Appalling Ofsted - wwyd?

[Jux]

DD's school has just been Ofsteded and the report is appalling. The school have not told us it's out or sent a letter home or anything. I found out just by chance checking the holiday dates on the school's site and found a letter from the Head saying if enough people wanted a meeting to discuss the report then she would hold one. You had to print the letter yourself in order to fill in the return slip.

I know there are loads of parents who don't have internet access at home. I know there are some who do, but won't even think of looking, and plenty more who have access but no printer.

I have at least one parent friend who, by his own admission, is barely literate and cannot cope with the internet. I have another parent friend who waits for another friend to come round and download her e-mail and tell her what's in it.

My assumption from this is that a large number of people are not going to know that the report is out, let alone that there is an opportunity to collar the Head about it.

DH says I should e-mail the Head and point out how unfair this is and insist that a copy of her letter is sent home with each child.

I don't really get on with the Head, she's supercilious and patronising and doesn't like giving straight answers. I'm pretty sure that if I contact her, she'll come out with some guff about saving paper.

I do think this is a dishonest way of dealing with a bad report.

What would you do?

[oopsagain]

i'd primt a load out and hand them out
but i'm awkwad like that
it's crap , though isn't it?

is there a PTA- maybe you can approach them

[nametaken]

If I recall correctly the school has to give you a copy of the OFSTED report if you ask for one. they are however, entitled to make a reasonable charge (about 50 pence) to cover their costs for doing so. And if she refuses then just hand copies out like oopsagain said.

However, rather than get angry about the whole thing and lead a playground led witchhunt (tempting though it is, I do understand) - you need to attend the meeting the Head suggested and move forward from there.

[madwomanintheattic]

contact one of the governors and explain your feelings if you don't want to go to the head.

ordinarily ofsted write a letter to the children thanking them for their participation and explaining the grading... has this been distributed? it normally goes out hard copy in book bags?

is the report included online or can younaccess it via ofted website yet? sometimes they take a while to come up. it would be worth requesting a meeting is held in any case to discuss the outcome etc.

[neolara]

I'd second contacting the governing body and letting them know that you are not happy with the arrangements for feedback. However, I would also tell the head.

Our school was inspected by Ofsted a few months back and I think it took almost two months before we were given the official Ofsted report. I imagine this is pretty standard.

[Jux]

The problem is that there won't be a meeting as the letter offering one is only on the school's website. It has not been sent home in paper form and the children haven't been told to tell their parents that it's there. So the only parents who will know of it are the few who look at the school site for a different reason. There they will find the Head's letter and a link to the report.

I'm not suggesting she should send the report home; only her letter offering a meeting to discuss it.

I know if it had been a good report she would have sent a letter home with each child.

[MollieO]

When this happened at our local school a letter was sent home to parents inviting them to a meeting. I would speak to the school and ask when the letter is being sent home. If it isn't then I would be contacting the governors/LEA.

[nametaken]

Exactly.

[bigTillyMint]

It sounds like the head has lost the plot and is about to be kicked out. If not, then make sure the governors know about this!

At best she is trying to keep a poor Ofsted report quiet.

[LadyGlencoraPalliser]

Letter to Chair of Governors, copy to Head. In the letter you need to strongly request that the CoG organises a meeting to advise parents of how they are planning to deal with the issues raised in the report. And, obviously, make the point that the website letter should go out in paper form. Or do what Oopsagain said.
Is the report on the Ofsted website yet. What are the specific issues that they raise.
Sounds like leadership and management will be one of them from what you describe.

[nametaken]

Loads of Headteachers leave (or are pushed) after a bad ofsted report. Mine included.

[LadyGlencoraPalliser]

Absolutely nametaken, which is why the CoG should be on the case - it is the GB's responsibility to ensure that the school comes up with an action plan to implement whatever changes are needed - and if these are down to a failure of leadership, then that needs to be looked at and the headteacher supported if necessary.

[OrmIrian]

That's not good.

Ours was slated about 18m ago but the school let us know as soon as the interim report was available that it was bad. And then gave each parent a copy of the report. And told the DC in assembly. Parents evening were brought forward and pupils asked to come in with the parents. It was made very much a school-parents thing - the solution lay with the teachers/head but also with the children/parents. No nonsense about putting a good spin on it or hiding it away. Which meant it had to be turned round asap. And it was.

I think you should let all the parents know that you can.

[Jux]

I have been spreading the word in the playground at pick up time, but I can only talk to so many, and there are loads of parents I don't know at all.

I would feel less indignant, and less worried, if it had been open and above board. It was just the hidden aspect of it that worried me, and knowing there are really quite a lot of parents who simply won't be able to access the Head's letter at all. That's what's made me really question whether this silly woman should be in charge of anything, let alone a school!

[OrmIrian]

Sounds to me like she shouldn't jux. And probably won't.

Ours had already left which is one of the reasons we were having trouble. new head worked miracles.

[Jux]

OK, so I contact the Governors (and the Head) and do a bit of shit stirring?

I do hope she goes. There are so many things which have been wrong wrong wrong, but dd had such a good teacher we turned a blind eye. That teacher left and now the one she's got seems to be really struggling, though we try to be understanding as he's only just qualified.

Thank you all.

[madwomanintheattic]

no shit stirring. at all.

you have to voice your concerns appropriately and ask the GB what measures will be put in place to remedy the ofsted. (it will be up to them to look at leadership etc) please don't start a witch hunt - there will be an awful lot that you don't know about going on behind the scenes - you just need to give them a little nudge to make some of it more overt.

or you won't be taken seriously.

we're recruiting a new head just now. it's fascinating. (am a governor)

[Jux]

Oh I was being facetious, madwoman, honestly. Only I'm sure that if I wrote to her and the governors about it, someone would perceive it as shit stirring.

[madwomanintheattic]

i've got my po-face on

just seen a lot of 'parent power' that wasn't very well targeted lol.

[Jux]

Your po-face is very scary. I'm glad you've grinned now!