Lea Inspector's Feedback

[Guest]

I've put this in the INSPECTIONS forum too so sorry if you've seen it already!

 

"is it me?" should be my signature, as I seem to put it in every posting!

 

We had an LEA inspector in last week to 'observe' literacy activities. The 'observation' went something like this;

 

*Inspector + sidekick arrive, polite hellos etc.

*Nursery staff invite inspector + sidekick to talk to children, work with children see samples of work, look at displays, talk to staff. The usual and quite frankly, the expected.

*Inspector + sidekick take a quick (2 mins at the most) tour around the nursery. They talk to no-one. Not even a child.

*Inspector + sidekick sit down in the office and talk to each other, writing in folders.

They do not look in the children's folders that have been put out especially, showing progress, differentation, the usual.

*Nursery go to the hall for PE and invite inspector + sidekick to join them.

*Inspector + sidekick make no comment and remain seated.

*When nursery return from PE, inspector + sidekick have gone!

 

Apparently we don't get written feedback anymore (too liable probably!) so this week the head speaks on the phone with the inspector and this is her feedback. In a nutshell;

 

*the nursery environment is tatty, unwelcoming, dangerous, untidy.

*the children's learning is being compromised by poor use of equipment, labelling.

*the outdoor area is (surprise, surprise) untidy, dirty, covered in bird poo, overgrown with weeds.

I could go on but frankly its taken me all day to calm down so I'd better not!

 

On the whole we (the nursery staff) are in full agreement with everything that has been said. However when you've been asking for new equipment for over six years you tend to end up taking what is offered by very kind parents.

 

We clean our equipment regularly but its old, and second hand so will always look dirty (little tikes houses in particular!). As for the bird poo. If the school make cut backs by installing permament apparatus under trees rather than in more suitable areas what do they expect?!!

 

I am sorry to blast off but it drives me MAD that we work our boll***s off with the naff stuff that we have because 'we are only nursery' and get absolutley no thanks for it.

 

Rant over. Thanks for listening.

 

Fluff x

ps, what happened to the literacy????

[Guest]

Fluff ... sending virtual hugs. Perhaps the literacy was for the LEA to achieve - speaking (to each other if not children/staff) and omitting listening (can't overload obviously), developing vocabulary - bet they didn't use the words bird poo! As for unwelcoming - what were you thinking of inviting them to join you for PE - they could probably think of nothing worse!!!

 

Feel free to rant - at least here we can do speaking and listening.

Love Harricroft

[AnonyMouse_4177]

Oh Fluff, I'm sorry

 

What was your Head's reaction?

 

Barb

[Guest]

Hi Posy

 

The heads reaction was to come and photograph the offending untidy/dirty/hazardous areas outside. Then give us a printout telling us what we should be doing, and then pour money at us to sort the problem.

 

Obviously we are thrilled to FINALLY be getting some money our way but it irritates me that we've been asking for sooooooooooooooooo long for new equipment. We always get hand me downs from school and yet two fluffy inspectors come along and we get it pronto!!

 

I Should be grateful I guess but I can't help being a little bit naffed off!

 

It is too much to ask for some of these people to say something kind?

 

Fluff x

[AnonyMouse_79]

Sounds like this cloud had a silver lining then!

 

But I appreciate and understand your irritation. Make sure you spend your money wisely and enjoy, as Im sure you will!

 

Have fun.

[AnonyMouse_3307]

it is for this very reason hat I always put any requests like that in writing. Then i had evidence

 

Enjoy spending the money - you deserve it.

Cx