OFSTED cometh!!

ChrisRs · 06-05-2006, 21:34

We got the dreaded call on Friday.

They arrive on Wednesday for 2 days!!

Pointless stress and hassle.!! Hideous. At least when its over we can go to the pub!!

jonny boy · 06-05-2006, 21:38

Just put them on detention or get them to stand in the naughy corner

ChrisRs · 06-05-2006, 21:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonny boy

Just put them on detention or get them to stand in the naughy corner

The detention rooms are full and weve run out of corners!!

katieclogg · 07-05-2006, 08:53

Poor you! You get nothing but sympathy from me being a fellow teacher.

ChrisRs · 07-05-2006, 10:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by katieclogg

Poor you! You get nothing but sympathy from me being a fellow teacher.

Thanks Katie. At least this round of inspections is better than before except for the Senior Management !!

neilwilliams · 07-05-2006, 11:05

This probably won't help but the schools I know that have gone through the new shorter inspections have generally found them to be far easier than the old stlye longer ones. Classroom teachers generally see less of the inspectors as they have so little time.

Good luck with it all and do shout if you need any resources for your lessons that can be e-mailed, with several teachers on here someone should be able to help. The link in my signature has some reources.

Ant. · 07-05-2006, 12:03

Although I'm not a teacher, I'm a network manager for several schools. So far I've been through two Ofsted inspections, one lasting a week, and the most recent one, just a day long. Obviously the shorter inspection was a lot less stressful for the staff!

I've seen what you teachers have to go through so I wish you the best of luck. Just think of the pub afterwards, it will help you through the day!

ChrisRs · 07-05-2006, 17:09

Cheers all

andypandypoos · 07-05-2006, 17:48

we're due an inspection soonish, but as i work in support, i'm not that bothered by it...sorry

i understand the stress teachers face by being inspected and scrutinised etc, but i also see them putting more effort in for lesson prep etc come inspection time...

katieclogg · 08-05-2006, 08:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by andypandypoos

but i also see them putting more effort in for lesson prep etc come inspection time...

I would agree, but is all that extra lesson preparation necessary for anyone except to impress the inspectors with the schools quality of resources incase ones lesson turns ouit to be the odd crap one? I think teachers do it as a sort of crutch because they are so nervous teaching in front of an inspector that it makes them feel better to have high quality resources to hand. I have done lots of quality lessons without too much lesson prep. My point is - that I have to make and fund these resources mostly myself, if I did that all year I wouldn't have anything left to live on!
We found that quite a few of our teachers were quite poorly after inspection, even though they had excellent grades. Inspection wrecks any life/balance teachers may find for themselves.

If you are working in support are you thinking of training to be a teacher soon?

andypandypoos · 08-05-2006, 19:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by katieclogg

If you are working in support are you thinking of training to be a teacher soon?

no bloody chance

I'm IT support in FE as opposed to being an LSA etc

katieclogg · 08-05-2006, 19:52

Sorry, we get a lot of people coming to do learning support wanting experience in the classroom before training to be a teacher. Most of them find other jobs to move onto instead, I wonder why?

ChrisRs · 08-05-2006, 20:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by katieclogg

Sorry, we get a lot of people coming to do learning support wanting experience in the classroom before training to be a teacher. Most of them find other jobs to move onto instead, I wonder why?

We do too. However, in recent years we have been very successful in giving support/volunteers the necessary experience to move up to a PGCE or a full course. I wouldnt say that any have moved to other jobs

andypandypoos · 08-05-2006, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by katieclogg

Sorry, we get a lot of people coming to do learning support wanting experience in the classroom before training to be a teacher. Most of them find other jobs to move onto instead, I wonder why?

