To move DC from an 'Outstanding' rates school to a school in' special measures'

[NotAnotherUserName5]

I'm torn. We are all set to move back to our home town. Beautiful part of the world, family support around us for the first time, and we can afford to buy a house there. We would definitely have much more disposable income too.

Currently live in a very affluent part of the country, and with that comes fabulous schools.

Eldest dc is due to start high school in September, and would be going to an Outstanding rated school. It's very sought after and well regarded.

We don't like it around here, and house prices keep on climbing (currently rent). We simply cannot afford to live here even if we wanted.

The only negative about moving, is the school my DC would go too. It's currently in Special Measures but a plan for transformation is underway next year or so.

I feel so bad at the prospect of taking my DC away from something good to something that really doesn't sound great, although so many other positives for us as a family with this move.

AIBU to move? I suppose this is a more wwyd?

I'd move but ensure my child went to the better school further away. Lots of children travel further than 20 minutes to secondary school on their own. Check out school buses, trains. You won't need to go with him so can pick up you other dc.

Personally no, I wouldn't move my children to a school in special measures. For me my children's education comes first and I wouldn't take the risk. The school may improve but it may not. They only get one shot at laying a good foundation so I would look at other options or stay do all I could to keep them where they are.

I wouldn't do it.

Not all schools in special measures improve drastically or rapidly. Some just flounder about for a few years, then end up being closed and reopened and are still not good. And no, I'd never do that to my child.

Surprised that so many people value what OFSTED say. Being put in special measures can be for some awe-inspiringly banal, tick- boxy reasons. I'd base my judgements on looking round the school, chatting to pupils/parents. Seriously - I have no personal beef with OFSTED never having worked in a state school or (so far) had my children at an OFSTED-inspected school, but the detailed information I've heard from those 'on the inside' makes me certain that OFSTED reports are worth precisely zero. The inspection criteria are so narrow that they preclude any sensible judgement on the part of the inspectors.

I would visit the school first. It could be that it's in special measures because it's really dreadful. Or it could be that it's in special measures because Ofsted's judgement, based on a short visit and an analysis of the exam results, is sweeping and shallow.

If it is dreadful, then there's a reasonable chance that it has reached rock bottom and will start getting better. That's not guaranteed, though, particularly with the funding cuts all schools are facing.

And look at the GCSE pass rate. The schools in special measures in my town are all the ones where less than 30% of children get 5 GCSEs grade A-C.

You need to look further in to this. DCs school isn't in sm, but was downgraded a couple of years ago. It had a great reputation til then, the head was a bit boring but teacher retention was high, etc. Since they changed the SLT, Head resigned etc it has gone rapidly downhill and imo the changes are superficial, with teachers leaving in droves. I'm gutted as we decided on this school on its academic strengths and reputation. So schools can change from 'outstanding' to 'needs improvement', but I wouldn't start with an sm school. Buy a second car if you need to.,

Trifleorbust has it absolutely right. Whilst the only way is up for a school in special measures, it doesn't improve overnight. I live in an area where the nearest town has three secondary schools, all in special measures. The Catholic secondary which is the school my gs should go to is just not attracting pupils and not one single pupil from his catholic primary has gone there this year. The fabulous looking academy with wonderful sports facilities, has struggled terribly with a bad head and a reputation for very disruptive pupils. Its hard to get rid of such a reputation.

My neighbour would not consider sending her ds to anything other than an outstanding school which locally seriously limits your choices. I moved my gs from a good school to another good school and believe me, the first was anything but. You need to explore more options as this could put a downer on your move.

I may get shouted down for this but in my experience it's much more the families attitude, background, expectations etc towards education than the school. My four have been to many different primary schools. Some abroad (were ex military). Of those schools two have been 'excellent'. Three very good, I can't remember what the school abroad were classed as although they were still UK OFSTED registered and one in particular was of great concern/special measures and a low income/ high crime area. They didn't really notice. They did their homework and made good friends at every school and were very happy. We are now settled in a wonderful Scottish town. My eldest is now studying law, my daughter is taking her highers and both the wee ones are happy as Larry at school. If you are happier in your home life then The children will be happier. I'd move to be nearer my family and the schools reputation/report wouldn't bother me in the slightest, especially primary age.

Teacher here - I would try to find out more, it wouldn't be an immediate deal breaker. For me a look around the school and getting the opinions of local parents would be far more important than the ofsted report.

I would prioritise the needs of my child. Do the 20 minute journey.

I was an academically gifted child who moved to a crap secondary at 13. I had WHALE of a time with my new friends - the teachers were incredibly demotivated after the head left and as a result the teaching was poor plus they turned a blind eye I'd we skipped lessons to go smoke weed in the park as fewer kids for them to handle.

My parents had no idea how little work.I was doing. I learnt to not work at that school - I was a kid who had previously got into a prestigious selective school from an ordinary state school with no special coaching - then been top of the class in several subjects in said prestigious school. I was full of promise.

I went on to do badly at A level too as I simply didn't do the work. That meant I missed out on the chance to leave my hometown for uni, went to a not so great one and dropped out after 1 semester as I had crap working habits.

Although I have to take responsibility for my own life I can't help wondering how life would have turned out if I went to a decent secondary till A level and hadn't got I to drugs quite so young as they were so readily available at my new school.

