What happens when an independent school gets RI from ofsted?

[SickKid]

My child is due to start at an independent school shortly but have just received requires improvement from Ofsted. I know state schools would be under lots of scrutiny and get lots of 'support to fix any issues but is this the case for independent schools? Feeling quite worried 😟

Have posted in chat for traffic

Do Ofsted inspect independent schools?

This happened to an independent school in my area. Someone reported the school to Ofsted and they came round to inspect and graded them as RI. I’m sorry to say that they had to close after several failed inspections. The senior management team seemed incapable of change. Hopefully your school’s management team will be better!

I’d be looking for a different school , I certainly wouldn’t be paying for one that needed improvement .

Have you seen the report? What are the reasons?

It’ll be from the independent schools inspectorate (ISI). Depends on what’s needed to be improved.

www.gov.uk/guidance/being-inspected-as-a-non-association-independent-school#after-the-inspection

Looks like an improvement plan required, and another inspection. They can be forced to close.

You need to read it and find out what the issue is. Our secondary got RI for off rolling for example. The actual teaching was fine.

A Local Steiner school was closed down after its OFSTED for safeguarding.

I've read the report. The areas requiring improvement are quality of education and leadership and management. It says the teachers didn't always have strong subject knowledge and that there isn't a phonics scheme. All other areas were rated good. It's a huge thing for my child to start a new school so it's very concerning that this might be the start of a downward spiral. Not sure what to do.

Early Years and boarding provision are inspected by Ofsted in independent schools.

If the school management/board has anything about them, it should be a catalyst for improvements rather than the cause of its demise

Suggest asking the school how they plan to address weaknesses highlighted?

Those are really quite big problems. You can't pay to send your child to a school with poor teaching, management, no subject knowledge or phonics scheme!

It sounds like the school has been having g lots of trainees/newly qualified staff so I expect this is in part why the education has been graded poorly. Not that I'm saying trainees/new teachers can't be good, but I do think it's a profession where you develop and improve effectiveness through experience.

I would be looking to see if there was space at another school, personally - I wouldn’t want to pay to send my DC to a school that RI for quality of education! Is your DV starting in year R? Or moving from another school?

Parents usually start removing their children if it's fee paying.

Why pay for your child to be in a school where the quality of leadership, education and management is poor? Where teachers' didn't have decent subject knowledge? Where there wasn't a proper phonics scheme in place?

I'd be looking elsewhere.

Moving from another school. The new school is specialist - not a drip feed but don't want to be too outing!

No way would I pay to send my child to a school with those comments made recently. I imagine others will be thinking the same thing and there will be a number of parents reconsidering their choices - which will have an impact on funding and therefore available money to spend on improvements etc.

@SickKid ah, so I’m guessing not too many other options out there then? That does make a difference. Are there any other suitable schools nearby?

Sadly not. This school is out of Borough and has taken the best part of a year to find it and get the LA to agree to fund 😭

If you have any choice, I would find another school. If they don’t have a strong phonics scheme, how do they expect to teach children to read as easily and effectively as possible? If you have to use this school, I’d be prepared to start doing a lot to support your child educationally.

Is it newish provision perhaps for children with additional needs? If the staff are inexperienced and have little established structure to follow it will take good leadership to turn it around. Does it have positive expectations of the pupils? What alternatives do you have ?

If I were you, I'd name change and start a new thread asking for specific information from people who may know the area and/or school.

A poor Ofsted will reduce the number of families applying. The main risk in the short term is numbers drop so much that it stops being viable. However specialist schools can be in huge demand, so it may be better able to weather the storm than mainstream schools and shortcomings can be addressed with changes of leadership. Do you know how full it is?

If you don’t have any other options then I guess there are no other options - you’ll have to send DC there and work with what you’ve got. I’d maybe ask for a meeting with the head to find out what they’re planning to do to address the Ofsted findings and brush up on phonics yourself…

This!!! Fuck paying for that, plenty of RI schools you can send your child to for free if you have such faith in them.