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The department I'm joining in my new school is Outstanding, and Ofsted are on the horizon - they are expected in September.

Does anyone have any flashy tips for things I can do to make my Ofsted obs Outstanding? I really don't want to be the 'weak link' in such a high-flying department!
Original post by Suzanathema
The department I'm joining in my new school is Outstanding, and Ofsted are on the horizon - they are expected in September.

Does anyone have any flashy tips for things I can do to make my Ofsted obs Outstanding? I really don't want to be the 'weak link' in such a high-flying department!


Just finished my NQT year, and we're due Ofsted in September as well... queue panicked last term where we have been trying to plan outstanding lessons throughout our schemes of work (you'd think they'd already be there wouldn't you?!)
Original post by dobbs
I'll point out now that if your school is an Academy they may be less stringyent on observations - I have been observed three times over the course of this past year - twice by my mentor and once by the NQT co-ordinator. Was meant to be observed by the Head at some point but it never happened.

My NQT year has been 10x more difficult/pressurised/busy/stressful than my PGCE year, but I think the main reason that has been has because I've moved to a city where I don't know anyone, and the pressures of teaching have given me little time to do anything social in order to meet any new people. It's been the most tiring and testing year of my life.

My department hasn't helped, the other teachers barely share resources unless I go and ask them and then my HoD snaps at me on a regular basis (though the excuse is that she's pregnant and therefore hormonal?!). One of the other Geog teachers has been on long term sick leave for stress and panic attacks, which hasn't helped us as we've had to sort all his cover.

Anyway, there are a million other things I could say. But I won't.

I'm glad my NQT year is over. Next year I'm taking on some HoD duties as my HoD goes on maternity leave. Yippee :rolleyes:


I've only been observed twice formally during my NQT year, and had deputy pop in "informally" a couple of times. Hasn't mentioned anything about seeing evidence from me for the standards (he's my mentor)and seeing as we've finished now, fingers crossed he's just signed it off! We're not an academy (yet). I'd agree that the NQT year has been more pressurised and stressful in different ways than the pgce I've doubted myself more times this year than I ever did in the PGCE year (which was hardly ever) but I'm happy at my school and they gave me a permanent contract when I was originally on a 1 year post which was amazing :cool:
Just found out my NQT mentor....so pleased! She is sooo lovely!

Also, my classroom is an absolute DISGRACE, the previous teacher (who has left the school) has left it in a complete state. :frown: I've got to wait for it to have a 'deep clean' by the caretaker before I can really go in and get sorted. I would never do that! Yes, there was no 'timetabled' clean up time but it's common courtesy isn't it?

Still excited though! :biggrin:
I now live over the road from my school! Mock me as you will, but my PGCE placements have lost me around 3 hours a day in travelling, and my new school is on an estate so it makes sense to live here. And it makes even more sense to hop over the road than live 15 minutes walk away and end up having to walk past loads of students on the way! Also it means I can come home before evening events (and probably end up having colleagues round for cups of tea while I'm at it!). I live in a block of flats so am hoping that while students may see me going into the block they won't know exactly where I live!

I'm not sure about actually going into school though, no idea whether there will be anyone there to let me in/sign me in, whether I could go through side doors (but would get lost). And then there's the question of whether or not I have the classroom I think I do. The head of department showed me my room, but it was timetabled to be another room, so I'm not very sure whether I really do have the room. I also don't know what displays to put up! I might leave it until the two inset days, I can stay behind and put up backing paper and a few posters. By then I will have met with my year team so I can sort out my tutor board too.
I haven't gone into school to set anything up for September yet. Has anyone else? I want to ask my HOD if it's ok to go in but I am a bit worried about sounding stupid :colondollar:
I think I'm either going to wait and see if the other NQT who's starting with me ever replies to me, and if she does I might go in with her, or I'm going to leave it until the two inset days when I've presumably had chance to ask a few stupid questions and can stay behind for a couple of hours each evening.

