Moved miles away for a better school now inadequate

[Makeastand]

Hi all, first ever thread on here so please bear with!

I'm just reaching out as we've recently made a life changing move three hours across the country for a better area where we used to live, including for what was until the other month, an outstanding secondary school. Thing is, as soon as we get here, the school is rated inadequate with reports of poor safeguarding and bullying problems. The more I've looked into it, the more (although results are excellent) this seems to be a factor. I'm now missing people from back home and wondering if after only a few months, we should make the drastic step to move back. We have gained on the housing market even in that time as property where we are currently is more expensive, so we could get a nicer place than we had before should we move back. Thing is that obviously the deadline for secondary school admissions has now gone so I don't know where I'd get my DD into. Just feeling so lost and confused and worried I've now made a huge mistake. Anyone with similar stories please let me know your thoughts, thanks.

No, not just for the school

No, as I said in my post we previously lived in the area and were happy, it wasn't just for the school

Be very sure but then if you feel unhappy move. My best friend moved house and at the end of the first week she put the new house on the market and came back.

As a retired teacher, I've always taken OFSTED ratings with a small pinch of salt. But on the other hand, my daughter moved to an area where the local school (previously good) promptly had an inspection and requires improvement in every area but one. That one got inadequate. And suddenly it did bother me. My DGD is only three at the moment, so I'm hoping that the school will have got a kick up the bum by the time she gets there. But yes, I feel a bit differently now that I have an investment in the grading!

Well you'll pleased to know that people want Ofsted scrapped completely just like Scotland. So as long as your kids are safe and happy then crack on

I know you said that you didn’t move just for the school. Surely, if you move back you really will be moving for the school.

as someone said, Ofsted can be very subjective and can miss all the very good areas in a school. If you love back to your last area you will risk the same happening again

I think the other posters are being really harsh. If someone on here posts their child is at a failing school people will say well didn't you check the schools before you moved and can you move to a better area.
I really sympathise OP as also moved back to old area thinking it was the best thing for my DS- it didn't turn out to be like that in our case but we are having to make the most of it and hopefully will turn out OK in the longer term. I think you are prejudging the school a bit, the allocated school could still turn out to be really good for your DS but completely understandable that you just want to go back to what your know.

Many many previously outstanding schools have been downgraded recently, and some research appears to show that his is political rather than anything else. Particularly if the school is not part of a multi academy trust.

I'd ignore Ofsted: presumably you still have contacts or friends in the new area who could tel you more about what people currently feel about the school?

I think were going to see loads of previously good and outstanding schools downgraded for behaviour and safeguarding. It's happened in at least 4 secondaries here in recent months.

All our local schools are really struggling with behaviour since the full return after covid. Our PRUs have shut their books they're so overwhelmed.

And the everyone's invited campaign has brought an issue that was always there into focus.

There's lots wrong but the schools aren't fundamentally different to how they were the day before the inspection and you were happy with it then.

I never understand the English obsession with schools or the silly system, here in Scotland you go to your catchment school unless you have good reason for a placing request.

How old was the ofsted report? When we were looking at sixth forms one of them was boasting about their outstanding report from 2008!
Hopefully the school will take action to improve things now. It's better that the issues are identified than you being in blissful ignorance. At least you've got other reasons to want to live there

This isn't the Ecclesbourne Schools is it @Makeastand ? Their Ofsted report does make horrible reading I must say, but the thing is any school that has such a poor report in a good area with ambitious parents will not stay like that for long. There will be a huge amount of scrutiny and resources poured in to it, no doubt a change of management and it will be turned around. It was probably worse going there in the years that preceded the inspection when everyone thought it was outstanding, and obviously it had multiple failings.

I wouldn't pay much attention to an Ofsted report if you like the school & think it would be a good fit for your daughter. All five secondary schools here are rated Good, but one or two would really not be "Good" for my DD for various reasons.

If you are happy with the area you now live in at least give it a chance for a couple of years.

Did you move away from a family support network too? That seems quite a gamble despite the school.

