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Original poster

Our school has not been ofsted-ed for over 13 years!!

66 replies

User198765432 · 21/09/2022 12:05

Should preface this by saying I used to be a teacher.

I have two children and we live in a very leafy area with incredibly low levels of deprivation. Our local state school is hugely oversubscribed and many describe it as basically a private school. My two kids go. One is in y4 and one in y1. We picked the area based partly on the school as it's outstanding and has good ks2 results. It's also walkable.

But it's TERRIBLE. The headteacher is well known for being an absolute dictator, she will not change anything at all, ever and she won't even politely discuss issues or concerns.

I had concerns at the end of y2 with my son's work. He's a bright enough but he bought back books with absolutely terrible work in them. He'd scribbled all over things, drawn pictures of poo on it, written little silly stories everywhere. Nothing was marked with more than a tick and all his work was well well below his level of ability. It's not that the work was too easy, it's that basically nobody seemed to give a shit with the effort he put in. Did nobody notice or care he had done any of this? The headteacher met with me, didn't apologise and just blamed my son. He did have a part to play of course but why did a teacher not pull him up on it all year?! How is it ok to let kids draw poo emojis all over everything?!
There have been issues with bullying in his class, repeated issues, again not dealt with or even acknowledged.

My youngest started reception and it was ok but he struggled as their approach is so linear. Hardly any time for play, no outdoor time - their 'area' is honestly never ever used. As a reception teacher I know full well it was piss poor and that good Early Years teaching is very different.

This year we are STILL not allowed on site at all, not ever. All children are expected to go in on day 1 just through the main door. Many of the y1 cried... They are still so little!!! They didn't even send the teacher out. Expected them just to go in and find their way to new classroom. It's a 3 form entry school so is a big site.

It's just such a poor school. So insular and very 'our way or fuck off'. We could move them but they wouldn't get places in a school together. Logistically a nightmare.

The school haven't been inspected fully since 2007!!! I am sorry but that's appalling no? This is nearly 15 fucking years ago. I am absolutely certain they will not get an outstanding again and I honestly think they need a big wake up call.

I've spoken to numerous other parents all of whom agree that there are big issues with the school and especially the head teachers attitude. So it's not just me. The most recent issue a friend had was quite a serious almost safeguarding issue which the head teacher dismissed as it didn't actually happen and was just a near miss. (Child almost sent home with someone that didn't have permission to collect them, but another parent intervened. Office staff about to hand the child over!!)

Is there ANYTHING I can do?

OP posts:
watcherintherye · 21/09/2022 12:09

Can you contact OFSTED if you have concerns? Maybe that’s just when they’re doing an inspection. How about the school Governors?

CaptainMyCaptain · 21/09/2022 12:12

Yes. Contact Ofsted yourself with your concerns. The school seems to have dropped off their 'list'.

Elsanore · 21/09/2022 12:12

Report your concerns to Ofsted, formally and in detail and encourage other parents to do so. This can help trigger an inspection.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General education Primary education
Elsanore · 21/09/2022 12:13

Also contact chair of governors. Ask for a meeting.

Gooseysgirl · 21/09/2022 12:15

Contact ofsted immediately

toomuchlaundry · 21/09/2022 12:15

Many outstanding schools haven't been inspected for years. However, under new guidance they are going to be inspected, but assume Ofsted have many outstanding schools to work their way through. They are on a different Ofsted inspection list to other schools which had different gradings.

Original poster
User198765432 · 21/09/2022 12:16

I have looked previously and apparently I have to make a formal complaint to the school first. There is absolutely no point doing this.

I am worried that anything I do not anonymously will mean my children are implicated and will be disliked by staff.

OP posts:
toomuchlaundry · 21/09/2022 12:17

You need to follow the complaint's policy.

Get all the parents to fill in the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, you can fill it in even before an Ofsted visit.

weddingDecliner · 21/09/2022 12:21

They will be inspected very shortly
There are still some 2008 waiting inspection- although they are accelerating the programme now.

Dont contact Ofsted
They have not been overlooked

The legalisation exempted outstanding schools from routine inspection and then the pandemic halted and delayed the inspection programme.

weddingDecliner · 21/09/2022 12:23

There is lots of crap advice on this thread
If you have a complaint then follow the schools complaint policy which should be published online

You cant just contact Ofsted (except in a small number of issues and this isn't one). They just tell you to go back and follow the schools complaint policy (which you don't seem to have done). You dont just contact the Chair- when and how governors are involved will be detailed in the policy

weddingDecliner · 21/09/2022 12:23

Elsanore · 21/09/2022 12:12

Report your concerns to Ofsted, formally and in detail and encourage other parents to do so. This can help trigger an inspection.

bollocks - that isnt accurate

weddingDecliner · 21/09/2022 12:24

Elsanore · 21/09/2022 12:13

Also contact chair of governors. Ask for a meeting.