I haven't even really planned any lessons yet either as I don't have class lists/ability levels/any other info, just set numbers. I don't even have all of the schemes of work. And half of my classes are shared so I don't know what I'm supposed to do about contacting the other teachers- so can't plan those either.

I just hope it will all come together in time for facing those first few classes!
That's good advice, I will probably text another NQT from school and do the same.

I'm in the same situation - no planning done and know nothing about my classes! I won't panic yet...
I've planned 25 lessons, but I haven't got my own classroom next year meaning I'll have to buy a trolly asap!!
So scared for Sep, just want to start now and get it over with.
Reply 109
I haven't had chance to get in to my class properly yet either. As I am teaching nursery, the children don't start until the week after the rest of the school (and only six at a time!) and we have an inset on the first day so I'm not too worried. Was told by head of Early Years not to bother planning anything over the summer as we don't know the children yet. Feel so unprepared but that's just the way it is.
Reply 110
Original post by Suzanathema
I haven't gone into school to set anything up for September yet. Has anyone else? I want to ask my HOD if it's ok to go in but I am a bit worried about sounding stupid :colondollar:


It won't sound stupid at all - get in touch with the HOD or if you have access to e-mails see if there is an address for the Caretaker and ask if the school will be open at all (most schools are open during holidays) :smile:
Original post by *Darcie*
I haven't had chance to get in to my class properly yet either. As I am teaching nursery, the children don't start until the week after the rest of the school (and only six at a time!) and we have an inset on the first day so I'm not too worried. Was told by head of Early Years not to bother planning anything over the summer as we don't know the children yet. Feel so unprepared but that's just the way it is.


Same here! I've just planned an EYFS display and some inspirational quotes for the cloakroom, obviously more for the parents. I've got lots of CP areas that need sprucing though, I'm going in for a few days the week after next! (Holiday next week, yay!)

How are you planning for the first 2 weeks to fit in to your baseline assessments? And are you doing letters and sounds phonics? I want to start phase 1 as soon as possible!
Original post by dobbs
It won't sound stupid at all - get in touch with the HOD or if you have access to e-mails see if there is an address for the Caretaker and ask if the school will be open at all (most schools are open during holidays) :smile:


Thanks! I'm not sure what doors my key opens so I'm going to go in next Thursday, when the school will definitely be open and full of people.

I still don't know which day I go back on though! I'm going to have to try and casually slip it into conversation when I'm sorting my classroom out :tongue:
Reply 113
Original post by Suzanathema
Thanks! I'm not sure what doors my key opens so I'm going to go in next Thursday, when the school will definitely be open and full of people.

I still don't know which day I go back on though! I'm going to have to try and casually slip it into conversation when I'm sorting my classroom out :tongue:


Haven't you had induction days and all that? If not, email your HOD and just ask them - say you just want to make sure which day it is. Most schools will have at least one day of training before the term starts in September, but just check.

As I say, don't be afraid to ask questions - I must have asked my HOD a number of questions every day throughout my NQT year, now this year coming is going to be weird since my HOD is going on maternity leave and I'm going to be left in charge of the department on 2 days a week! :s
Original post by dobbs
Haven't you had induction days and all that? If not, email your HOD and just ask them - say you just want to make sure which day it is. Most schools will have at least one day of training before the term starts in September, but just check.

As I say, don't be afraid to ask questions - I must have asked my HOD a number of questions every day throughout my NQT year, now this year coming is going to be weird since my HOD is going on maternity leave and I'm going to be left in charge of the department on 2 days a week! :s



Yes, I did, but I forgot what day they said it was! I know there's an inset first, but I feel like such a prat for forgetting that I'd really just try and casually find out than make a big thing of it.

I've text my HOD and he sent a really helpful reply (didn't mention the term thing) but he said in his reply he's on his holiday overseas so I don't want him to pay to get messages from me with inane questions! I'm so excited about going in to sort my classroom out though. I think most teachers will be there on results day so I'm sure I'll find someone to ask.

