Pre-School Inspection
14 September 2015
Types of inspection
All new settings:
• Nursery unit
• Voluntary and Private Playgroup
• Nursery School
Progress through the inspection processes of:
1. Baseline inspection visit
2. Inspection cycle of formal inspection
3. Follow up inspection when improvement is
required
Performance levels
• The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI)
use the following performance levels when
reporting on Achievement and Standards, on
Provision and on Leadership and Management:
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•
•
•
•
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Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Important area(s) for improvement
Requires significant improvement
Requires urgent improvement
Inspection Outcome for
overall effectiveness
The ETI use one of the following inspection outcomes
when indicating what will happen after the inspection:
•
•
•
•
•
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The nursery school / playgroup has a high level of capacity for sustained
improvement in the interest of all the learners. ETI will continue to monitor how the
nursery school / playgroup sustains improvement.
The nursery school /playgroup demonstrates the capacity to identify and bring
about improvement in the interest of all the learners. ETI will continue to monitor
how the nursery school/ playgroup sustains improvement.
The nursery school/ playgroup needs to address (an) important area(s) for
improvement in the interest of all the learners. ETI will monitor and report on the
nursery school’s/ playgroup’s progress in addressing the area(s) for improvement
which includes the need to... There will be a formal follow-up inspection.
The nursery school / playgroup needs to address urgently the significant areas
for improvement identified in the interest of all learners. It requires external
support to do so. ETI will monitor and report on the nursery school’s / playgroup’s
progress in addressing the need to... There will be a formal follow-up inspection.
Internal and external evaluation
• The settings internal self-evaluation should
provide evidence of the capacity of the staff ....
• to identify,
• to bring about; and
• to sustain improvement at the time of inspection.
• The strengths and priorities for improvement
identified by the setting should be similar to those
identified by ETI.
• ETI and all who work with the children are
committed to ensuring the best possible preschool education.
Internal and external evaluation promotes ...
• A high quality safe learning environment for young
children.
• A rich and stimulating broad and balanced pre-school
programme based on the requirements of the Northern
Ireland Pre-School Curricular Guidance.
• Skilful adult interaction to bring about learning through
play.
• Quality resources to enable the children to experience
progress and challenge in their learning.
Internal and external evaluation promotes ...
• Effective planning for learning through play in the long,
medium and short-term.
• Assessment evidence to inform planning to meet
individual need.
• Positive relationships with parents to enable them to
support their children in learning.
• Continuous self-evaluation, development planning and
action leading to improvement.
• Capacity building for improvement through staff
development, clustering and the inspection process.
Quality resources
1. Baseline Inspection Visit
• Notification by reporting inspector phone call.
• One day inspection with feedback to the staff.
• A note of the strengths and areas for
improvement is issued to the principal/leader/
management group/governors.
• The note is not published, issued to others or
placed on the website.
2. Pre-School Inspection
•
One day block model, for nursery and voluntary pre-school
inspections.
•
Two and three day integrated block model for the integrated
nursery unit at the primary school. This may be completed in one
full day or in shorter sessions over two-three days which focus
on transition and progress into foundation stage.
•
2 weeks notification by email/letter copied to the chair of
governors/management group.
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Pack of inspection information from Inspection Services Branch
including the safeguarding proforma.
•
Phone call from the reporting inspector to principal/leader to
outline the arrangements for the inspection for staff, parents and
management.
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Inspection information on the website.
3. Follow–Up Inspection
•
Refer to the website document for the exact timescales related
to the inspection outcomes www.etini.gov.uk
What Happens After an Inspection
•
A setting with important, urgent or significant areas for improvement will be
required to send an action Plan to DE outlining their proposed actions for
improvement e.g. if a nursery school enters FIP external support is needed.
•
ETI will monitor the action plan implementation and improvements.
•
When a setting has important, urgent and significant areas for improvement there
will be a follow-up inspection within a timescale of 12 – 18 months.
•
If a setting continues to require important, urgent or significant improvement, after
the third follow-up inspection DE will be involved in next steps.
Being prepared for inspection
•
Ensure parents are given information on how to contribute to the inspection
process through the online questionnaires.
•
Phone call from the reporting inspector to make arrangements e.g. to
discuss the base room, names and responsibilities of staff and any
contextual matters (nursery schools and voluntary sector).
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Complete basic information sheet and retain for collection at inspection by
the early years reporting inspector (nursery school and voluntary).
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Agree times of meetings with the early years specialist and report back to
the representative of the management group/governors which is to be
confirmed with the reporting inspector.
