Letter: A good inspection
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Liz Turner's letter, 'A good inspector' (15 November), encourages us not to 'be so hard on Ofsted inspectors - they have a job to do as well'.
As the person whose letter was published on 11 October, describing the extraordinary inspection we had and my efforts to appeal against it, I'd like to say that we have now had our re-inspection. We have been vindicated with a 'good' grade for both care and education. The inspection was carried out by an experienced and professional inspector, who was friendly and helpful and put staff and children at their ease - exactly as Ms Turner describes her recent inspection. It was entirely different from our previous experience.
It is precisely because most inspectors are competent, fair and friendly that it is important to highlight the occasions on which things go badly wrong and an inspector does not conduct themselves to the standard Ofsted expects. It was because my previous experience of Ofsted personnel had been so positive that it was immediately clear to me that our recent inspection was not at all as it should have been.
When a complaint is justified, it is very important to make it. This promotes consistent and high standards and helps to maintain everyone's faith in a system that they can believe works, most of the time.
Jackie Curtis, owner, Activeplay Nursery, Sittingbourne
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