You need to follow the schools complaint policy- that would not typically include starting with the Chair

Original poster
User198765432 · 21/09/2022 12:26

Ok so if I follow the complaints procedure the head will just turn around, pretend to listen, do nothing and say it's dealt with. It's almost like, yes the head can make these decisions, that's the heads prerogative I guess. It I know from a professional point of view that it's AWFUL practice and I know ofsted would agree.

I worry that if I make a formal complaint nothing will happen except my kids and I will be 'marked' as 'difficult'.

OP posts:
TrussNoNomics · 21/09/2022 12:27

You need to report to the Governors as well as completing the Ofsted Parent View survey.

You seem to think your children will be targeted, but how good is what’s happening now? Your son is not making progress, there is bullying plus a serious safeguarding concern. You are an adult and ex-teacher - you know what you have to do.

EvilEdna1 · 21/09/2022 12:28

This was almost exactly the situation in my children's primary. Then they got the inspection and fell from outstanding to requires improvement. Frankly deserved for years. Terrible SEN provision particularly which I am sure was purposeful.

TrussNoNomics · 21/09/2022 12:31

The Head is accountable to the Board of Governors, they are not infallible. The Governors may be equally complicit but it will have to be discussed formally at a Board meeting and you can meet with the Chair of Governors separately.

Original poster
User198765432 · 21/09/2022 12:33

@TrussNoNomics you are right, I know you are but honestly I'm afraid to.

The whole school is run on a real culture of fear.

OP posts:
TrussNoNomics · 21/09/2022 12:41

Sounds awful (I’m a governor). If a parent came to me I’d be taking this feedback very seriously. Governors will be a mix of parents plus independents not associated with the school (like me) and maybe a few old timers who may be in the Heads pocket. There should be sufficient counter balance to get this heard.

eastsheener · 21/09/2022 12:42

We live in an area where most of the primary schools and nurseries hadn't been inspected for a long time, some over 10 years. I emailed Ofsted to mention that the area needed some attention (without mentioning actual schools), a few months later Osted inspected 6/7 schools in the area. I don't know if my email was related, but I'm pleased I sent it.

weddingDecliner · 21/09/2022 12:42

TrussNoNomics · 21/09/2022 12:31

The Head is accountable to the Board of Governors, they are not infallible. The Governors may be equally complicit but it will have to be discussed formally at a Board meeting and you can meet with the Chair of Governors separately.

That is not how the complaints process works at all!

The OP needs to read and follow the schools complaints policy.
It is certainly not discussed at a governing body.

TrussNoNomics · 21/09/2022 12:43

Yes she needs to go through the complaints process, but it can be escalated to the governors if there are concerns with the Head.

weddingDecliner · 21/09/2022 12:48

TrussNoNomics · 21/09/2022 12:43

Yes she needs to go through the complaints process, but it can be escalated to the governors if there are concerns with the Head.

Again

There is a complaints process to follow.
Certain governors may get to know at certain points of investigating a complaint.
If too many governors know outside of this process then the complaints process may need to involve external governors from another school.

So you dont go directly to any governors as it can compromise the complaints process.

weddingDecliner · 21/09/2022 12:50

TrussNoNomics · 21/09/2022 12:41

Sounds awful (I’m a governor). If a parent came to me I’d be taking this feedback very seriously. Governors will be a mix of parents plus independents not associated with the school (like me) and maybe a few old timers who may be in the Heads pocket. There should be sufficient counter balance to get this heard.

I suggest that you receive advice on what you should do in your role as a governor if approached with information. You seem to have a very inaccurate view of the role of governors in the complaints process.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 21/09/2022 12:57

It is odd how schools can achieve an 'outstanding' oftsed and then be left to their own devices for so long. So much can change.

My girls left their primary school in 2012, shortly after their last ofsted inspection .... there's still a banner across the front of school with 'outstanding' on it and they certainly get over subscribed due to this. A decade ago!

Blossomandbee · 21/09/2022 12:57

This isn't uncommon when they're given an Outstanding status , there's a few schools near me with Ofsted reports 10-14 years old. One is the primary my DC went to 12+ years ago that was inspected before they started. The headteacher has changed several times, along with many of the staff and it's also changed to an academy. It's a completely different school, yet nothing seems to have triggered an inspection. I agree it's not right.