As a teacher, would you send your child to a school that was not rated good by ofsted?

[millimat]

Bit speculative atm.
DS school (secondary) had ofsted right at the beginning of the month. We've yet to see the report and I've looked on the ofsted website and it says within 19 working days. It will be over 20 tomorrow. There's a part that states it could be longer if they are looking for further evidence, which suggests that they are RI.
I disagree with everything ofsted does for teachers and their wellbeing. However, I'm unsure about whether I want my child to stay in a school that on paper is not good.
This may be all hypothetical, but I have no idea why a report is not yet published. DS is happy and as far as I am aware is making good progress. I'm primary so struggle to compare.
AIBU?

[Cirrys]

I'd prefer to send my child to a school rated Outstanding. Even a Good rating would give me pause for thought.

[partystress]

Tough one. I think it very much depends on the verdict on leadership, and whether the RI will trigger the school going into a MAT. If there is already a new head and Ofsted acknowledges that the school is going in the right direction, then all things being equal, and in the absence of a strikingly better alternative, then I would. But if this is the first sign of trouble, so you know there will be big changes in SLT, which almost inevitably will be followed by a lot of staff churn, then I would be put off because the atmosphere will probably be at the very least 'off' for a year or so.

As for MATs, a lot of schools are becoming faith schools by the back door as dioceses are seen as least worst option. You may be more relaxed about that than me...

[MsJaneAusten]

I would and I do. I think OFSTED ratings are one of the least important things when choosing a school.

Is your son happy? Is he making progress?

If yes, leave him where he is. If not, move him. Ignore the report.

[MsJaneAusten]

(Or, more specifically, ignore the grading; the report itself probably contains useful info, but read it properly, not just the headline)

[JazzyJelly]

Absolutely. Seen too many godawful schools rated good or above. One I worked in deserved special measures.

[mrsreynolds]

Ofsted rating is the last thing I look at when choosing a school...

[MrsKCastle]

I do. The school DD1 is at was rated RI recently. She's still there and DD2 will join her in September. It's not ideal but I know the school are making changes and Ofsted isn't everything.

A school I used to work at is now rated outstanding and I literally wouldn't send my DDs there if you paid me.

[preggersteach]

It would depend on the reasons it wasn't good or outstanding

[tulippa]

I currently work in a school that is RI (I was recruited a term after it went into RI). I am a much better teacher here than I was at my previous 'good' school. We are under so much scrutiny from the LA and the head is doing everything he can to get it out of RI so the pressure filters down to us. We have to be perfect all the time. The school also has a lot of extra funding for things like phonics and Maths support and we have had loads of CPD.

So yes I would use a RI school for my children as they will be monitored much more and sometimes have more funding than a good school and loads more than an outstanding school. My school was rated outstanding before it was put into RI. The things I have been told about its lax standards and poor teaching when it was 'outstanding' are .

[mamaduckbone]

Yes I would and I have. My ds1’s secondary school was RI when he started and the other option locally is rated outstanding BUT that is based on a 2012 Ofsted and there have been massive changes since then.
He is very happy, it was undoubtedly the best choice for him and the school has since been rated good anyway.
Read the report by all means and if there are fundamental problems then take them into account, but don’t be swayed by the rating alone as it very rarely reflects the true picture.

[JoyceDivision]

The new ofsted structure is terrible:

Rated Require improvrment? A 2 day inspection with blood sweat and teats to meeit another R. I as some / few arras may tequire improvement.

Rated goid / outstanding?
A one day inspection (in school hours only) - if serious failings that would down grade you to an R. I : You retain yourgood / outstanding and have 2 years to improve the areas listed by ofsted.

You are very likely to have a good / outstanding schhol that has detetiorated yet better rated than a R. I school which could be a stronger performer.

Staff are under pressure and leaders are open to data being 'reinterpreted' so that it fits what ofsted are wanting to see.

[ICantFindAFreeNickName2]

I think the Ofsted reports are delayed in some areas. Our school is still waiting for its report, the inspection was just before Feb half term. O don't think the delay means its going to RI

[ICantFindAFreeNickName2]

Forgot to say that the Ofsted rating would be one of the last things I would look at when considering a school.

[ScarlettDarling]

I would and I do. I put very little importance on OFSTED reports and ratings. A senior management team who know how to play the game have almost got a 'good' in the bag before OFSTED cross the threshold.

[Cacofonix]

Hmm doesn't sound promising. I did move my DD out of a primary after an unremittingly awful Ofsted report. I knew it was going to be bad when it took ages to come out. To be fair there were things I was unhappy with (it was only reception year) and the meat of the report was terrible, never mind the actual scoring. The head looked like a frightened rabbit at the subsequent parent meeting and the chair of govs didn't even show his face. So the written section of the report was bad, the response worse and I already had many doubts. DD was neither happy nor hating it. Anyway we moved and it was the best thing we did. However if she had been happy and thriving I would have stuck it out.

[ladyvimes]

My dd is at a RI school, we love it! Having been through several Ofsted’s myself and seeing the ridiculous box ticking and hoop jumping they make teachers go through on a daily basis I think it is a load of bullshit and needs a complete overhaul.
Also it is important to note that if a school is rated outstanding and its results don’t dip dramatically it will go years (as in 8+) before it is inspected again.
Fucking awful system.

[aproblemsharedandallthat]

Ofsted should have informed the school on the last day of their inspection, of their grade. My DS school released this whilst the full report was being produced. My work were also was informed of their grading on the last day of inspection and we were told 30 minutes later. May be different if they have never been graded before as my DS's school and Work were previously inspected and graded.

[TheFallenMadonna]

DS's school was RI when he started. It's now good. The next nearest school is outstanding (hasn't had Ofsted for 7 years). Progress 8 has been an eye opener for some parents. And schools I hope.

[TheFallenMadonna]

And yes, the judgement that counts is L&M if a school is RI.

[TheFallenMadonna]

You are absolutely not supposed to release the grading before the report is published.

[HarveySchlumpfenburger]

It depends on the school and what the report says rather than the grading itself. There are RI schools I’d be OK with sending a child to and RI and Outstanding ones I wouldn’t touch with a barge pole.

[YoureAllABunchOfBastards]

Yes. DS1 starts secondary in September. School was good but has gone to RI - he's still going.

We are RI at the moment. We were Inadequate but honestly, I think we were better then. Have also been Good. Every bugger round here is RI now - it's the new black

[millimat]

Thank you for all your replies. Wow mixed views - will have to wait and see what the report says!
If I'm honest, one of my main concerns is what he has to say to friends who go to a different school.

[millimat]

@YoureAllABunchOfBastards what area are you in?

[turnipfarmers]

I sent my eldest to a school that had just had been put in special measures after we'd accepted the place. They still went there and came out with all A* at GCSE and A levels. It was a gamble but the specific problems that put them in special measures were such that it was still worth taking up the place. My youngest had the same situation at primary school as it had come out of special measures a few months beforehand; the benefit was that they went through primary in a class of just 20.