Guest Posted May 12, 2010 Posted May 12, 2010 Just wondered whether any other chairs have been asked to take over as nominated person and have a suitable person interview with Ofsted? It was always our leader who did this previously, but I have been forced into this via a letter from our LEA and Ofsted saying if the chair of committee was not nominated person, we could fail inspection. Personally I think it is madness seeing as chair would usually change each year. Also, anyone know what they might ask me about at the interview? I am up to speed on EYFS, policies, safeguarding (ish). Personally my opinion is that if I 'fail' the interview my leader can stay as the nominated person, that is absolutely fine by me. I will give them short shrift if they give me any grief, and point out very clearly that I am DOING THIS FOR FREE.
AnonyMouse_6721 Posted May 12, 2010 Posted May 12, 2010 I can't believe that the staff or OFSTED would want you as the nominated person. My chair wouldn't be able to pass the interview. She did manage an office but has now idea about education / early years. It does seem that government depts do not seem to be able to accomodate this outdated system. I am having problems with the tax office at the moment. I would just like them to send me my staffs correct tax codes (they have more than one job) but they have only sent one in 3 years. Personnally I wouldn't worry about the interview too much, after all you are a volunteer.
AnonyMouse_10713 Posted May 12, 2010 Posted May 12, 2010 We are committee run and our chair is the suitable person. It always used to be our supervisor, but about 4 - 5 years ago our chair was interviewed and has been the smae ever since. This makes it even harder to get a new chair every year!!! I am not sure what they will ask you, but just wanted to say I hope everything goes well.
AnonyMouse_12805 Posted May 12, 2010 Posted May 12, 2010 (edited) Susie, you are very dedicated!! Our Chair is brilliant and has been with us a long time, 3 children but I wouldn't expect her (or any other parent) to be able to answer questions on EYFS or similar, why should she, it's not her job. I wonder if these people realise that committee are all volunteers and in a lot of cases are very transient. Although our Chair has been with us a long time she has only been Chair for this past year, prior to this she has been Vice Chair & Sec. I really, really cannot see the point in this at all, as you say what will they do if you fail the interview? Say you're not suitable to be Chair?????????? Now that would be interesting wouldn't it..................................... Gosh, didn't mean to insinuate that you're not suitable or anything, just read it back and realised how it read Edited May 12, 2010 by lynned55
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted May 12, 2010 Posted May 12, 2010 I've had a letter today fromm Ofsted (well actually it went to the chair I told them had left). I havent had nayhting to say I have to be the nominated person but maybe I'm reading it wrongly. scan0002.pdf
AnonyMouse_12960 Posted May 12, 2010 Posted May 12, 2010 We have also had a problem with this in the past, with Ofsted changing our nominated person seemingly to us "willy nilly" from the manager (who we want to be it) to what appeared to be rather random trustees. Turns out this is because they have ticked the nominated person box when submitting their EY 2's. Now we have worked out the cause, and unravelled the situation with Ofsted, they seem to be perfectly happy for the manager to be the nominated person. Could the same problem be true for you??
Guest Posted May 12, 2010 Posted May 12, 2010 As far as I am aware there are two different roles here. One is the suitable person which is the day to day manager and this should always be the manager who is in the building daily and has EYFS training. Then for committee run setting there is a nominated person. This person is the one point of contact for Ofsted should they wish to speak to the management and it saves them contacting all (?) of the committee individually. The nominated person has to have a suitable person interview and this also includes having their identification verified so they in turn can verify staff identities for the CRB forms. This suitable person interview is nothing like the depth that the manager has, in my experience, and is mainly to ensure you know what you are signing up for. I hope I haven't confused matters further with this. My information comes from our LA as there have been some issues locally about this in recent months.
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted May 12, 2010 Posted May 12, 2010 Well I've never had a suitable person interview as chair, maybe they think I'm suitable from the one I did as playleader? I'm more difficult to get hold of then the playleader so it would make more sence for her to be the nominated person and the suitable person.
Guest Posted May 12, 2010 Posted May 12, 2010 Well I've never had a suitable person interview as chair, maybe they think I'm suitable from the one I did as playleader? I'm more difficult to get hold of then the playleader so it would make more sence for her to be the nominated person and the suitable person. I think the reason they need it to be the chair is because the committee are legally responsible and actually employ the manager so essentially the buck stops with you (the committee). If it were an issue with the manager it needs to be taken up with the committee as the employer and not the manager him/herself. Of course this all comes unstuck when the manager is the owner too so I can't explain that. We are still awaiting a suitable person interview for our manager and it has been nearly nine months now. I keep checking they've got the paperwork but they don't seem to be in a huge hurry.
Guest Posted May 13, 2010 Posted May 13, 2010 Thanks all. There is an ofsted document which does require this because we are technically the 'employers'. Hopefully it will be quite a low key interview, my leader is now terrified it will trigger a simultaneous inspection as we are overdue one and this happened before when she had her suitable person interview!
AnonyMouse_22106 Posted May 13, 2010 Posted May 13, 2010 It doesn't (or didn't) have to be the Chair it can be any member of the committee, i used to be secretary and was the nominated person. When I became staff I still carried on with this role, this didn't cause any problems with Ofsted however now I am Leader Ofsted have said it needs to be someone else. Problem is, no one will do it! I know we need someone but at the moment I'm just carrying on as we were. Suzie you will sail an SPI you are very knowledgable about the curriculum and you are allowed to have the policy book by your side for any procedures you get asked about. Every week something else seems to happen and I just feel like committee run playgroups are not wanted by the 'powers that be'
AnonyMouse_30147 Posted May 13, 2010 Posted May 13, 2010 This link might help http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Forms...dcare-provision Ofsted factsheet from Nov 2009 looking at the role of Chair and suitable person.
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