•
The statutory nursery schools may invite the curriculum and advisory service
support officer (CASS) and representative of the employing authority
(statutory) to attend the oral report back meeting with ETI.
•
All findings are provisional until they go through the process of internal
moderation within ETI.
Being prepared (cont.)
• Safeguarding proforma to be signed by the leader/
principal and chairperson with associated evidence
prepared to show compliance.
• Have centre registration document and Health and Social
Services report available (voluntary/private only).
•
Access documents on the website, including recent
inspection reports.
Focus on the children
Inspection is focused on the children’s
progress in learning according to the time of
the year.
We evaluate three key areas:
• Achievements and Standards
• Provision for Learning
• Leadership and Management
A typical day on inspection
•
ETI arrive about 15 minutes before the start of the day and work
throughout the day observing, reading documentation, talking to
the children and the staff at all levels.
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Two ETI (includes Associate Assessor) work between the
playroom/s observing and recording learning, reading
documentation and formulating evidence and evaluation.
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The ETI will not interrupt the staff in their work with the children
but will engage in discussion when the session has ended.
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The organisation of the day is evaluated to ensure the effective
use of all time for learning e.g. all routines and transitions.
•
ETI will ensure the staff have regular short breaks from
observation.
During Inspection
•
Typically, evidence is gathered from the first hand observation
of the children learning during play.
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Additional information about planning, assessment, selfevaluation and action planning for improvement is gathered
from documentation and through discussion with the staff.
•
There is a session with the staff, after the children have gone
home, to discuss any further evidence required for the
inspection evidence base.
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There will be a meeting with the early years specialist for the
setting to discuss the contribution to the ongoing improvement
of the settings work.
During Inspection(cont.)
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An oral report back of the key findings is provided for the Chair
and employers representatives at the end of the first
day/session of nursery schools and the voluntary/private
settings.
•
The nursery unit has an opportunity for the representative to
hear emerging findings or at the end of the first day; and
•
the teacher is given feedback at the end of each session and
on the completion of the information gathering in the nursery
unit will be given more detail, about the strengths and areas for
improvement (if applicable).
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All findings are subject to moderation during and postinspection.
Evaluation of Provision for Learning
Areas under focus include:
• The quality of the staff interaction with the children is a key
element of the provision for learning.
•
Evidence of planning and assessment to meet the children’s
individual needs is at the core of the learning process.
•
Progression in learning based on planning for the six areas of
learning in the pre-school curriculum (Pre-School Curricular
Guidance).
•
The provision for special educational needs , including the
quality of individual education plans.
•
The programme for healthy eating and physical activity.
Useful assessment evidence
• The children’s records of progress need to be
accessible.
• Provide individual education and/or care plans.
• Show samples of children’s work e.g. mark making,
representational drawing, model making.
• Use photographs to illustrate learning experiences.
• Provide settling-in, parent-staff meeting reports or
reviews, transition records.
• Share any evidence saved in digital format.
Leadership and Action to
Promote Improvement
• Role of the early years specialist
• Appropriate actions
• Staff training and development
• Leadership at all levels
Consultation and involvement
during inspection
•
All voluntary/private settings have an early years specialist who may be
the leader if suitably qualified .
•
In all settings management/governors have a key role in monitoring and
evaluating the quality of the learning experiences for the children.
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A meeting is arranged in the afternoon to enable ETI to discuss the
previous two years records of advice, guidance and support and the
associated action to promote improvement.
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The chair of governors, principal and the head of the nursery unit in the
statutory sector will have an opportunity to discuss the three year
school development plan with ETI.
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ETI evaluate capacity to identify, bring about and sustain
improvement and the overall inspection outcome for overall
effectiveness is based on the evidence available at the point of
inspection.
Safeguarding
•
All pre-school centres are required to safeguard the children
and require policies and procedures to keep parents informed
about how this is done through contact with social services (if
required).
•
The principal/leader and chair of the governors/management
group are required to sign the safeguarding proforma in
relation to compliance to procedures.
•
If ETI have concerns about the arrangements for safeguarding
the inspection outcome may be deemed to require urgent or
significant improvement and can impact on the overall
inspection outcome of overall effectiveness.
•
A prompt follow-up visit may be required at 6 weeks to ensure
that the children are safeguarded in line with the requirements
of the departments.
Self-evaluation
• A process by which all staff and management reflect on
their practice.
• Identify what is going well and what needs to improve.
• Together Towards Improvement.
Effective Self-Evaluation
Entails:
• working as a team to reflect critically on the quality of
aspects of the pre-school provision;
• consulting with the parents, children and other
community stakeholders;
• gathering relevant evidence; and
• working with management to identify appropriate
priorities and actions for the development plan.
