Session 2
Making the Most of an Inspection: A Step by Step Guide to Demonstrate your Best Practices

Target Group:

This staff development session is one of four, designed for early years practitioners at all levels, who promote quality and who may be present during an Ofsted inspection. It is aimed at those working directly with children and responsible for promoting quality of leadership, education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes. It is suitable for key persons and leaders/managers working in private day nurseries, pre-schools, childminders, independent nursery schools, state nurseries, and other organisations.

Rationale:

Although every day should be one of quality and you cannot ‘prepare’ or put a show on just for one inspection day, there are some elements of an inspection that you can prepare for. This makes the experience less daunting and gives you an opportunity to showcase the best of your day to day practice.

Aims:

To provide step by step guidance on the predictable elements of an inspection, so you can be ready and make the most of the experience.

To provide a demonstration learning walk, around an Outstanding nursery

To examine how an inspector plans and conducts the inspection, and how practitioners can make the most of each element in the process

To develop awareness of the essential evidence that can be prepared prior to an inspection.

Session Outcomes:

By the end of these sessions you should:           

• Understand the key elements common to all inspections
• Be able to plan and conduct a learning walk in your setting
• Be able to identify evidence you will need to have available for the inspection visit
• Develop confidence in answering questions and discussing practice with an inspector

Teaching Strategies/Resources

Tutor presentation, small group discussion, practical activities, case studies, critical incidents…