Is this a bad school?

[Howmanysleepsnow]

DS is y6. We’ve submitted his secondary choices. First choice school is one I’d viewed previously for eldest DC (Y12 now) and very nearly didn’t view again. Back then, it was failing terribly: poor ofsted, bad reputation, very bad behaviour from pupils. At the last minute I was convinced by some other parents to look round: it was taken over by an academy trust 18 months ago and they’d heard brilliant things from other parents with DC there. I was really impressed by it, loved the ethos, the attitude of pupils I met, the teaching methods, the fair culture, the standards they set, how individualised everything was. We put it as first choice. Around half the staff are new, including the SLT. Other schools in the group are ofsted outstanding (it hasn’t been inspected yet).
Since then, everyone I speak to tells me how terrible it is. Last night a parent showed me the Facebook page of the parent group: there were zero positive or neutral posts, just lots of angry parents…. it’s making me second guess our choice.
But, all the complaints are similar:
”Xxx has been suspended and they have no proof he did yyy”
”I’ve not sent xxxx to school since late 2020 and no one has contacted me since early 2022, they don’t care about our kids “
”xxx has been in isolation 4 times since Xmas an it’s not is falt, my lad is a gud boy an he sez it wosnt im “
”xxx has detention agen jus coz he forgot his books an pens, what about his education?”
”they’ve suspended xxx for a 3rd time an carnt even show me cctv”

Should I be worried that parents hate the school? Or take it as a sign things are changing for the better? My head says the latter, but I’m actually a bit scared we’ve chosen poorly…

My eldest son moved from a pampered middle class happy clappy school to a hardcore street, fighting in the corridors police getting called, student resisting arrest school.

Best thing ever for him. He needed to be more "street". The teachers and education itself, brilliant, he is expected 9s, 8s GCSE results.

The social education out of a perfect namby pamby bubble, priceless.

Either you trust the teachers and their decisions (not parent's reactions) or you don't.

Best decision we made for him. The other one Y7 had a WhatsApp hoo-haw within 5 weeks, different school, of inappropriate images. It's what the modern world has to offer.

For us, we accept our children have to navigate these things. It's better, for our children, it's part of school life.

But ours are academic. They would be absolutely fine anywhere. But more balanced in a more street comprehensive environment because a middle class bubble is essentially kinda quite boring.

And yes some pupils end up in isolation.
But I saw a pupil who had been expelled from primary twice (which let's face it takes some doing) turned around in 3 weeks at secondary. Not entirely sure how but the headmaster is superb.

3 weeks, isolation, patience, understanding now a year 9 pupil, totally different child with a future.

I wouldn’t worry about Facebook messages. Almost nobody is going to review a school when things are going well whereas when people have an issue they will want to kick off about it so I would take the proportion of bad reviews with a pinch of salt. Are the issues raised in the reviews issues that concern you and that you think are relevant to your son? How well do you feel you can trust the reviews are fair and balanced? If they’re probably not relevant to your son and come across as biased I wouldn’t give them any more headspace!

Well it confirms the school is doing a good job if parents like that are not happy. Maybe they can move the little darlings elsewhere.

I’m not expecting him to do anything suspension-worthy, so that doesn’t worry me. But he’s definitely not massively streetwise or tough so I’m not sure how he’d cope if a majority of other pupils are badly behaved… and I’m also not sure how well he’d focus on learning in that case…
ive no idea how representative what I’m reading is!

@Boomboom22 I’m hoping this is the case…

You get a feeling when you go round a school as to if it is well suited to your child. Did you let you child make their own choice about it? If they felt happy and comfortable with it then let it be. All schools have good and bad. I have chosen a religious school for my child (partner is catholic) which I would never have thought before but it has loads of sports facilities and the kids were so well behaved and my daughter is academic and sporty so seemed perfect for her. We let her make her own choice after viewing 4 schools. This school however would not suit my son who is hyperactive and would need a different type of environment to stimulate him. All children have different needs and it’s not all about ofstead. I’m sure you’ve made the right choice for your child

Really don’t worry about FB. I’m a parent and Governor at a fantastic primary…brilliant Head, happy children and staff, probably the best Primary in the MAT but if you read the FB posts you’d think it was terrible. They’re written by a small handful of parents who love to complain. Trust the parents who recommended it to you, and your own gut feeling on seeing the school.

People who are happy or indifferent are unlikely to post a review.
If it's a 1000 pupil school and there's 500 negative reviews then I'd worry but if it's a normal size school with say 1500 students and 10 bad reviews then it wouldn't put me off. Plus I'd be wondering if kids were posting the reviews because their parents were logged into Google at the time.

If the comments you've posted are more or less genuine, I'd be pleased that the school seems to be implementing a robust behaviour policy. I would find the one about attendance rather concerning, though, and would wonder how well they followed up on missing children. I would have a dig on their website and check their policies.

Thank you all, I’m feeling a bit more confident for hearing other’s’ opinions. It was one of DS’s favourite 2 (of 7) and also in my top 2, so we agreed. I agree with whoever said different children need different schools- my eldest 2 are at different schools to one another because they needed different things.

I’m the opposite of the early poster in a way.. very middle class kid, academic, went to the ‘rough comprehensive’ and was utterly utterly miserable. It changed the whole trajectory of my life for the worse. I’d much much have preferred (and obviously I get hindsight is 2020) the more traditional choice most of my primary cohort went to. I’d also take the open evenings with a pinch of salt.. there’s always an element of smoke and mirrors.
Not to say you’re necessarily wrong in your choice op, but you’re clearly having doubts. Can you arrange a visit during the school day? That might give you clearer insight one way or another.