not at all, that was reaction was due to having seeing the under 16's we've got in college these days, i just don't think i could do it! i can't imagine what it's like to be in school these days, certainly a lot different to my school days

we're set to have a load of trainee plod start soon, hopefully that'll calm things down

katieclogg · 09-05-2006, 18:42

We get a lot of voluntary support rather than our normal full time staff. Coming to do work experience, very few have decided to go on to teach. Our full time staff just state that they don't want the hasle of being a teacher, even though a couple of them have degrees and could go on and do a PGCE.
We have a link with the local Uni, over the past few years we have had 7 students doing work experience, only 3 of those have remained in teaching for more than 2 years.
From my own peer group of 10 from my own PGCE, after 11 years I am the only one left working in education. We all get together at least once a year, 5 never even got teaching jobs after their PGCE, 2 remained in their teaching posts for just 1 year, 1 lasted 4 years and the other lasted 6. So far I am the longest serving teacher from that group, not sure what that says about me except that perhaps I have stamina! All have jobs, one is a fireman, one working for an electrical company, one an estate agent, one a doctors practice manager, one a housewife, one runs a pub, one a sales rep, one a policewoman and one is in retail. All quite diverse really. The fireman and policewoman were 2 of the 5 that never got a job in teaching.
As far as I can tell from my limited experience there is a high drop out rate in the first few years of teaching.
Though have to say I really do enjoy my job but of course find the governments constant interference and initiatives and love of paper pushing exasperating to say the least!

ChrisRs · 09-05-2006, 18:47

I always used to say when I first started teaching that it would get easier as I got older. Well after 30 years this summer: How wrong I was. Children have changed, become more disruptive (not all, but higher proportion) and the paperwork as you say is a total pain and so unecessary. Right I off to write 3 more lesson plans!! Tennis, Cricket and Athletics

Mr Grumpy · 09-05-2006, 19:00

I'm sorry but I have no sympathy for teachers at all.
I work in a very stressful environment, for a lot less than the average teachers salary, and have dealings with upwards of 10000 'kids' every day,and more at weekends.
If you have to sh!t yourselves at every inspection, and panic for days beforehand, then surely your pupils are suffering due to your lack of attention.
If the job is that bad, try living in the real world, without benefits including good pensions,good hours( they are, despite what you say) good salaries etc etc.
A 'proper' teacher will command respect from both his pupils and peers regardless of ofsted and will be guaranteed a job.
easy life........ Pah!

ChrisRs · 09-05-2006, 21:16

Thanks Graham your support is most welcome

At least OFSTED cometh on time. More than your chuffin buses do!!

katieclogg · 11-05-2006, 18:45

Graham.

If it's such an easy job why haven't you trained to be a teacher to get all of those benefits? I always ask this when people tell me its an easy job.

My pension won't be worth anything because I went back to college and into teaching at 30. I too thought teaching would be a nice little number, but I can assure you it isn't, but I do get good job satisfaction and compared to all the other jobs I did I am happy with my pay. BUT it is exhausting and during term time I don't have any social life at all as I'm too bloody knackered!

Mr Grumpy · 11-05-2006, 18:53

I may have been a tad harsh

Many moons ago I considered teacher training, but at the time I couldn't afford to go back to college.
Boy am I glad I didn't .
Children nowadays ( my own sadly included despite being brung up proper) at times have no respect , no sense of responsibility, no manners etc etc....
Being cooped up all day with thousands of them would surely lead to me being arrested for multiple murder

heresmo · 11-05-2006, 20:29

Two random comments:

1) TV comment said that there were lots of schools now which were lacking headteachers (no-one wanted the job), probably in reference to katieclogg's comment about paperwork burden. (Sorry no links, Tuesday perhaps?)

2) My mum, although elderly, was loved by the children whom she helped to read as a volunteer worker. She was treated very badly, and eventually said "san fairy anne" (a Northern expression meaning enough is enough).

Having worked as an auditor (business, not schools), there's no doubt that people dot their i's and cross their t's before a visit and that such visits disrupt workload enormously. That said, it's human nature, though it wasn't that difficult to tell the difference between those who were good overall and those who were "pulling out the stops" pre-audit time.

In support of teachers, I reckon that one day with 30+ kids would see most of us off

Mo

ChrisRs · 11-05-2006, 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by heresmo

Two random comments:

1) TV comment said that there were lots of schools now which were lacking headteachers (no-one wanted the job), probably in reference to katieclogg's comment about paperwork burden. (Sorry no links, Tuesday perhaps?)

