Extracts from a daming ofstead report where the school was put in special measures in 2005. The school was rated the worst in the LEA.
Name of school Primary is a school of average size. Almost a third of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. There are seven pupils from minority ethnic groups, all but one of whom has English as an additional language. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average and there are three pupils with a statement of special educational need. When children start in the nursery, many do not have the skills or knowledge that are typical of 3 year olds. Communication skills are notably weaker than other skills. Nearly one tenth of pupils joined or left the school in the last school year other than at the normal time of admission. The school has attained a number of awards in recent years, including the Gold Smoke Free School Award, the Healthy School Award and the Activemark Gold.
*Overall, the quality of leadership and management in the school is inadequate. The headteacher provides too little direction for the work of the school and does not place enough emphasis on raising standards in learning. Other members of the senior management team have a strong commitment to raising standards, but their efforts are hampered by a high turnover in staff and frequent changes to systems that should help to improve pupils? learning. Because subject leaders and senior managers are not given the time or the opportunity to gain a good knowledge of standards and the quality of teaching and learning, the school does not have enough knowledge of its strengths and weaknesses to set priorities for improvement. This, and the lack of money to buy resources for learning, has led to frustration for some subject leaders who are keen to make improvements.
Too few people in the school, including governors, are involved in decision making. The school?s planned developments cover too short a period and are not properly costed, so that the school?s spending is not being managed effectively. Significant budget deficits in the past have made the headteacher cautious about spending. The result is that the school now has a large surplus in the budget while there are shortages in resources for learning throughout the school.
Grade: 4
The previous report was also bad with 5 out of 13 lessons observed being graded as poor or inadequate. There was also a high turnover of staff.
Extracts from 2007 ofstead report a year after the staff were sorted out and the headteacher of 20+ years was removed.
'Name of School' is a school of average size situated in an area of considerable social deprivation. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is double the national average, and the proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is high. The number of pupils from a minority ethnic group is very low, as is the number who have English as an additional language. Children generally start Nursery and Reception with skills which are lower than expected for their age, particularly in communication and creative development. The school has gained several awards in the past few years including the Healthy Schools Award. When the school was inspected in September 2005, it was judged to require special measures.
The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory with some good features, and exceptional leadership and management from the headteacher. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school, which is based upon high expectations for all pupils and staff. She knows the school very well and uses this knowledge effectively to improve the standards and the culture of the school through prompt, well-focused and often imaginative action. This has resulted in dramatic and far reaching improvements in the school; for example, in the more robust and creative curriculum, effective assessment and monitoring and, above all, in the quality of teaching. She involves pupils and staff very closely in school development; for example, through regular questionnaires and pupil interviews. This, together with staff?s existing high level of commitment to pupils, has resulted in a real sense of a thriving and developing school community
The quality of teaching has improved since the last visit. There are more examples of good teaching and these are more consistent across the school. Teachers are using a wider range of strategies and activities, and lessons are more interesting, engaging and enjoyable for the pupils. There were a number of examples of lessons which were imaginative and dynamic as well as being well planned, structured, and paced. These lessons created a shared enthusiasm for learning and were a pleasure to watch.
The headteacher has deployed staff and resources very effectively to gain maximum benefit for pupils, both through planned programmes of change and response to unforeseeable circumstances. For instance, the school has suffered with a high turnover of supply staff in some year groups previously.
Grade 3
Dear School
Thank you for welcoming us so well to your school. We felt that it was an exciting place to be, with your creativity days, visits to Seven Stories and a theatre group in the hall. You told us that you enjoy your learning. We could see that you do by your attitudes and the quality of your work.
We think that your school has improved out of all recognition since it was inspected nearly two years ago. It was placed in special measures then. This meant it needed some help to improve. Now, it has become satisfactory with many good features. This is a real achievement by all children and staff in the school. Well done!
This school is now well managed. At no point was it mentioned that the kids were the problem who are mainly from a deprived area. The report states the children are well behaved and eager to learn. Its a shame the school was unable to offer them even a satisfactory education.
I am keeping my fingers crossed for a good rating next time round. The school has been totally revamped. Friends who have kids who attend cannot praise the new headmistress enough.
All kids are entitled to a good education regardless of what class they are born into. Most of the good/outstanding schools attract teachers who stay. It is uunfair to say the kids are the problem. Yes some may come from disadvanaged backgrounds with disfunctional parents. What have they got to aspire to being chucked in a school which is poorly managed.
No i wouldnt put my kids in a failing school. I went to this one which was the same in the 80's. I didnt put my kids in my catchment primary as it was poorly managed by a headmistress who let the school slip year after year. 2 of my brothers went and one of them had 13 supply teachers in a year. The other one who had a stutter was made to stand on a table by the headmistress to read a book to the class as he had been naughty. It had nothing to do with the class of the parents.