Observations

This is a blog post I don’t know if I will actually post. It might be too self-indulgent, not something I actually want other people to know I’ve written through this process. It reminds me of doing the reflective writing as part of my PGCE. It’s that kind of mindset.

I’ve had two days off work sick, due to a cold I picked up last week. I know why I picked it up: I had an observation window on Thursday – Friday. Yes, an observation window. The whole process of observation is so nerve-wracking, and simply getting everything ready is incredibly stressful. Although observations are useful, and should be reflective of your everyday teaching, you put so much effort into your planning, you make sure all your books are marked up to date, you make sure your data is accurate and presentable, and you have to explain these to observers who come for 20 minutes. 20 minutes! And based on that, they make a judgement on you.

It’s not just me. I’ve seen my NQTs, who were nervous but not over-wrought for their first observation (when they knew the lesson I would be observing) become nervous wrecks at the thought of an observation window. Having just checked my school emails, many people were off sick. The atmosphere of pressure and stress is seriously getting to us. The way I see it, OFSTED come in every three years, for two days. My school is putting each individual teacher through an OFSTED every term!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the observation that bothers me. It’s the window. The two day window. Observations are fine, they are useful. It often takes a second or third pair of eyes to point out something that could make your teaching better. Observations make you reflect critically on your classes – when I was observed with my Year 8 class last year, it was my only non-exam class, and so they took a slight back seat. Being observed with them made me re-focus my efforts with them. Observations also boost your confidence – a good observer will point out your strengths and the pupils’ learning.

It’s the window that bothers me. 2 days of not knowing when the observers will come in to judge you. I can understand why schools might do a mock-OFSTED, and that’s why the unions have agreed to the two-day window, but the reality of a school using it three times a year is breaking us. Or pushing us out. I just hope – perhaps in vain – that SMT will take notice.