Cleaning my teeth with Laura Henry & other surprises from a Trip to Froebel’s Birthplace
Recently, I wrote about the importance of visiting other nurseries so I was delighted when I was given a “golden ticket” by Community Playthings to visit…
August 19th 2013
I came back from holiday last week to a bunch of emails which included one from Ofsted asking for feedback on their performance. I laughed out loud and went straight to the LinkedIn group that began four months ago when I asked a question about people’s experience of the new Ofsted attitude.
Back in May, I was becoming increasingly perplexed by the new Ofsted approach to regulation and their aggressive tone. They seemed to have taken a big dislike to the early years sector despite Ofsted’s own report for 2013 recording continual improvement with 68% of settings good or outstanding.
I was baffled by their stance and wondered if it was just my interpretation. Not at all! The deep, continuous river of comments flowed from thoughtful, caring and responsible people across the sector. Now with nearly 400 comments, a raft of examples and complaints, exponential increase in appeals to complaint-initiated inspections that river has become a swollen torrent. So the sector has built a raft and is keen to get Ofsted on board.
We have designated the weekend of the 13th and 14th of September as the #OfstedBigConversation weekend. Meetings will be hosted across England. Some will cater for larger groups and some may be three people sharing a pot of tea in their kitchen. What matters is we are all thinking, conversing and considering the key issues. We want to produce an EY proposal for Ofsted. This will identify the key issues and barriers to progress, what would help and how we can build an exemplary regulatory system together which is mutually respected and highly effective.
In preparation #EYTalking will feature Ofsted as the main agenda item on Tuesday September 3rd at 8pm. Nursery World has kindly offered support and will publish the dates and venues and times of our #OfstedBigConversation and our key questions. They are very welcome to attend the meeting in London.
Success is, according to Frank Sinatra, all about spreading the news. Let me just paraphrase:
“Start spreading the news
We’re planning today
We want you to be a part of it
Ofsted, Ofsted
These Early Years folks
Are longing to say
Right through the very heart of it
Ofsted, Ofsted”
OK, enough…! Tweet, chat, blog and all the time make the relevant links. Invite local authorities, support staff, policy makers, politician’s researchers, academics.
The bigger the conversation the better.
When we get to the meeting these will be my ten opening questions. I hope they help focus on the key issues for us all.
Remember why this matters. Children deserve the best. Their future is in our hands. Let’s make sure these are hands of friendship.
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