to think Ofsted Outstanding schools can still be a bit crap

[Safestyleukwrestler]

School application angst! Nearest school is Good. We are Christian, DH v much so, and our favoured school is a Faith Ofsted outstanding school, DH is v keen. On further investigation it got its rating nearly 9 years ago and hasnt been inspected since!

Aibu to think this ratinb therefore means nothing, really?

A school can have got it's rating last week and still be crap for your child. I did a placement in one of the most popular schools in our area, consistently outstanding, people move to get their kids in there. There is no way I would send my child there unless we were having major behaviour problems.

Its only one part of the whole picture though, you can't use it as your sole reason for applying to a school but its a useful indicator along with lots of other things :)

What did you think when you looked round it, was it nice?

I wouldn't choose a school just based on what OFSTED think.

Blimey, it used to be once every seven years (now 3) so not sure how they have managed that!

Are you in the UK?

SnowFairy yes UK! I looked on the Ofsted website and unless the school has some sort of major issue, it isnt reinspected. Ever.

Me neither, we have an Ofsted Outstanding nursery school near by I sent DS there but was disappointed so sent DD to one rated Good and I cannot tell you how much better the one my DD went to was, literally leagues better. I'd take Ofsted with a massive pinch of salt.

Not just looking at Ofsted rating, i like the one that is closer to us but DH is keen on the faith one.

If it's results have been consistently high with good residuals then it won't need to be inspected again. I work in an outstanding school that was last inspected in 2009.

Dd went to an outstanding primary, it was awful. No help for kids that struggled, great SATS achieved because 75% of kids had a tutor. Terrible bullying not dealt with by the school, kids with Sen encouraged to go elsewhere, I could go on...
Don't chose a school based on ofsted

My daughter is in an outstanding primary school in year 6. I have been happy with the school but the last ofsted was before she started with a different headteacher. Ofsted ratings mean nothing to me anyway.

In that case YANBU and it means nothing! I would have a look around both.

There's over a thousand schools that have slipped through the net for several years. So that doesn't surprise me. Although I would check on ofsteds website just
To see. Could be they have and not received the coveted outstanding.

I wouldn't and didn't base choice on ofsted. My dcs went to an ok school. Didn't affect their education. I work in an outstanding and believe me when I say the status isn't all that. I wouldn't choose it for my own dc's

Nancy75 that's interesting about the tutors. My friend's kids already go there and she said she is one of the few parents who havent engaged a tutor, so that maybe explains the consistently high SATS.

Ime the school rated outstanding have been the worst schools for certain cohorts of children. To get outstanding you have to have paperwork to prove everything - it's not based on anything actually seen in a school.

Schools in special measures can be fantastic. They often have new leadership and focus on developing the children overall and providing loads of 'extras'.
This can sometimes only last for as long as the extra funding comes in and until it gets a good rating.

Personally I have found the schools consistently rated good over and over have been the best schools. They are usually the most consistent. When you consider that the criteria is getting harder to get a good it shows they've changed and adapted with the times.

Bloodyteenagers, they defo got it because they go on about it in every piece of literature.

Ofsted ratings are not a good insight into a school. In my experience they are often very wrong. I would go visit and see what you think.

I worked in an Outstanding rated school. It was bloody awful. Constant stress and loads of people backstabbing to curry favour with SLT. Kids were rude and cocky. Dreadful atmosphere. I've worked in a couple of Good ones and they were much more relaxed, and a private Excellent rated one. All much better.

I'm not saying they didn't get it. Just they might have been inspected since and gained good. So they don't add it to literature.
So give you some insight. We knew about it on Friday lunchtime. All classes suddenly went off timetable for the afternoon. All students together with minimal ta's. Everyone else sorting paperwork, displays, plans etc. Teachers there until 6 that night (normally fly out at 4:30 on Friday). Building open Saturday desperate pleas for staff to help. Teachers in at the lastest at 8 Monday, normally walking in at 8:50. List of yes people to talk to the inspectors.
And the school wonders why I am leaving lol.

Yikes what a fit up!

YNBU. Ofsted are all about paper week and targets. They're not about how happy and nurtured the children are which to me is far more important.

Ds is an outstanding c of e school in our village. It caters very well for most children, intake is very middle class , my son has HFASD and they do not seem to cater for his needs or even understand the needs of autistic children. I had to push to get an IEP and interventions. It is a caring and nurturing environment mostly.

What's the point of ofsted then? I dont get it!

And how do you know if a school is good/bad for SN, for example, as Vickibee says?

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
You need to look this OP

*look at this

My DCs go to an Ofsted outstanding primary. I am happy with it. But if you listened to a lot of the parents around here, you'd swear they are sending their kids off to Colditz. They all moan about the discipline (too strict) and pretty much about everything else as well!