‘OFSTED’ is a word that sparks fear in anyone connected with education. Not knowing when the inspectors might come, having to do a huge amount of prep work against their visit, being aware of the ramifications should they downgrade the school… it takes up a huge amount of time, and emotional energy.
(For those not familiar, OFSTED is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. It’s a government department that inspects and regulates education and care services in England, carrying out inspections of education and care establishments which work with children and young people.)
While I, as a copywriter, can’t do a great deal about most of fear wrapped up with the process, I do offer a service that can support schools in one aspect of OFSTED-readiness: a compliance check for your website.
This is a pre-OFSTED check, to ensure that everything they require to be present on your website is there, and easy to find. I carry out the check and return a report to the school detailing what I have found, where, dates for items such as accounts, and suggestions for what needs to be changed or placed on the website.
I have just completed my first OFSTED compliance check for a school locally in Cornwall, which was in the inspection window, anticipating a call very soon announcing the inspectors’ arrival. I was able to assure them that they had most of the required items in place, and up to date, which was a relief for them. There were a few items that were missing, and some that were quite well hidden, plus a couple that seemed to be in illogical places. I was able to turn the report around and get it to them before the school broke up for the half term break, and the Head not only told me that the process has been very useful, but that they were going to pass on my details to their former school as well.
If your school, or a school you’re connected with, is interested in this service, please do download my short leaflet explaining more, here.
I’m also happy to have a chat with you, and explain more about how it can work. My normal price for this service is £200 for a single site, but for multi-school academies, please contact me for a discussion about rates.
As I know that websites are an ever-changing canvas, I can re-check your website after the initial check, at intervals that suit you, whether that’s annually, termly, or when the next inspection window comes round. Or even when you get the call to say they’re coming on Tuesday. (The cost is £60 for a re-check, unless there’s been a significant revamp since I last checked, in which case the price will be £200 again.)
Do drop me a line, and we can discuss how this can work for your school.