It’s not Ashlawn is it?

Frankly, OFSTED are no longer fit for purpose.

Having a FT 'safeguarding lead' earns more points than 'taking an A grade student at 11 and keeping them at A to 16'; and 'working hard with a C grader and turning them into a B grader'.

It's my understanding that many erstwhile Outstanding schools got downgraded in this push to re-inspect all previously Outstanding schools who haven't been inspected for 10 years - and find them, at best, 'Good'; whereas other 'requires improvement' schools are suddenly finding they're rated Good, if not 'Outstanding' 🤔

Its government obfuscation. To lull parents in areas with not great schools to think their local has suddenly, massively improved. Thanks to the Tories, eh?

And I find the concept that good/outstanding schools that haven't needed inspection for 10 years, thus are obviously drifting and failing- are only 'caught out' by an OFSTED re-inspection- laughable.

Everyone locally knows which are the good schools and which aren't. They are often at complete odds to OFSTED.

School results are the best indicator- schools seem to yo yo between ratings

And yes, I moved house into the catchment of a very good school; 14 years ago now. It had an Outstanding OFSTED; by the way. But I liked the school, the feel, the ethics, the SLT.

Bear in mind this is a very stable school with a very MC (multinational) intake. The DC arrive at 11 school-ready, motivated. And leave with good results, having had a good school experience.

This school has recently been re-graded 'Good'. But I'd send mine again tomorrow if they weren't 21 and 23!

But, here's the thing. What earned them the great OFSTED initially? Was it smoke and mirrors? Ours played OFSTED, all paperwork present and correct. Because they made it so. However, it was and is a good school with a strong leadership team and a school-ready intake. They readily acknowledged that this was their strength. MC DC with very supportive parents.

Whereas one primary our DC attended (without choice, we arrived in the UK 6 weeks before DC1 was due to start Reception!) was brilliant due to an inspiring, motivated Head. Lots of social deprivation etc, large white WC intake. But he Lead that school. Results upped, parents happier- then he left (onwards and upwards) and the school collapsed. Lucky we'd just moved our DC on by then to a more pedestrian, less dynamic but 'involved parent' primary by, in the good secondary catchment.

It can take years to build a good school, with good leadership, made far, far easier, and quicker, with a solid intake of school-ready DC with involved parents; it can take months to destroy it with poor leadership and disengaged parents and pupils.

Which is this school?

The school isn’t actually different to how it was the day before you read the Ofsted report, and you were happy with it then. I can understand why you feel the way you do but it sounds like your feelings could be about other things more than the actual school.

I agree with others who say it takes about 2 years to settle in somewhere new, and would give it more time rather than making a hasty decision to move back.

If the results are good then just go ahead. Bullying and safeguarding can be sorted. You like the area. You could move back to where you came from and get a terrible school miles away because you missed the application cycle. Definitely not worth the risk

Agreed - I'm Scottish, living in England, and other parents were horrified that I didn't look around all the possible schools and read various reports before making choices. I chose the primary school we can practically see from our front door and the secondary school that the older one can walk to.

It's been much more important now the older one is at secondary that she can walk to school with friends than finding the school with the highest ratings that involves one of us driving her or her getting a bus to it.

What 'safeguarding concerns' are listed in the ofsted report. In my experience lots of new safeguarding things have changed in my school in recent years. It sounds scary when it says safeguarding concerns but it might be easily fixed and it is still actually a good school in terms of attainment behaviour and opportunities.

We were in this situation a few years ago and very undecided over what to do. We decided to stick with the school for year 7 and if we weren’t happy we would move her or pay for a tutor.
What we’ve found is the school has had a lot of investment and the mini inspections has meant the overall improvement has continued.
Our daughter is now in year 9 and at her recent parents evening she is currently predicted grades 8-9 across the board. She has a strong friendship group and her teachers have all been great.
I’ve been impressed with the improvements and will happily send our younger child there.

RI in my experience is much more likely to be because of poor reading and a poor curriculum.

This is why ofsted inspections are best ignored.