Opinion

Ofsted - like Marmite, love it or hate it!

By June O'Sullivan, chief executive of London Early Years Foundation
Ofsted gets a mixed reaction from the sector. It can bring you out in a rash or a hot sweat, but it can also be a very helpful and useful experience. I think we have now had about 50 inspections across LEYF, which have been of varying quality.

The first one was led by Jim Rose back in 1997, when Westminster was a pilot authority. I remember him refusing lunch in case it constituted a bribe, and instead sticking with his banana.

Ofsted is now under new leadership, so in keeping with the arrival of a new leader, we see a bit of a shake-up; and in the true spirit of change management, we start with a consultation. (This one began in January, and we have until Friday 6 April 2012 to share our views.)

The changes are to coincide with the revised Early Years Foundation Stage, which the Government intends to implement in September. And so this will be a busy and interesting time for those of us due to be inspected around that time. In the case of LEYF, that is about three nurseries.

Over the years we have undergone a raft of different Ofsted experiences; some good and some pretty terrible. Success always lies with the attitude, personality and competence of the inspector and how they interpret the guidance. Some inspectors bring intelligence, knowledge and sensitivity to the process, while others are jobsworths in their approach and get a reaction similar to Marmite: you either love it or hate it.

With the new EYFS emphasising personal, social and emotional development, communication and language, and physical development, I hope we see inspectors well versed in knowing how to judge the opportunities and experiences the children receive to develop in all those areas, especially the two-year-olds.

Hopefully, that would mean more inspections held with staff and children rather than looking at paperwork. Many a time I have hauled inspectors, anxiously filling in long reports in the office, outside to see children in action.

The consultation wants to ensure inspections reports are helpful to parents. In that case, they need to be written in a way that tells parents something useful. Nowadays, inspection reports are so anodyne, they tell you next to nothing.

Finally - and this is just a starter for ten - I hope they dump 'satisfactory' as a category; it's so dull and depressing, and just makes one feel lacking and limp. (Let's not forget how very important outcomes are for morale and affirmation.)

Of course, there is and should be a monetary factor attached to an Ofsted judgement these days, 

Nowadays Ofsted acts as a marketing tool for parents who judge us on what they read on Ofsted website and also LAs will allocate funding on whether we have good or outstanding and so inspections have a real power in terms of our business success.

There is much more to say about Ofsted, and so we must all respond to the consultation. If it was up to me, I would give Ofsted back to the Queen and make it Her Majesty's Inspectorate; an independent, high calibre service staffed with highly intelligent, experienced and capable inspectors. It might give it back its credibility and potency ... but hey, imagine the cost!

* You can respond to the consultation on the revision of the early years inspection system at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ofsted-ey2012