Ofsteady Now

 

Some progress over a short time I learned from Ofsted

Personal reflections of my experience and things I learned which may or may not be useful. In a nutshell: every inspection is different, and each individual’s experience is unique. I don’t speak on behalf of my school or colleagues or anyone else; but this is what I learned…

Keep in mind the ‘What If’ beforehand

We knew they could come in any time thanks to a letter from last year informing us the earliest time they would come. Ofsted has been a looming cloud over the horizon for the past year. In the back of everyone’s minds has been the ‘What If’ scenario. With only one evening’s notice in the new Framework, there isn’t much you can do—so what if they come tomorrow? What can you do? More importantly, what can’t you change in such a short amount of time…and therefore, what needs changing now?

Progress Over Time can’t be made up the night before

With much of our in-school, and Partnership Schools training, being about showing progress within a short lesson episode, my main concern this year has been Progress Over Time, which has far more of a focus in the Framework. I had felt up to date with my marking this year, but had two sets to mark in the one evening, which got in the way of planning. We are changing our marking policy this year, but I’m acutely aware that I don’t mark as well as I could, and I don’t allow pupils to spend enough time reflecting on my marking, meaning that my books are full of comments from me and not enough from them. Progress Over Time can’t be fabricated, and my own approach to marking and assessment will be at the core of my planning right from the start of the next academic year.

Ensure consistency of marking and assessment

Linked to the last point, this has been a whole-school improvement issue for us, but becomes more highlighted when Ofsted are looming. Can you change this the night before? No. Ideally, everyone in school should be following a consistent approach to marking and feedback, but let’s be honest; many of us aren’t consistent in our own approach to marking, let alone within our departments or wider school. Those inspectors will be interested in the books in your classroom, but they may be far more interested in the books on your shelf.

Show yourself at your best; it’s not time to try anything new

I put together a playlist for Ofsted which I played in the House in the morning—the pupils got the message when Eye Of The Tiger was on its third play before assembly started. My message to the pupils in assembly was simple: we don’t pretend we are something we are not, we simply show the best of who we are. Our pupils did, on the whole, step up and show themselves at their best, and the same message is true for staff as well. It’s not time to try anything new.

Stay up late, by all means, but don’t torture yourself

I had two lessons the first day (my lightest day) but they were both lessons I wouldn’t want anywhere near an inspector: a Year 11 cross-curricular extra Maths/English/coursework group who are different and unpredictable every fortnight and so impossible to plan, and a Year 11 Media group who had two days to get their missing coursework completed. It was the worst time of year for an inspection, as it resulted in me thinking about how to show the inspector progress rather than them getting their work completed into their folders. I spent far too much time worrying about this problem and thinking up scenarios to show how challenging students can make progress when working independently. I’m an experienced and good teacher, and yet when Ofsted called I became a self-doubting wreck, questioning my own ability and preparing dozens of unnecessary resources just in case scenario X, Y or Z happened or if pupil B wasn’t in the mood to do as I had asked.

In hindsight, utter foolishness. The siege mentality created a sense of camaraderie amongst the staff, but it should only go so far. I hardly slept for two nights mainly because I have high standards for myself; I know plenty of staff who practically killed themselves. Seriously, it’s not worth the torture.

Consider the Ofsted buzzwords

The temporary and unhelpful nature of Ofsted buzzwords aside, there are certain things which crop up in Ofsted documents or reports with regularity. Without wishing to debate the ideas and concepts themselves, it is useful to keep in mind some of the following: pace (this doesn’t mean quick tasks or quick talking, but pace of learning and the pace that students are pushed), questioning, differentiation (especially the brighter end), stretch and challenge, expectations, assessment (checking learning), and how the needs of the group inform the planning of the learning. After the first day the inspectors had identified areas they wished to see more of in lessons on Day Two, and this information enabled staff the following day to make these things more obvious to inspectors.

Remember ‘evidence of planning’ is required; this isn’t the school internal inspection

We have a new lesson planning document this year which is two sides long and follows the usual pro forma: page one contains information about the class, and page two the learning activities etc. Useful for our Department Review process and important to allow an observer to get to know the group they are observing. However, not what Ofsted require. By all means it can be helpful to document in detail such information, but our inspectors didn’t ask for any lesson pro forma. I tried, for the first time, the Five Minute Lesson Plan (thanks to @TeacherToolkit) and found it very useful to scribble on. Maybe I should have done what other staff did and follow the school’s policy…but what worked for me worked for me. I guess what I’m saying is: do whatever suits you and doesn’t take you time you should be spending actually planning.

You’re not a number, but a jigsaw piece

As a Pastoral Middle Leader currently seconded to SLT, I was told by the Head that I would be interviewed by the inspectors at the end of Day One. I got myself all prepped and ready for my interview, only to be told that I wasn’t required. I was relieved, to say the least, but in the back of my mind there was a sneaking disappointment I wasn’t able to use all that I had prepared.

But I wasn’t observed during Day One either, which meant another day of intense lesson preparation and even more intense teaching in Day Two. Each lesson began with the same thirty second pep talk of expectations to the class to make sure they knew what an inspector may be looking for if they were to enter. I didn’t stop all morning, my pupils were excellent and I was exhausted with constantly keeping an eye on the door.

But I wasn’t seen. And I wasn’t seen in the afternoon either. The lack of sleep, the stress, the effort, the energy…and I had no influence at all over the outcome. I’m only one jigsaw piece. That jigsaw piece may be outstanding or requiring improvement, but each of us are only one jigsaw piece and part of the whole. Ofsted’s judgements would never have been influenced solely by me, and yet during those two days I felt as if the whole world relied upon my performance alone. I’m not a number, yet over those two days all I was obsessed about was a number given by someone who doesn’t know me which never came to fruition.

All the years-long preparation comes down to two days, or two minutes. In the inspection, my role was not to wave a magic wand, but only to do my job to the best of my ability.

And that is all—because that is all my job EVER is.