Wednesday 25 April 2007

No time for photos yet

Oh damn. I'd been planning to skip the school governors' meeting this week, as I'm really pushed for time, but now I actually get around to reading the agenda, I see we're having an OFSTED inspection next week, so I don't suppose I can.

OFSTED stands for something like the OFfice of STandards in EDucation and is the government department that inspects schools. REcently (sorry, that's getting to be a habit), they changed from a week-long inspection with several weeks notice to a snap one or two days, with very little warning. There is a lot more self-evaluating in the meantime. I'm fine with self-evaluating, so it's all right by me. Even better, I will not have to be involved next week. The last inspection, I was interviewed by two daunting inspectors. I'm quite good at sounding self-critical while putting across the message I want to (as you know. Even here, you see, I could be disingenuous) and it went well and so did the whole inspection, so no reason for it not to this time.

I've also got the Annual General Meeting of the Parochial Church Council tonight. I am writing the churchwardens' annual report, and have to check that all the paperwork that should have been done while I was away actually was. I have also been asked to chair the meeting. *Sigh*. This is better than last year, actually, as I was asked to start the meeting off (at the last moment) and the chairman couldn't get away from his concurrent meeting and never arrived and I had to bluff rather a lot.

The most awkward thing, at present, is that one of us has to be at home all the time, as we're getting a lot of phone calls about the sale next week. The Sage and I are used to being Wild And Free, so it's a bit restricting. Oh, the catalogue is up. Here. Before you look, however, be warned that the first thing you see is the Sage's actual name, so if you prefer a mystery, don't go there.

6 comments:

Girlplustwo said...

that's a sweet blue and white teapot...perhaps Sage will give me a deal...

Z said...

Yes, it's very sweet, and only 4 inches tall. He might negotiate on commission for a special friend ;-)

Pat said...

Wow I'm impressed!

Z said...

It's a nice sale, Pat, although the birth plaque in the last sale in October was our star item of all time!

Alan said...

As I'm a school governor too - I can sympathise.

Z said...

Alan, I'm not sure why we work so hard, with so much responsibility, entirely voluntarily. I've been doing it for a long time now (at two schools) and been through 4 Ofsteds - one as chairman of governors. Also 6 different headteachers, one of which was an unfortunate choice (splendid person, didn't fit). I think I'm nearing the end of my useful life!