When a local authority or setting receives a poor Ofsted rating this can have a significant impact on professionals and the families they serve.
Coverage in local, regional and national media tends to focus on the most negative aspects of an Ofsted report, often ignoring positive work and system-wide challenges.
Staff morale may suffer, increasing the risk of practitioners leaving. However, it is possible to turn things around.
Here are some ways leaders and managers can turn a critical report into a learning experience that helps improve practice and services.
Prepare staff. Leaders will have advance knowledge of Ofsted’s findings before they are made public and it is crucial to prepare staff. When faced with a critical report, staff may feel angry, disappointed or blamed. Managers need to be visible and on hand to provide support. They need to communicate clearly and in person about next steps and learning opportunities. There will always be some positive findings and it is important to recognise these as well as areas that need to improve.
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