Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Assessing of schools

36 replies

Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 08:38

Aibu to think schools should be rated based on how the staff are feeling rather than in results and performance!?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Guiltridden12345 · 20/08/2023 20:16

Sorry I quoted you @Golfitwin without meaning to

Guiltridden12345 · 20/08/2023 20:15

Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 09:08

Having staff come and go revolver door style surely impacts the children and in turn the schools

The purpose of a school is education, that’s what they should be judged on.

Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 19:48

Or Cancel ofsted altogether

OP posts:
Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 11:11

🙏

OP posts:
Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 10:59

@Baconisdelicious god bless you

OP posts:
Baconisdelicious · 20/08/2023 10:40

I left an amazing school because it was no longer the right place for me, but it’s still a great school

yeah, I did this. I also left a perfectly good school to help manage my mum’s dementia. I am at the point of making a move again - not because of the school or the school culture but because I just feel I’m done and there’s other challenges out there that would suit me better.

Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 10:22

@smartiesneberhadtheanswer lucky u

OP posts:
smartiesneberhadtheanswer · 20/08/2023 10:19

Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 09:16

Also Xmas parties don’t exist in any profession these days, unless they’re privately organised and paid for by each employee!!!

Eh? I've have a fully funded Christmas party every year of my career.

Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 10:17

@BibbleandSqwauk fair points

OP posts:
BibbleandSqwauk · 20/08/2023 09:56

In secondary the majority of turnover is not to do with dissatisfaction of the particular school but career progression...it's perfectly normal to move every few years to go to HoD or HoY and then beyond, or a bigger dept so it doesn't necessarily tell you that the school is a bad place...on the contrary, good CPD and support for career progression is an indicator of a good employer.

towriteyoumustlive · 20/08/2023 09:50

Happy staff and low staff turn over is a much better measure of how good a school is compared to a meaningless OFSTED report.

OFSTED reports are extremely outdated and don't really tell you a lot!

My kids went to a fabulous nursery which was given a 4 by ofsted! Apparently having stinging nettles in the grounds and allowing more than 1 child to jump on a 14 ft trampoline is unacceptable. But the waiting list remained long because parents knew how good it was.

FrippEnos · 20/08/2023 09:39

WandaWonder

Staff leaving in large numbers or even staff whose wellbeing is not being looked after can show you many things including but not exclusive to bad management.
And bad management is one of the root causes of issues in schools not just suffered by staff but by pupils as well.

TeenDivided · 20/08/2023 09:33

Governors should be looking at staff morale as part of staff retention etc.

Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 09:29

@FrippEnos yes precisely

OP posts:
Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 09:25

Well-liked, settled teachers leaving in droves 3 terms after a change of leadership - possibly indicative of a wider issue.

this

OP posts:
FrippEnos · 20/08/2023 09:25

Schools do need to be reminded that staff wellbeing is also part of their remit as an employer.
Many schools forget this

CuntRYMusicStar · 20/08/2023 09:18

I think it could be valuable to report on staff retention rates as part of a wider picture. However you would need serious consideration as to how it would be recorded. For example, staff leaving because they have a baby, move home to be nearer family, a new road opens making more desirable areas more accessible etc - none of this would be reflective of school conditions.

One member of staff with disciplinary issues reporting the working environment as toxic - not necessarily reflective.

Well-liked, settled teachers leaving in droves 3 terms after a change of leadership - possibly indicative of a wider issue.

Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 09:16

Also Xmas parties don’t exist in any profession these days, unless they’re privately organised and paid for by each employee!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 09:12

@WandaWonder thats not what I’m saying at all eye roll 🙄

OP posts:
WandaWonder · 20/08/2023 09:11

So every child could fail and there be heaps of bullying but as long as the staff have a great Christmas party it's a great school?

FloweryName · 20/08/2023 09:08

That would be ridiculous, and I work in a school so I’m very invested in how staff feel.

I left an amazing school because it was no longer the right place for me, but it’s still a great school. I’ve known staff to be unhappy in school for reasons that they would describe as being the schools fault when the reality is the pressure has come from above the headteacher and the problem is just part of the job.

Staff feelings and well being are already considered in Ofsted inspections.

Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 09:08

Having staff come and go revolver door style surely impacts the children and in turn the schools

OP posts:
murielstacey · 20/08/2023 09:06

I'm a teacher and I think to assess schools mainly by how staff are feeling sounds a bit batshit?

Staff morale, well-being should be hugely key to the school but the most important bit is (equally) how happy the children are and how well they are learning.

Can you explain a bit more what you mean?

Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 09:02

Maxus · 20/08/2023 08:54

That was not teacher bashing. They raised some very important points.

Show quote history

They have but it’s rare to acknowledge the wider problems of schools and their workings.

OP posts:
Original poster
Golfitwin · 20/08/2023 08:59

They have but it’s rare to acknowledge the wider problems of schools and their workings.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread