A new job description for Ofsted inspectors?

Inspections are on hold in England for the summer term. However, the Chief Inspector has insisted they will play an even more important role once they resume. And worryingly, there is a distinct sense this will be sooner rather than later.

What a missed opportunity. In this extraordinary time, I believe inspections should be put on hold until Easter 2021. Settings need support as they grapple with re-openings, social distancing and new spikes of infection, rather than judgements.

The chief inspector has acknowledged that there are a considerable number of inspectors who are less than fully occupied and who are willing to do other work. We have a unique opportunity to give inspectors the chance to provide valuable support and CPD, and to give them a rare insight into what settings are doing to support the development and emotions of our youngest children.

Inspectors need a new job description and it needs to be similar to that of local authority advisors. When I ran my own nursery, these advisors helped me to develop my practice. They were brilliant and were instrumental in enabling me to gain outstanding judgements at inspections. I was so in awe of them, I even aspired to become one.

Sadly, many LAs have had to cut their advisory teams and it’s common for settings to not see their advisor, if they exist at all. This is where the Ofsted inspectors can step in. Many inspectors have been in advisory and leadership positions in the past, and could easily take on a supportive role until the end of spring term 2021.

There are approximately 24,000 group-based early years providers and about 350 PVI inspectors. If these are divided between individual Ofsted inspectors I estimate each inspector would need to visit 60 settings to provide a supportive visit.

The purpose of the visit would be to provide encouraging, expert advice to settings regarding all aspects of teaching and learning. They could discuss the new EIF and help leaders and staff to identify where related good practice was taking place. They would visit as a critical friend and mentor. Explicitly they would not provide a judgement.

There’s lots they could do.

1. Arrive with a smile and a packet of biscuits.
2. Talk with staff about their day and what they like doing with the children.
3. Discuss the needs of individual children, what does Zahid, Sophie or Josh like doing?
4. Advise on assessment and how to reduce the perceived burden. This is a real opportunity to reiterate that settings do not have to use the ‘ticky’ statement approach. Talk about how they can use narrative descriptions about what the children are learning, instead.
5. Tell leaders and staff about great practice you’ve seen elsewhere. Be an inspirational guide.
6. Initiate discussions about what the best curriculum for our youngest children could look like.
7. Ask staff about their experiences this year: What have been their biggest challenges? How have they been supported? What further help do they need?
8. Celebrate with staff about what they have achieved. What skills have they developed during this crisis? Are there any ctions they’ve taken about which they are particularly proud?
9. Share some of the great lockdown practice you’ve heard about in other settings.

Most importantly, they need to wear comfortable clothes so they can crawl on the floor, get covered in paint and spaghetti, and create potions in the mud kitchen!

Dr Helen Edwards, is co-founder of Tapestry and Foundation Stage Forum, and a former Ofsted inspector.