Sounds like those posts are by the parents of children who keep getting into trouble. I think I'll find it a positive, unless you have a child who would be similar. They are taking serious stance against disruptive behaviour. That's a good thing, imo.

@Howmanysleepsnow All those comments are parents blaming the school for their own poor parenting & child poor behaviour.
School sounds great to me

I would change your decision OP. Engrained reputations do not change in 18 months. In regards to the idea from a poster that it will be the best thing to send your child to a “hardcore” street wise comp. It depends how your child will navigate the place. Are they likely to be drawn into trouble too? What would make them resist the aggressive culture and behaviours that they see? Or would they be scared? I honestly wouldn’t do it. It’s not worth the risk

I think the Fb comments are a classic reaction to a new Trust taking over a school and clamping down on behaviour & expectations. I don't buy the parent who claims they took child out late 2020. They would be contacted and maybe they've been deregistered

Some different opinions. Not sure if I can change options now , can I?

In answer to a PP, if it’d looked like a hardcore, streetwise comp I wouldn’t have chosen it, because that isn’t the sort of boy DS is.
I’m not sure how he’d react… fear isn’t his usual reaction, nor is he easily led. He’s more the type to stand up for what he thinks is right (and potentially feel isolated as a result if he’s in the minority?)

That sort of social media reaction is what you get when a new leadership go in and clamp down on things that have been allowed to slide previously, and have stuck to it. If you've got a child that will 99 times out of 100 be behaving and going about their normal school business nicely, allowing for kids being kids and nobody's perfect, accept that if he does slip up there will be a consequence and you all take it on the chin, he will be absolutely fine there.

Ignore them. My DC are at a big comp that had a bad spell 10-12 years ago. It's brilliant now. Parents who have kids there know that. Good results and very holistic. Loads extra curricular.
But a hard core gripe about it on FB. Their kids are often in trouble. They don't do anything except moan.
Even worse, other vocal parents have a view based on this which is here say . They don't have kids there and have never visited.

It makes a 14 yr old boy who could be open to influence understand when another 14 yr old boy holds up a book on homosexual relationships and says "this belongs in the fiction section" understand that evil ethics exist in this world still.

It gives a young boy compassion when their peers don't have cash in their cafeteria account to buy them a sausage roll.

It teaches them to share their books that their middle class parents buy them to enjoy the ideas and creatively that arises if a peer is just given access to materials outside their parent's economic situation.

It shows them that no matter the trouble or problem running from authority only makes it worse.

It makes them realise that buying £40 baseball caps and posting it on media doesn't make you happy or confident.

It makes them understand independently that hard work and ideas are valid from anywhere.

It makes them realise that mummy and daddy can't solve all their issues.

It does teach them how to confront physical altercations.

It makes them appreciate every the time each teacher gives in every extra curricular activity available.

So yes a hardcore comprehensive can help. A fuck of a lot. Especially for pampered pussies. Well it's done everything to grow our pampered prince into an amazing compassionate understanding appreciative motivated caring strong young man.

He would have been a mess a our local happy clappy pony owing middle class "we are a family" my child wouldn't bully anyone school.
He is X10 amazing since moving schools, his intermittent "good day?" stories involve life and all its joy and messiness. I of course know people who stayed local, it's dull and no less successful. There has not been one moment, not one, we have regretted moving him.

From what I know of local schools, 18m after a bad Ofsted with a new head is a good sort of time to join, as long as you have a child who will stick to the rules about uniform, homework etc as they tend to be quite strict on discipline at that stage. Bad teachers have generally left, good ones come in, they are strict but firm, etc.

Based on my experiences of visiting, I'd say go with your gut - do the staff seem likeable but able to control classes, do they talk to the children as well as the parents, do the children you talk to genuinely seem to like the school? Having said that, I thought DD's school was good but not great but it's been perfect for her. I thought DS's school wasn't good and I was absolutely right (unfortunately DH and DS disagreed with me hence he ended up there).

@frozendaisy I totality agree. Life skills are massively important. I think a lot of Mumsnet parents get sucked into 'private school is a must'. But actually the rest is critical.
Academic results of limits limited performance

Success at tough schools is dependent on many factors and from what you’ve said (pampered prince) I expect you have economic and cultural capital that your son will hugely benefit from. This is what makes the difference to how he navigates this space. You are celebrating how your son has thrived in this tough environment but why do you think many many teenagers are not doing well in the same school? Great your son is getting on well but the multiple effects of social and economic deprivation that schools like this have to deal with are not something most children can shrug off at the end of the school day. For those of us who grew up in environments like this and know the deep scars of post industrial deprivation, the fear that our children will endure what we had to runs very deep. This is probably why I find your post triggering - it reads to me like you think schools like this are authentic places to experience rather than the products of 40 years of social and economic issues.

It sounds line there's been a big culture change and a cracking down on behaviour that would previously been dealt with less harshly.

Whether that is a good or bad thing will depend on the kind of child you have and your views on inculsion. It's much easier to run a happy peaceful school if your exclude all the children who are struggling, it's not so good for the struggling children. Most parents will like it, but not those struggling to get support for children who can't fit the right boxes.