AFF’s Director in Cyprus, Phil Robertson, tells us more about AFF’s involvement in the recent Ofsted inspections…
Here at AFF Cyprus, we sit on every School Governance Committee (SGC) on the island which means that we are able to raise any issues that you might have directly with schools and with SCE. Our involvement with the island’s SGCs is a great example of how our independence can be used to best effect and how we can act as an advocate for families.
Earlier this year, King Richard’s School in Dhekelia was inspected by Ofsted as was Episkopi Primary School. I was the acting Chair of Governors of Episkopi Primary School and so I was interviewed by the Ofsted inspection team.
What is involved?
All of us have heard of Ofsted inspections but some of you might not know what it really involves. The process is incredibly detailed and demands a lot of very hard work on the part of teachers, pupils, parents, the inspection team and lots of other people associated with the school. I was surprised by just how much detail the inspection team went into. As well as watching lessons being taught, the team interviewed teachers, pupils and parents; read report after report produced by the school and looked at the school’s policies on everything you could possibly imagine. They also analysed attainment, SEN support and plans for the school’s development. The inspection took place over a number of days so that the team gained a realistic and detailed idea of exactly how Episkopi Primary works and the kind of education that your children receive there.
Everybody’s hard work paid off and both schools were judged to be ‘outstanding’. Given the exceptionally meticulous inspection process these outcomes were certainly well deserved!
If you would like to read more about the recent Ofsted inspections, visit www.ofsted.gov.uk and search by the name of the school, or contact SCE at www.sce-web.com. If you have any issues on education, contact our AFF Education & Childcare Specialist, Lucy Scott at ec@aff.org.uk
Picture: Young pupil Kevin Reeve Jr.