2) My mum, although elderly, was loved by the children whom she helped to read as a volunteer worker. She was treated very badly, and eventually said "san fairy anne" (a Northern expression meaning enough is enough).

Having worked as an auditor (business, not schools), there's no doubt that people dot their i's and cross their t's before a visit and that such visits disrupt workload enormously. That said, it's human nature, though it wasn't that difficult to tell the difference between those who were good overall and those who were "pulling out the stops" pre-audit time.

In support of teachers, I reckon that one day with 30+ kids would see most of us off

Mo

Great reply Mo
The inspection seems to have gone well. The warm weather was welcome for us (PE) and there were no problems. We get the feedback tomorrow. Then its the pub on Friday night. As for having 30 kids all day. We get used to it!!

Kentish · 11-05-2006, 21:14

Every job has stress, tests or inspections or whatever you like to call it.

Some teachers are good, some are total dross. However I struggle to see why teachers defend the dross "because they're teachers, and all teachers are good", when in actual fact if the dross were removed teaching standards would improve, teachers would have a greater respect from the kids and everyone would be happier.

We are after all living in the year 2006, not 1976.

heresmo · 11-05-2006, 21:20

Glad all went well

Perhaps you should arrange a "teachers vs kids" fun football match before you go to the pub to give you an opportunity to do a slide on your knees with the "Yey" handsign.

I used to find a big puddle and jump into it to make the biggest splash possible. I'm an awful example for kiddiewinkies

Have a good Friday night

Mo

neilwilliams · 11-05-2006, 21:24

That's good news. I hope the feedback goes well and all I can say is enjoy yourselves down the pub. Hopefully you won't bump into any of the kids!

06-05-2006, 21:34	#1
ChrisRs Skonda Fabic Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 4,980 Members Car: Thanks: 17 Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts	OFSTED cometh!! We got the dreaded call on Friday. They arrive on Wednesday for 2 days!! Pointless stress and hassle.!! Hideous. At least when its over we can go to the pub!!

06-05-2006, 21:38	#2
jonny boy Briskodian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Cumbria Posts: 2,042 Members Car: Fabia vRS/ Xenons/ Cruise/ Heated seats/ Side airbags/ 3rd headrest. Thanks: 4 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! Just put them on detention or get them to stand in the naughy corner

07-05-2006, 08:53	#4
katieclogg Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Wales Posts: 145 Members Car: Skoda Fabia VRS Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! Poor you! You get nothing but sympathy from me being a fellow teacher. __________________ Present car: 06 Black Magic Octy 2 Elegance estate 1.9 TDI Previous cars: Black Magic Furby VRS/ Black Golf Mk 3 GL TDI/White Golf 1.9 L/Dark Red Golf 1.4 CL/Yellow Polo 1.2/Dark Red Mini Clubman Estate 1.0/ Blue mini van 950 *Mini to VW to Skoda. Driving just gets better and better!*

07-05-2006, 11:05	#6
neilwilliams Techie Teacher Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 957 Members Car: VW Golf TDI SE 5door Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! This probably won't help but the schools I know that have gone through the new shorter inspections have generally found them to be far easier than the old stlye longer ones. Classroom teachers generally see less of the inspectors as they have so little time. Good luck with it all and do shout if you need any resources for your lessons that can be e-mailed, with several teachers on here someone should be able to help. The link in my signature has some reources. __________________ Neil Williams History: Fabia 1.4 8v, Fabia 1.4 16v, Fabia vRS Now driving a Golf Mk5 tdi Teachers click HERE for free resources.

