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

[User198765432]

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?

They will be inspected don't worry. Schools last inspected before 2015 have to have a full inspection.

My children's outstanding school (last inspected 2003!) recently went through this and was found inadequate.

May be worth contacting OFSED and asking when a full inspection is planned. You may want to remain anonymous though

I was in a similar situation when my dd started reception in an outstanding school. It was absolutely rubbish and hadn't had as OFSTED for a decade. It relied solely on its middle class reputation. I realised in the first week I'd made a mistake and I moved my dd almost immediately.

It sounds nothing like any private school I know. Why do people describe it in this way? You need to contact ofsted. Why do you send your children here?

@eastsheener would you mind dm-ing me the email address you sent your email to?

I guess yes there are absolutely issues with the school and the head but the bigger issue here is that it there has been so long since the last inspection. 13 years ago was AGES ago. Too long. Far too long.

@NCFT0922 because it is full of wealthy children and families and has excellent facilities as the PTA pumps thousands of pounds into every year. The % of children on free school meals is under 2%. Houses in the catchment area are all worth in excess of £650k (we are not in London). It is like a private school in that the children at the school are almost all financially fortunate.

This I do know as my own school that I last taught at was nothing like this.

Very much like the school I pulled my kids out of. This time it’s the two deputy heads who everyone kowtows to! Even the head!!!

everyone lives here for this school and darent say anything against it.

it even went to requires improvement and recently to good so I know I was right in taking my kids out.

Sure - it was [email protected]

Forgot to mention that after the inspections quite a few of the schools and nurseries that were outstanding were downgraded to 'good', apparently it is more difficult to get an 'outstanding' report now.

Thank you. Did you just say you'd noticed it had been a long time? Did they reply?

@ShockedConfused1980 this is what I half expect will happen. My husband says we should just move them... If they do get RI loads of parents will move the kids and spaces in other schools will go. So we might be better off moving now. BUT I will say that whilst senior leadership seem awful the individual class teachers they have are absolutely excellent and caring (apart from his y2 teacher). It's all top level stuff I dislike. Also if they do go into RI I think the head would leave and it would probably improve pretty quick!

@User198765432 the financial demographic of the catchment area doesn’t make it like a private school. I imagine there’s at least 30 children per year for starters. The facilities and opportunities will differ from private school despite the fact they may be better than other state schools. The catchment area sounds very typical for many other state schools in the country.

I do hope you can get in touch with someone. Have you considered moving your children to a better school?

@User198765432 you’re right with the quick improvements if they get IR. If they do; they’ll be pumped with more money and will have to act fast to make significant improvements as they’ll be inspected again within 3 years. Many schools that drop to RI get a painful shock and pull out all the stops to get themselves back on track.

They did respond with something vague, along the lines of 'we are catching up after Covid' type thing. I mention in my email to them a list of schools and nurseries and the years they had last been inspected. Like you I wanted to remain anonymous!

Let me guess

the name of the school begins with C and the town is TW

@User198765432 I have actually taught in private schools and state schools. Honestly aside from the class sizes, they are very similar. This is not London where I can appreciate the difference maybe larger.

There is a private school down the road on a smaller site than ours that has to bus children out to playing fields. Ours has its own astro turf and playing fields.

Anyway that's all by the by. Either way the school are resting on their laurels as they have a fortunate catchment.

I believe if enough parents fill out the parent view survey thing on ofsted and its not very good results it may trigger an inspection. But i cant remember if thats a myth or not.

All i can say is they will be top of the list for an inspection by now.

This sounds exactly like a primary near me. Heavily oversubscribed with a wealthy PTA. Families are desperate to get their children in due to an ancient OS rating, but it’s on its arse and run on part timers and NQTs. Even the Head is now part time. The parents have high expectations that are just not being met.

As you used to be a teacher (and, as you say, the class teachers are good) then you've no need to worry at all about this. Teachers don't hold parents' behaviour against the children. And if the head brands you as a troublemaker, so what? You should be making trouble for him/her.

They will be inspected very soon. My DD1 goes to an Ofsted outstanding secondary school and whilst academically they are superb they are not Ofsted Outstanding by the EIF- I work in an SLT position in another education establishment and if they retain their outstanding I will know for sure it's a political grading!

The mead?

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

OP it is very worrying that you were a teacher and you are concerned about this.

I'm seeing this happen to a few schools locally, and DS is in a school that this could potentially happen to.

Having worked in a school in the aftermath of a similar experience, it's often about paper trails and behind the scenes policy. The general standards of behaviour and teaching are usually decent even if by default and most pupils will still have a good experience however some may fall through the gaps if they are struggling with underlying issues. In the grand scheme of things, these situations tend to be relatively straight forwards to get back on track.

I'm more concerned about schools that struggle long term and have little stability which tend to be much harder to turn around as cultures and lack of experience tend to be more embedded.

I favoured DS's school not because of an outdated OFSTED report based on ancient criteria but because his school has a positive reputation from recent families and a good reputation for supporting pupils with his kind of profile.

@Doingprettywellthanks the headteacher makes it quite clear they are not a fan of my children. Some, get greeted warmly at the gate. Some parents get every ounce of attention and the children are clearly favoured.

Those who fit the 'bright, academic, very neurotypical' get all the accolades. The football team are regularly praised for winning matches. My son is a capable singer who sings outside of school. Last year he won a medal for something quite important and was told there was no time in assembly to show it. His friend got picked for country cricket and was congratulated the following week in assembly. This would never have happened at my old school. We are genuinely inclusive and nurturing. They also do a weekly star of the week. They are very open about it being based purely on attainment and achievement. So it goes to the same 6/7 children in rotation. I kid you not. How is a child who struggles with learning supposed to feel? At my previous schools we have always celebrated each and every child.

Op does the school begin with C and in TW

and as for the headteacher makes it quite clear they are not a fan of my children. Some, get greeted warmly at the gate. Some parents get every ounce of attention and the children are clearly favoured. how long has that been going on for?

For as long as I've been there!

And I'm not going to give any identifying information about the school name etc which I hope people will understand.

We picked the area based partly on the school as it's outstanding and has good ks2 results.

and you’re a teacher?