My friends at the good school have fulfilling careers and/or six figure salaries.

I do OK but no real career to speak of and it's been a real struggle at times.

If my parents could go back in time I know they'd make a different decision.

Please please don't send your DC to that school unless it's a positive move for them.

Don't sacrifice their future because you can't be bothered to do a 20 minute journey.

You are the adult here, it's your job to make this work for your DC.

I mean my words kindly, I'm not just having a go I promise!

It may be that the special measures is rigjt for some reason. But make the decision eith your child's needs first and foremost. Don't compromise their future.

No, I wouldn't do it.

As other posters have said, use your disposable income to buy a second car (you will end up spending it on tutors anyway!).

I work with schools who have been put into special measures. If a school has reached this grade, it is failing its students quite significantly. Whilst it is true that there is usually a new head, SLT, etc and a new drive to make things better, these systems take a lot of time to implement effectively and the general culture (for both students and teachers) takes longer still. These schools can then become absolutely fantastic, but 5 years later and your dc has already done their GCSEs after 5 years of upheaval and stress.

I am proud to work with schools and passionate teachers in this position, but between me, you and the Internet, my own dc would not be attending had I any choice at all.

Hope it all works out though - I understand your motivations.

hackmum schools do not go into special measures because Ofsted got a bad snapshot of a good school. They could get a good Nostradamus of oustanding or a requires improvement instead of a good but to go into special measures means that there are serious failings in a number or areas across the school. Dismissing Ofsted with an immediate suggestion that they've probably made a mistake is unfair. When my Dc's school was rated inadequate it was because it was shit. My kids were happy but the education and management were crap, and that was in a middle class school with motivated and involved parents and still people said that the school was fine. It wasn't, it was appalling and Ofsted knew exactly where the weaknesses were and were spot on. I hate people who brush off Ofsted findings with a pinch of salt. When they say somewhere needs to be in special measures you can be almost certain that it does need to be.

Visit the school and ask probing questions about what is happening. The first year or so of special measures can be difficult as the staff can be quite stressed and things can be uncertain.

Once measures take effect though many schools do very well so a couple of years or so after the introduction of effective special measures. We have two local schools that have gone from special measures to good or outstanding over a period of 3 years.

Visit the school and ask probing questions about what is happening. The first year or so of special measures can be difficult as the staff can be quite stressed and things can be uncertain.

Once measures take effect though many schools do very well so a couple of years or so after the introduction of effective special measures. We have two local schools that have gone from special measures to good or outstanding over a period of 3 years.

I wouldn't.

I would move OUT of an area to avoid a school in SM if necessary.

There is no way I would move to an area where the only option is a school in SM.

It goes against everything I try to do in raising my children, namely offering the best opportunities, the best education, the best experiences.

Yikes, no way would I do this - as someone who went to a really crap secondary, I would do almost anything to prevent my DC having the same school experience as I had. Whilst I managed to get excellent grades due to lots of help from my family, I had a thoroughly miserable time. The other students were demotivated, staff were more like prison guards than teachers, and I was relentlessly bullied for being bright.

Special measures can be really, really awful. I think you need to know what you are sending dc into. You need to be sure they will be safe mentally & physically. A teacher was hospitalised in a canteen riot at a special measures school I worked in & I saw horrible bullying. Not all are like this, but you need to know. Chronic underachievement & lack of challenge are the other issues, but safety is the first concern.

I'd really try to find a way to make the other school work.

No way would I. Use the skate income to buy a second car, unless it's enough to send them privately.

Actually a school may be judged inadequate for tick box, banal reasons.

However the inspection team then may choose to give school notice to improve or put in special measures. The latter is normally if they do not feel the SLT know what needs to be done to sort it.

Thanks. Some food for thought here!

DH went there, as did his friends. Was never the best school. They are all did pretty well academically in the end and have good careers (doctor, vet, director level etc) This has given my DH the belief the DC will be fine in this school.

We will be making an appointment to view the school to get a better idea of how it is in comparison to when DH went there.

From reading the OFSTED, it seems boys haven't improved their exam results since the last inspection and there needs to be an improvement in management.
They are going through a transformation next year involving building a new multimillion pound site for the school (it's pretty shabby looking right now)

I hear this round here as well about the shit schools: it was great when I went there!

It. was. thirty. years. ago.

Basing a decision on information that is 30 years out of date is madness. It may have the same main building but everything that matters will have changed, most notably the teachers.

I don't understand why you are even considering this. There are other schools.

If DH is basing his opinion or of a school on his experience of it 30 years ago you need to disregard his views IMO!

A school can change enormously in the space of a couple of years if management change. 30 years?.It's totally irrelevant.

What IS relevant is that OFSTED says there needs to be a change in management. If there hasn't already been that change then you have no idea when it will happen.

Your DC could be in a failing school that's going down the pan :(

You need to find out what it is that put it in special measures. I wouldn't judge a school solely on the ofsted report. There are 2 high schools near us one is rated good and one needs improvement. The one rated good has many sen children and the school caters well for them - but has a massive bullying problem and does not have a good reputation for children who are nt. The other which needs improvement has a very good reputation re behaviour, happy kids, but its in needs improvement because it does not cater well for sen kids. So one is good for one lot of kids and the other best for others. IYSWIM.

Once you've had a look around and seen what their plans are and for when you'll be able to make a better decision.