07-05-2006, 12:03	#7
Ant. Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tonbridge, Kent Posts: 551 Members Car: Octavia vRS Thanks: 72 Thanked 23 Times in 23 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! Although I'm not a teacher, I'm a network manager for several schools. So far I've been through two Ofsted inspections, one lasting a week, and the most recent one, just a day long. Obviously the shorter inspection was a lot less stressful for the staff! I've seen what you teachers have to go through so I wish you the best of luck. Just think of the pub afterwards, it will help you through the day! __________________ Ant Diamond Silver Octavia vRS

07-05-2006, 17:09	#8
ChrisRs Skonda Fabic Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 4,980 Members Car: Thanks: 17 Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! Cheers all

08-05-2006, 19:52	#12
katieclogg Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Wales Posts: 145 Members Car: Skoda Fabia VRS Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! Sorry, we get a lot of people coming to do learning support wanting experience in the classroom before training to be a teacher. Most of them find other jobs to move onto instead, I wonder why? __________________ Present car: 06 Black Magic Octy 2 Elegance estate 1.9 TDI Previous cars: Black Magic Furby VRS/ Black Golf Mk 3 GL TDI/White Golf 1.9 L/Dark Red Golf 1.4 CL/Yellow Polo 1.2/Dark Red Mini Clubman Estate 1.0/ Blue mini van 950 *Mini to VW to Skoda. Driving just gets better and better!*

09-05-2006, 18:42	#15
katieclogg Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Wales Posts: 145 Members Car: Skoda Fabia VRS Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! We get a lot of voluntary support rather than our normal full time staff. Coming to do work experience, very few have decided to go on to teach. Our full time staff just state that they don't want the hasle of being a teacher, even though a couple of them have degrees and could go on and do a PGCE. We have a link with the local Uni, over the past few years we have had 7 students doing work experience, only 3 of those have remained in teaching for more than 2 years. From my own peer group of 10 from my own PGCE, after 11 years I am the only one left working in education. We all get together at least once a year, 5 never even got teaching jobs after their PGCE, 2 remained in their teaching posts for just 1 year, 1 lasted 4 years and the other lasted 6. So far I am the longest serving teacher from that group, not sure what that says about me except that perhaps I have stamina! All have jobs, one is a fireman, one working for an electrical company, one an estate agent, one a doctors practice manager, one a housewife, one runs a pub, one a sales rep, one a policewoman and one is in retail. All quite diverse really. The fireman and policewoman were 2 of the 5 that never got a job in teaching. As far as I can tell from my limited experience there is a high drop out rate in the first few years of teaching. Though have to say I really do enjoy my job but of course find the governments constant interference and initiatives and love of paper pushing exasperating to say the least! __________________ Present car: 06 Black Magic Octy 2 Elegance estate 1.9 TDI Previous cars: Black Magic Furby VRS/ Black Golf Mk 3 GL TDI/White Golf 1.9 L/Dark Red Golf 1.4 CL/Yellow Polo 1.2/Dark Red Mini Clubman Estate 1.0/ Blue mini van 950 *Mini to VW to Skoda. Driving just gets better and better!*

09-05-2006, 18:47	#16
ChrisRs Skonda Fabic Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 4,980 Members Car: Thanks: 17 Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! I always used to say when I first started teaching that it would get easier as I got older. Well after 30 years this summer: How wrong I was. Children have changed, become more disruptive (not all, but higher proportion) and the paperwork as you say is a total pain and so unecessary. Right I off to write 3 more lesson plans!! Tennis, Cricket and Athletics Last edited by ChrisRs; 09-05-2006 at 18:49.

09-05-2006, 19:00	#17
Mr Grumpy I'm back... Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: On bail... Posts: 4,673 Members Car: Office chair..... Thanks: 8 Thanked 159 Times in 95 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! I'm sorry but I have no sympathy for teachers at all. I work in a very stressful environment, for a lot less than the average teachers salary, and have dealings with upwards of 10000 'kids' every day,and more at weekends. If you have to sh!t yourselves at every inspection, and panic for days beforehand, then surely your pupils are suffering due to your lack of attention. If the job is that bad, try living in the real world, without benefits including good pensions,good hours( they are, despite what you say) good salaries etc etc. A 'proper' teacher will command respect from both his pupils and peers regardless of ofsted and will be guaranteed a job. easy life........ Pah! __________________ S50 VRS Number Plate for sale..ffs someone must want it....

