one to get very picky about the fact the bathroom cleaning checklist wasn't filled in each and every time. But then another inspector could say that staff spend too much time filling out checklists which takes thier time away from the children.

by: newsetting

I am still in shock from ours yesterday. Harsh is an understatement. I feel violated to be honest. Will feedback when the shock subsides, but you can be sure Ill be appealling the stupid, ill thought out, and totally unjustified"satisfactory" that we got.

by: Mooshie P

I completely understand why there inspectiobs can be so harsh but I don't agree with ir. there is so much red tape now days that I think it just adds even more pressure on to nursery workers. since the change in the eyfs inspextions are getting worse or in ofsteds eyes more thorough that good nurserys are getting knocked down to satisfactory for minor things. 

surely there is away ofsted could work along side nurseries and be more supportive. they could easily find out the information needed from an inspection without being so harsh, maybe then they would see how our nurseries are run day in day out without panicking staff and putting everyone on edge!

by: Clare Millington

I have to say ive never used NW forum before so was surprised to read that there are others in a similar situations to what I am currently experiencing. Mooshie & newsetting i can only say I have a member of staff who felt so demoralised and as u stated 'violated' by our recent inspector and her unprofessional conduct. 

My nurseries find themselves in a very unique situation, my first nursery was inspected in the middle of March, which was an eagerly awaited inspection as we only gained a satisfactory 3weeks after opening. All staff had worked hard and feedback from county inspectors was good and we were told that we should expect no less than a good with outstanding elements.  I was shocked to meet the Ofsted inspector who was wholly unprofessional throughout the day and announced her judgement by 11am in the morning having only spent just over an hour within the setting. (She then didnt leave until after 5pm) Her behaviour with the Acting Manager of the setting can only be described as bullish to the point she was reduced to tears after almost 1.5 hours of constant 'interrogation'.  Needless to say we walked away with an overall judgement that we were extremely unhappy with and a member of staff whose confidence had been completely knocked by the experience.  However 3 weeks later our sister setting was inspected following a complaint (which was in no way upheld) and by pure fluke on the day was staffed with the same staff that had been previously inspected 3weeks prior.  The inspection process and inspector were completely different from the previous recent inspection.  She arrived on the back of a very serious complaint, so this was not going to begin as a routine inspection. However at no point did the inspector this time single out any member of staff, she interacted with parents, children and staff, She sought all aspects of evidence from the setting none of which did the first inspector do at our previous inspection 3 weeks earlier.  The same staff, the same policies and procedures and the same management got a very pleasing outcome from inspection.  The disparity between conduct of inspectors and the inspection process is clearly evident in this case as the 2 judgements were at the opposite ends of the spectrum, LITERALLY! We now find ourselves in the realms of the OFSTED & Prospects complaints procedure.  I have even gone as far as to make the DFE aware of our situation as I'm so frustrated with the procedure set out for complaints by the aforementioned bodies.  I would welcome any feedback from others who have experienced such a poor display of practise by such an important regulatory body......where do I go next??