Managing the Process
• Be systematic;
• keep reviewing and seeking evidence of improvement;
• have a comprehensive evidence bank;
• take action to promote and sustain improvement; and
• reset or amend actions promptly and set clear and
realistic goals.
The purpose of self-evaluation
• To gain a clearer understanding of the effectiveness of
your work.
• To improve the children’s learning and experiences.
• Professional staff development.
• Building capacity to respond to and manage change.
DE Priorities
• Learning to Learn Framework.
• Every School a Good School.
• Raising standards - SEN Capacity Building Initiatives.
• A quality pre-school place for every child.
• Shared education.
Evaluating the World Around Us
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Where to begin....?
• Take a fresh look – different perspectives
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Provision alone in not enough
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Quality of Staff Interaction
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Links to Planning
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Presentation / Layout / Storage
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Displays
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Evidence of 6 areas of the curriculum
Why is WAU Important ?
• Well planned WAU topics can include learning
in all six areas of the preschool programme.
• They are important to help young children make
sense of their world.
• Encourages their natural curiosity.
• It provides opportunities to use their senses
and explore the immediate indoor and outdoor
environments.
Why is WAU important ? (cont)
• Children can also learn about the world around them
from books, pictures, posters, photographs and by using
appropriate ICT.
• It helps to develop skills and concepts related to the
world around them, through their engagement in a wide
range of interesting activities.
The Learning Environment
Should
• be rich and stimulating, both indoors and outdoors;
• present the children with opportunities to explore,
experiment, plan and make decisions for themselves;
•
motivate and invite the children to choose from a range
of resources;
•
define areas to promote effective learning;
• celebrate the children’s current work; and
• be safe and secure.
An attractive, well organised, stimulating environment
Opportunities for Observation and Discussion
• Create Interest Tables
• Explore interesting items using all five senses
• Use stimulating items that arouse curiosity and
discussion
• Develop language and vocabulary
• Use Reference Books
• Use every opportunity – Indoors and Outdoors
• Real and authentic materials – not plastic
Caring for and Observing Living Things
Opportunities to Care for and
Observe living things
• School Pet
• Mini beasts
• Caterpillar – Butterfly
• Tadpoles - Frog
• Growing – plants, seeds
• Changes in materials, weather - e.g. colour,
decomposing
Early Science
• Observing changes in materials
– water to ice
– Cooking
– Making Jelly
– Water to sand etc
• Observational skills e.g. representations of their world
• Experimenting with a variety of
materials
• Water and Sand play that develops
progressively over the year
Environmental Topics
Should be:
• Relevant
• Age and Stage appropriate
• Supporting children in their learning about the
immediate world around them
• Looking at the children’s community and
extend to other communities
• Building on what went before
• Preparing for what is coming next
• ECO – care for the environment, recycling, etc
• Develop respect for resources e.g. books, toys
Educational Visits
Influences of the Educational Visit
Opportunities for Designing and
Constructing/Technology
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Block Play – large and small
Mechano
Duplo / lego
Junk Art
Pads and Pencils - Planning
Process rather than Product
Taking things apart (old radios,
cameras etc)
Opportunities for use of ICT
• ICT is all around us
– Not just computers and iPads
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Place for ICT in pre-school
Programmes need to be age and stage appropriate
Time Management is important
Keeping abreast of technology
Remote control toys / use of digital cameras/ walkie-talkies/
calculators, etc
Use of Visits and Visitors
• Must be well planned and relevant to current
learning
• Helps children to understand roles within the
community
• Early History – new baby/grandparents
• Early geography – Travel Agents
• Broadens children’s understanding of the world
around them
• Helps children to explore the world outside their
own community in a safe way
• Risk Assessments are important
• Parental permission and involvement
Progression in Water Play
Force and Energy
Observing Growth...
Interesting Areas cont.....
Resources
• Health and safety – paramount
• Natural materials
• Junk
• Charity Shops
• Pound Shops
• Car Boot
• Parents
• Resource warehouse
Conclusion
• Well planned WAU curriculum linked to a good quality
learning environment can cover all 6 areas of pre-school
programme.
• Can be enhanced through the use of natural, authentic,
junk items = low cost.
• The focus should be on providing progression and
challenge in the children’s learning through encouraging
an interest in and extending their understanding of, the
world around them.
• The quality of experience in Foundation Stage provision
should at least be as good, if not better, than the
examples you have seen today!
Thank you for your attention
Any questions?