Elizabeth Holmes
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School Inspection: a teacher's guide to preparing, surviving and evaluating OFSTED Inspection
 

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Introduction

 School Inspection, Paperback - 224 Pages (3 April 2003), Routledge, ISBN 0749438568
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1.  OFSTED: background and inspection personnel

Introduction
Inspection personnel: who does what?
Expected standards of inspectors
 

2.  School inspection: what is it about?

Purposes of school inspection
Types of inspection

  • Full inspection
  • Short inspection Advantages and disadvantages of inspection
    Strengths and weaknesses
    How judgements are made
    Teacher accountability

    3.  The Evaluation Schedule: what is inspected?

    What sort of school is it?
    How high are the standards?
    How well are pupils taught?
    How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?
    How well does the school care for its pupils?
    How well does the school work in partnership with parents?
    How well is the school led and managed?
    What should the school do to improve further?

    4.  The inspection experience

    Before the inspection
    Notice of inspection

  • When changes to the schedule are made
    Pre-inspection stages for your school
  • Documentary 'evidence' required
  • Preparation of the registered inspector
    During the inspection
  • Obligations of your inspectors
    Teacher/inspector relationship
    Pupil/inspector relationship
    Other adults in your classroom
    Maintaining routine
    Focusing on the positive
    Enjoying the fruits of your preparation
  • Your interaction with the inspectors
    'Hearing' feedback
  • When feedback is not constructive
    Coping with stress during the inspection experience
    Making complaints
  • Making complaints before an inspection
  • Making complaints during an inspection
     

    5.  Role of the teacher

    Characteristics of an effective teacher

  • Effectiveness in the classroom
  • Effectiveness in administration
  • Effectiveness in working relationships
  • Hay McBer report of research into teacher effectiveness
  • Self-evaluation of lessons and peer observation
  • School self-evaluation in a nutshell according to Ofsted
    Teacher's role in the preparation
  • NQTs
  • Non-NQTs
    Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
    Schemes of work
    Preparing resources
    Preparing pupils' work
    Managing paperwork
    Highlighting evidence of your success
    Preparing your teaching/office space
    Preparing pupils
     

    6.  Effects of inspection on the individual - awareness and self-help techniques

    Best and worst case scenarios
    Not having enough time to complete detailed lesson planning for the week

  • Having unreasonable expectations of staff
    Not being able to manage the behaviour of pupils in an observed lesson
  • 'Corpsing' in front of an inspector
  • Showing gaps in knowledge in front of an inspector
  • Not being observed for your better lessons
  • Facing observations for many hours each day
    Not having the opportunity to discuss work with inspectors
    Being misunderstood and misrepresented
    Having to restructure work schemes and policy documents as a result of the inspection
  • Receiving a lower than expected grade for teaching
  • Being criticised unfairly
    Facing criticism
    Managing stress
  • Stress busting skills
  • Natural help for stress
  • Impact of inspection stress
  • Bullying-induced stress
    Focus on anxiety
  • Symptoms
  • When anxiety turns into panic
  • Lifestyle changes
  • Therapies that can help
  • Finding relaxation time
    Focus on health
    Boosting morale
  • 'Lifting' colleagues
     

    7.  After inspection

    Post-inspection stages

  • Post-inspection for your school
  • Inspection report in relation to teachers
  • School inspection survey
    Impact of the inspection
  • Impact on your school
  • Impact on your pupils
  • Impact on you
    When a school is not achieving well enough
  • Being removed from special measures
    When a school requires special measures
    Working in a school under special measures
    Features for success in a school under special measures
    If your school has serious weaknesses
    When a school has cause for concern
    Utilising the feedback received
    Evaluating your inspection experience
  • Getting back to normal
    Coping with post-inspection stress
    Making complaints after an inspection

    Appendices 1-4

    Further reading

    Index



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