Ofsted readiness assessments:

Making mocksteds a thing of the past.

For years, we've branded our programmes as an Ofsted readiness tool, but it is sooo much more. The activities in our assessment put everything you do under a microscope leaving you in no doubt as to where your strengths and priorities for improvement lie.

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Its real name is our AETHICS programme because it focuses on Achieving Excellence Through Honest Interactions, Challenge and Support.

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It's a systematic approach to quality improvement focusing on whether systems, processes and practice are effective and happening with consistency.

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Why do leadership teams use AETHICS?

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• An external view of the effectiveness of systems, processes, practice and leadership.

• As a comprehensive set of monitoring and self-evaluation materials when they haven't got the capacity to review systems, processes and practice at depth.

• To highlight the actions needed to 'right' a wobbly ship.

• To help newly registered providers to establish effective systems, processes and practice for the earliest days of opening.

• To move provision from a poor inspection outcome to a good or better position.​​

• To forge a pathway to exemplary practice.

 

AETHICS is not a

mock inspection

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We believe that mocksted can provide a false sense of security and here's why.

 

Our termly detailed analysis of Ofsted reports shows that although we have a fixed inspection framework, the focus of inspections can shift slightly depending on Ofsted's priorities and enhanced levels of training for inspectors.

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Putting this issue to one side, inspections are a snapshot in time; they physically cannot thoroughly explore all aspects of the inspection framework. So, even though you may have received a good or better outcome, there still may be aspects of practice or provision that are not working effectively, which could come to light under the scrutiny of a regulatory inspector during the course of an investigation or complaint.

 

AETHICS does not require hours developing hugely time-consuming portfolios of evidence

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•This clearly goes against the EYFS reforms which are trying to help to reduce your burden…not add to it. Our process has been deliberately designed to take some of the stress out of your monitoring activities whilst providing a rigorous framework to support your self-evaluation activities. AND we will never give you the impression that practice and provision is good without observing adult:child interactions and environments firsthand.