That's so exciting to be left in charge! Do you hope to stick around there for a while or will you try and use that experience to apply for HOD jobs elsewhere?
Reply 115
Hi everyone! Is anyone else feeling quite nervous? I start tomorrow with two induction days and some meetings etc this week. Hoping the induction days will help put my mind at rest. I haven't managed to do any planning really, I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing and even though we were sent timetables we were told they are subject to change. I met my mentor/HoD in July and she went through things with me but it was so overwhelming and confusing! She also said things could change so don't plan EVERYTHING. Sooo... I guess I'll wait until I go in tomorrow and hopefully have it all explained/confirmed so I can start my planning. I am teaching in a sixth form college and doing A Levels but also BTEC which I've never taught before. If anyone has any advice on that I'd be very grateful.

Best of luck to anyone starting a new job.

PS Passed my driving test last week, buying a car this weekend hopefully. VERY EXCITED to be able to drive to work! :biggrin:
Hello!

I can't believe its only next week! ARGH! I've not been given anything or heard from anyone, so today I'm going to text the two new NQTs and ask them what's going on. They both started before Summer though, so I'm a little bit of the odd one out! My first week of lessons is on "number" (I'm Maths btw), so I'm thinking of activities to do with that. I can't think of anything! I think I'll just go really simple, because I have only been given class set numbers, but I have no idea what they correlate to (i.e. Y7B2, Y8C1).

Original post by beckye
Hi everyone! Is anyone else feeling quite nervous? I start tomorrow with two induction days and some meetings etc this week. Hoping the induction days will help put my mind at rest. I haven't managed to do any planning really, I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing and even though we were sent timetables we were told they are subject to change. I met my mentor/HoD in July and she went through things with me but it was so overwhelming and confusing! She also said things could change so don't plan EVERYTHING. Sooo... I guess I'll wait until I go in tomorrow and hopefully have it all explained/confirmed so I can start my planning. I am teaching in a sixth form college and doing A Levels but also BTEC which I've never taught before. If anyone has any advice on that I'd be very grateful.

Best of luck to anyone starting a new job.

PS Passed my driving test last week, buying a car this weekend hopefully. VERY EXCITED to be able to drive to work! :biggrin:


Got my test in about 2 hours... I need to pass! I already got my car haha!
Original post by linkdapink
Hello!

I can't believe its only next week! ARGH! I've not been given anything or heard from anyone, so today I'm going to text the two new NQTs and ask them what's going on. They both started before Summer though, so I'm a little bit of the odd one out! My first week of lessons is on "number" (I'm Maths btw), so I'm thinking of activities to do with that. I can't think of anything! I think I'll just go really simple, because I have only been given class set numbers, but I have no idea what they correlate to (i.e. Y7B2, Y8C1).



Got my test in about 2 hours... I need to pass! I already got my car haha!


I don't know much about mine either! I'm just waiting for inset though... the other NQT in my department hasn't replied to my email! It's actually helping with my nerves though- if I had everything I think I'd be a lot more worried that I wasn't doing it right!

If your set numbers are the same as mine, the B or C refers to a 'block' in the timetable I think, and the last number is the set number, 1 being highest. So Y7B1,2,3,4 etc will have maths at the same time. At least that's what it means in my school!
Good luck on your first days in school all!

Anyone else feel like they suddenly have no idea if what they are doing is correct, it's surreal not having a 'real' class teacher around to show your plans to! :wink:
Original post by balloon_parade
Good luck on your first days in school all!

Anyone else feel like they suddenly have no idea if what they are doing is correct, it's surreal not having a 'real' class teacher around to show your plans to! :wink:


Yup, I hate knowing that I have no "fall back" if it goes horribly horribly wrong! I could get away with a lot of humour in my placement school since I knew the kids quite well towards the end (did it all in one placement school) so I feel like I've forgotten the basics of behaviour management!