sarah707
08-10-2017, 08:23 AM
Feedback from the Ofsted Big Conversation North West open meeting – 7th October 2017 – Bolton
The meeting was a huge success – a full house of 600 delegates plus lots of representatives from Ofsted.
Ofsted opened - the first presentation was from Gill Jones (deputy director, Ofsted) who talked about the new Ofsted strategy (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-strategy-2017-to-2022) for the future. Ofsted aim to provide ‘intelligent, responsible, focused inspection’ and to be a ‘force for improvement.’
Ofsted aim to provide comparable information to parents and to be timely when responding to complaints, taking a proportionate approach to inspection, with every inspector using the Early Years inspection handbook (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/596329/Early_years_inspection_handbook.pdf) consistently (their interpretation of the Early Years Foundation Stage, 2017).
Gill reminded us that we should be flexible in our work, prepared to change what we are doing depending on the children and their current interests and considering the time of year. inspectors want to see happy children who are learning… it’s about what works for you and your children, not about changing everything because ‘someone’ said ‘an inspector’ said ‘something’ at a setting down the road.
Ofsted are keen to hear our feedback so we need to keep letting them know how inspections are going and our impressions of the process and said they want to celebrate when settings are improving.
Key messages from Ofsted to carry through in your work:
• Learning through play is the most important thing inspectors look for
• Raising outcomes through interactions with children – reading books, singing nursery rhymes
• Every second of a child’s time in your setting counts
• Safeguarding children – not just keeping children safe but also safeguarding their futures
• Supporting our boys – because boys development in the North West typically falls behind girls
The focus of inspections will continue to be based on how well children are developing: their progress and the quality of our teaching.
--------------------------------------
Members of the Ofsted Big Conversation steering group spoke about the 30 hours funding and lockdown procedures. Delegates who attended the meeting will receive the presentation slides.
The 30 hours – Jennie Johnson from Kids Allowed presented this section. She reminded delegates that it is important to read and know the DfE model agreement (https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2017/03/free-early-years-provision-and-childcare-model-agreement/) and to make clear distinctions between ‘should’ and ‘must’.
Providers are encourage to work together to challenge unfairness and reminded that there is no justification for Local Authority contracts to require us to do things that are not stated in the DfE model agreement.
Lockdown – Rachel Buckler presented this section. She talked about the importance of being prepared for an emergency and following emergency procedures. Every Local Authority has an Emergency Planning Team who will be able to support us with advice.
--------------------------------------
Keynote speaker – the keynote speaker was Gary Wilson (https://www.garywilsonraisingboysachievement.com/) who talked to us about ‘Boys will be… brilliant!’ He has been working on raising outcomes for boys for many years and his message is clear – it’s not just about boys! If we can support the needs of boys then all the children and staff in the setting will benefit.
He is inspiring and worth listening to if you are offered the opportunity to attend one of his sessions.
--------------------------------------
Childminders speak to Ofsted - at the end of the meeting Claire Brunner and I were given an opportunity to raise childminder questions directly with Ofsted. We were grateful that we were offered this time to speak directly to Ofsted and happy to support our members from the Childminding Forum and Independent Childminders Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/independentchildminders/) by bringing their concerns to the table.
Ofsted now know some of the most pressing concerns that childminders would like them to consider for the future and we have asked them to take a number of issues to DfE for us because we know that Ofsted don't write the EYFS so there are a number of areas of concern that are not within their remit.
We look forward to receiving feedback from Ofsted over the coming weeks and months (we provided a helpful list of our concerns for Ofsted to take away!!) and we will continue to lobby for change and to support our childminder colleagues in the future.
--------------------------------------
Next meeting
The next Ofsted Big Conversation Open Meeting in the North West is booked for 10th March 2018 in Aintree. You can find tickets for the meeting here:
Ofsted Big Conversation, NW Regional Open Meeting - 10th March 2018 Tickets, Sat, 10 Mar 2018 at 09:00 | Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ofsted-big-conversation-nw-regional-open-meeting-10th-march-2018-tickets-38651679213)
I look forward to seeing you there! :clapping:
The meeting was a huge success – a full house of 600 delegates plus lots of representatives from Ofsted.
Ofsted opened - the first presentation was from Gill Jones (deputy director, Ofsted) who talked about the new Ofsted strategy (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-strategy-2017-to-2022) for the future. Ofsted aim to provide ‘intelligent, responsible, focused inspection’ and to be a ‘force for improvement.’
Ofsted aim to provide comparable information to parents and to be timely when responding to complaints, taking a proportionate approach to inspection, with every inspector using the Early Years inspection handbook (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/596329/Early_years_inspection_handbook.pdf) consistently (their interpretation of the Early Years Foundation Stage, 2017).
Gill reminded us that we should be flexible in our work, prepared to change what we are doing depending on the children and their current interests and considering the time of year. inspectors want to see happy children who are learning… it’s about what works for you and your children, not about changing everything because ‘someone’ said ‘an inspector’ said ‘something’ at a setting down the road.
Ofsted are keen to hear our feedback so we need to keep letting them know how inspections are going and our impressions of the process and said they want to celebrate when settings are improving.
Key messages from Ofsted to carry through in your work:
• Learning through play is the most important thing inspectors look for
• Raising outcomes through interactions with children – reading books, singing nursery rhymes
• Every second of a child’s time in your setting counts
• Safeguarding children – not just keeping children safe but also safeguarding their futures
• Supporting our boys – because boys development in the North West typically falls behind girls
The focus of inspections will continue to be based on how well children are developing: their progress and the quality of our teaching.
--------------------------------------
Members of the Ofsted Big Conversation steering group spoke about the 30 hours funding and lockdown procedures. Delegates who attended the meeting will receive the presentation slides.
The 30 hours – Jennie Johnson from Kids Allowed presented this section. She reminded delegates that it is important to read and know the DfE model agreement (https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2017/03/free-early-years-provision-and-childcare-model-agreement/) and to make clear distinctions between ‘should’ and ‘must’.
Providers are encourage to work together to challenge unfairness and reminded that there is no justification for Local Authority contracts to require us to do things that are not stated in the DfE model agreement.
Lockdown – Rachel Buckler presented this section. She talked about the importance of being prepared for an emergency and following emergency procedures. Every Local Authority has an Emergency Planning Team who will be able to support us with advice.
--------------------------------------
Keynote speaker – the keynote speaker was Gary Wilson (https://www.garywilsonraisingboysachievement.com/) who talked to us about ‘Boys will be… brilliant!’ He has been working on raising outcomes for boys for many years and his message is clear – it’s not just about boys! If we can support the needs of boys then all the children and staff in the setting will benefit.
He is inspiring and worth listening to if you are offered the opportunity to attend one of his sessions.
--------------------------------------
Childminders speak to Ofsted - at the end of the meeting Claire Brunner and I were given an opportunity to raise childminder questions directly with Ofsted. We were grateful that we were offered this time to speak directly to Ofsted and happy to support our members from the Childminding Forum and Independent Childminders Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/independentchildminders/) by bringing their concerns to the table.
Ofsted now know some of the most pressing concerns that childminders would like them to consider for the future and we have asked them to take a number of issues to DfE for us because we know that Ofsted don't write the EYFS so there are a number of areas of concern that are not within their remit.
We look forward to receiving feedback from Ofsted over the coming weeks and months (we provided a helpful list of our concerns for Ofsted to take away!!) and we will continue to lobby for change and to support our childminder colleagues in the future.
--------------------------------------
Next meeting
The next Ofsted Big Conversation Open Meeting in the North West is booked for 10th March 2018 in Aintree. You can find tickets for the meeting here:
Ofsted Big Conversation, NW Regional Open Meeting - 10th March 2018 Tickets, Sat, 10 Mar 2018 at 09:00 | Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ofsted-big-conversation-nw-regional-open-meeting-10th-march-2018-tickets-38651679213)
I look forward to seeing you there! :clapping: