Here you go:
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The week before:
• Tidy your classroom. First impressions are very important
• Make sure all marking /pupil records are up to date, and readily accessible
• Remind your classes what they have been learning about recently, and the level they are working in. (BGE 3 or 4, Int2 Unit3 AI or whatever)
• Tell your pupils that the school is being inspected, so that includes their work, and the HMIe may want to speak to them about what they have been doing
• Think about where you want the HMIe to sit (not at your desk). Have a chair ready
During the Inspection:
• Whenever possible, be at your classroom door before the pupils, ready to meet them as they arrive. (The HMIe may well be there first, waiting for you, after breaks/lunchtime)
• Greet the HMI (helps show you are in control), introduce yourself, mention class, topic(say if new work/follow up lesson etc.) and if the HMIe wishes to be introduced. You can then inform the class “This is ………, who has come to see the work we are doing this period.” Then outline your learning intentions.
• Offer to her/him the seat you have decided on, as a place to go while you start the lesson
• In the course of the lesson HMIe will get up and wander around the room, observing the work in progress, and asking pupils about the work they are doing, and if they understand it. They are evaluating the quality and appropriateness of the work
• Be ready for the HMIe asking to see things, even if you are not using them in this particular lesson (tracking sheets, RofW…)
• HMIe may not stay for the whole period. If they do stay on longer it can indicate that they are particularly interested in the lesson taking place and want to see more
•• The class teacher is entitled to receive feedback on the lesson from HMIe. If you don’t receive immediate feedback, you can usually go to the HMIe Base at the end of the day and ask . The M.I. (Managing Inspector) may clarify this at the outset of the inspection week
• If you don’t agree with something in the feedback, you can set it in context, but don’t get into an argument with the HMIe
• If they are critical about something, utilise their expertise – ask them what would have been a better way to do it
• After HMIe has gone, give your PT feedback about whatever was focussing on, what he or she said, and the kind of questions they were asking.
• If you don’t agree with something in the feedback, you can set it in context, but don’t get into an argument with the HMIe
• If they are critical about something, utilise their expertise – ask them what would have been a better way to do it
It’s very important to be aware that there are no ‘off the record’ conversations with an HMIe, so don’t get chatty, even if everything seems to be going really well (this is when they often pick up valuable snippets of information). Every piece of information is collected, to form a picture of the school, so keep your interactions professional.
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Hope that’s not too condescending ……………..
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