09-05-2006, 21:16	#18
ChrisRs Skonda Fabic Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 4,980 Members Car: Thanks: 17 Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! Thanks Graham your support is most welcome At least OFSTED cometh on time. More than your chuffin buses do!!

11-05-2006, 18:45	#19
katieclogg Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Wales Posts: 145 Members Car: Skoda Fabia VRS Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! Graham. If it's such an easy job why haven't you trained to be a teacher to get all of those benefits? I always ask this when people tell me its an easy job. My pension won't be worth anything because I went back to college and into teaching at 30. I too thought teaching would be a nice little number, but I can assure you it isn't, but I do get good job satisfaction and compared to all the other jobs I did I am happy with my pay. BUT it is exhausting and during term time I don't have any social life at all as I'm too bloody knackered! __________________ Present car: 06 Black Magic Octy 2 Elegance estate 1.9 TDI Previous cars: Black Magic Furby VRS/ Black Golf Mk 3 GL TDI/White Golf 1.9 L/Dark Red Golf 1.4 CL/Yellow Polo 1.2/Dark Red Mini Clubman Estate 1.0/ Blue mini van 950 *Mini to VW to Skoda. Driving just gets better and better!*

11-05-2006, 18:53	#20
Mr Grumpy I'm back... Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: On bail... Posts: 4,673 Members Car: Office chair..... Thanks: 8 Thanked 159 Times in 95 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! I may have been a tad harsh Many moons ago I considered teacher training, but at the time I couldn't afford to go back to college. Boy am I glad I didn't . Children nowadays ( my own sadly included despite being brung up proper) at times have no respect , no sense of responsibility, no manners etc etc.... Being cooped up all day with thousands of them would surely lead to me being arrested for multiple murder __________________ S50 VRS Number Plate for sale..ffs someone must want it....

11-05-2006, 20:29	#21
heresmo Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,554 Members Car: Thanks: 50 Thanked 143 Times in 123 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! Two random comments: 1) TV comment said that there were lots of schools now which were lacking headteachers (no-one wanted the job), probably in reference to katieclogg's comment about paperwork burden. (Sorry no links, Tuesday perhaps?) 2) My mum, although elderly, was loved by the children whom she helped to read as a volunteer worker. She was treated very badly, and eventually said "san fairy anne" (a Northern expression meaning enough is enough). Having worked as an auditor (business, not schools), there's no doubt that people dot their i's and cross their t's before a visit and that such visits disrupt workload enormously. That said, it's human nature, though it wasn't that difficult to tell the difference between those who were good overall and those who were "pulling out the stops" pre-audit time. In support of teachers, I reckon that one day with 30+ kids would see most of us off Mo __________________

11-05-2006, 21:14	#23
Kentish Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5,244 Members Car: 4 wheels, 4 doors. Thanks: 0 Thanked 11 Times in 7 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! Every job has stress, tests or inspections or whatever you like to call it. Some teachers are good, some are total dross. However I struggle to see why teachers defend the dross "because they're teachers, and all teachers are good", when in actual fact if the dross were removed teaching standards would improve, teachers would have a greater respect from the kids and everyone would be happier. We are after all living in the year 2006, not 1976. __________________ Andy Owner of a sense of humour.

11-05-2006, 21:20	#24
heresmo Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,554 Members Car: Thanks: 50 Thanked 143 Times in 123 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! Glad all went well Perhaps you should arrange a "teachers vs kids" fun football match before you go to the pub to give you an opportunity to do a slide on your knees with the "Yey" handsign. I used to find a big puddle and jump into it to make the biggest splash possible. I'm an awful example for kiddiewinkies Have a good Friday night Mo __________________

11-05-2006, 21:24	#25
neilwilliams Techie Teacher Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 957 Members Car: VW Golf TDI SE 5door Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: OFSTED cometh!! That's good news. I hope the feedback goes well and all I can say is enjoy yourselves down the pub. Hopefully you won't bump into any of the kids! __________________ Neil Williams History: Fabia 1.4 8v, Fabia 1.4 16v, Fabia vRS Now driving a Golf Mk5 tdi Teachers click HERE for free resources.

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