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Original poster

What can parents realistically do about a badly performing school?

28 replies

Stevie77 · 07/03/2025 15:19

Background - state secondary, an academy, non-religious. This is a grammar school area, all other school are oversubscribed so it's impossible to get an out of catchment place.

School currently has 'requires improvement' OFSTED status, was previously on and off 'good' and 'requires improvement'. The areas that require improvement are quality of education and leadership and management. In 2022, an interim inspection raised issues that clearly weren't addressed by the 2023 full inspection. Headteacher has worked at the school for 20 years, left briefly, and returned to be appointed as head and has been in role for less than 5 years. So under the watch of the new head the school has an interim visit that highlighted areas for improvement, and these were either not addressed, or insufficiently addressed/improved on by the time the inspectors returned.

Is there anything parents can do, assuming you've no other school choices and you don't want your child being marked?

OP posts:
BadgerHawk · 07/03/2025 21:47

This sounds like a school around here. I’m wondering if it’s actually the one I’m thinking of.

With that particular school though I’m hearing via word of mouth fantastic things. It went from inadequate to requires improvement but they seem to be pumping lots of time, money and resources into to it to bring it up to standard. We nearly went to view it as people were hyping it up so much but didn’t in the end.

Have you spoken to any parents of the school you’re talking about? Sometimes it helps to give a more accurate picture of how the school is at this present moment.

clary · 07/03/2025 20:08

Is your DC at this school or have they just been allocated it?

My DC went to our local school which went from good to RI and is now good again (they have all left now tho). For much of their several years there (3 DC) it was RI. It was fine tho and there were many good things, like it was v local and all their schoolfriends were local too; plus there was lots of good or excellent teaching even tho it was RI overall.

If your child has been allocated this school, I suggest you make sure they do their best, and try to support them as best you can and as needed with their learning - I am thinking CGP KS3 books, facilitate their homework (provide laptop/advice/support), encourage things like BBC bitesize and any app-based learning they are given.

I would do all this personally before I did anything of bigger scope.

Rocketpants50 · 07/03/2025 19:32

It's a tough one. My child was at a similar school except it was severely inadequate. Do you know many of the other parents who are willing to come together to force a meeting with head and governors and try to hold them accountable? We were in the process of this then went into covid. When Ofsted returned next time it was so awful that the head disappeared.

New head and they are working hard to turn around the school and they are doing well.