Well ....
Back towards the end of the summer holidays I had a phone call from Ofsted, wanting to come and do my inspection. She was very nice, and said she wouldn't come in the holidays, as she was sure I was out and about with the children, and that I had older school children around. She said she'd phone when the schools went back. ... eventually she rang, and after a discussion about my children, it was agreed she wouldn't come on the day that my 'screamer' was here, as even if she was settling, having a strange person around wouldn't help. I was really pleased, because I thought some inspectors would want to come and see how I managed everyone with a screamer!
The inspector came, and we had a wonderful morning, with the children absolutely full of beans and giggles, and the attention span of gnats! :rolleyes: Story and song time, which can usually go on for a good half hour, took 10 minutes maximum! No one really settled to any activity. BUT they did all role play together and were just lovely. I suggested they went outside, where they spent a long time giving the inspector plates and cups of sand to eat!
She asked me lots of questions about the children - we didn't really do a joint observation on a child ( that I was aware of as such, but we did talk about what they were doing, and what I plans I had in place ) Neither did we particularly do a learning walk, but I talked about the activities that were out/available, and why. She asked a lot of safeguarding questions, and also wanted to know what I had done during the pandemic/how I felt it had impacted on my children and families and what I was doing moving forward.
I have a pretty comprehensive SEF which I had sent the inspector, and it was obvious from her questions that she had read it. She looked through my portfolio with policies etc in it, Risk assessments, and the childrens LJ. She asked if I was going to continue with using 2simple ( the online observation app i use ) and I said yes, I liked it, parents liked it, and I didn't particularly find it took that much of my time. We talked about the 'new' EYFS, and the different development guides available. She liked my photo books of the past year/summer holidays, and that the children were keen to show her them.
I am slow in letting everyone know, because it was only last week that my inspection report was published and that I am 'allowed' to say how I was graded. I didn't tell anyone in advance that I was being inspected, as it was very soon after the new EYFS had become statutory, and I had read so many different 'YOU MUST DO THIS/THAT/ETC' that I didn't want to get worried, as actually, i had decided that things hadn't particularly changed and I wasn't going to change how I did ANYTHING!
However, I am pleased to say that I was graded OUTSTANDING for the 3rd time! and my next inspection will be in 6 years !!!! :D
