Opinion: Editor's view
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Most settings think Ofsted inspections are difficult enough already.
Ofsted and inspections are never far from childcare providers' minds. At the moment the new early years inspection system is being brought in amid controversy about Ofsted's proposals to outsource it (see News, page 4). Unison is challenging the plan citing concerns that such a move could be detrimental for its members who are inspectors, and could affect the quality of the service.
Ofsted makes the point that it has worked with private sector partners on school inspections for many years, to justify its counter-claim that its service will not be affected. This is, of course, true. What does give pause for thought is Ofsted's statement that while childcare and daycare inspection visits and registration would be outsourced, 'all the difficult work ... will be kept in-house.'
It seems strange that inspection and registration visits, surely the lynchpin of the whole service, are viewed as a simple matter that can be separated from the business of investigating concerns. Childcare providers, some of whom have misgivings already about their inspections, might well feel that the visits should be put in the 'difficult' category and kept under tighter control!
Whatever the outcome of all this, the new inspection system under the EYFS is under way, and practitioners need guidance. Next week, Nursery World starts a new series on inspection, with expert advice from Laura Henry and Beth Harris of Childcare Consultancy. This will run in our Work Matters section in the third issue of each month.
Laura and Beth will also be giving a seminar on the Self-Evaluation Form at the Nursery World Show 2009, on 24 January at London's Business Design Centre. See www.nurseryworldshow.com.
