School given noticed today that ofsted arriving tomorrow?

[oldstudentmum]

Not a teacher btw. Is this the norm as schools that kids have attended all got longer notice and we were sent forms to fill out for inspector. Any thoughts 💭

Tbh as a parent @Mred22 I wouldn't let Ofsted inform my feelings about a school my children currently attend. Surely you and your children know best about how good a fit for you the school is?

We are waiting on a report for our primary school at the moment.

Thank you. Out of curiosity (roughly) when was your school inspected - it will be interesting if you get your outcome before we do from a school inspected in mid-October.

MrsDThomas. You are right. They do get an earlier warning, often from the local authority who are notified for any serious complaints by parents that concern safeguarding. I am an ex-governor.

My daughters school was contacted Friday for an inspection on Monday though to be fair it is a SEN school so that maybe why. We got messaged through the school app a link to complete parent view

Ofsted have been in our area 5 times over 2 years and never popped in, and then this year we were the only school visited.

nice

whatever issues you are having with the school, you do realise that ofsted is almost certainly the cause of the problems, don't you,

I don't know if people have noticed this (or commented on it) but I find it incredible that on Tuesday this week (21/3/23) guess which school inspection report went up onto the Ofsted website?

Caversham Primary!!! (the school where the Head took her own life whilst waiting for the outcome to come out, Outstanding last time and downgraded to inadequate this time.

Today, Amanda Spielman has said she is 'deeply sorry' that she did so, but not sorry enough to delay the publication of the report until at least a respectful period of time has passed...

Other than the safeguarding (which is obviously very major) I thought it was quite a positive report.

I hear you, but 'Safeguarding' has become too much the issue of the day in education and Management live in fear because of it. Due to things like 'baby P' and others, plus 'Prevent' etc. schools are now expected to act as an extension of Social Services and indeed the Police, when their job should be educating children.

This has manifested itself in the current situation where a school can be good (or better) across the board - but one small oversight in the area of 'safeguarding' and it becomes 'inadequate'. Once inadequate it then has to become an Academy.... outside Local Authority control and under a different set of working rules. Could there perhaps be a link there???

I read this week of a school where Ofsted arrived very early (approx 7.30am) before even the Head or any of the leadership team. The business manager/caretaker let Ofsted in (probably nervous and trying to do the right thing) but didn't ask to see their accreditation details. So when the Head did arrive at 8.00am they knew it was game over, before it had even started!

@Mred22 there are rules about what time they can be on site, can't remember what time it is in the morning but they have to be offsite by 6pm

In Wales, Estyn give 10 working days. My dds school is waiting for the call as it hasn't been inspected for ages.

It’s possible the report was released on purpose despite the timing as generally its positive with the exception of safeguarding - a “look it’s not even that bad” type thing.

I suppose so, I did wonder about that.

The sad thing about it is this: in these categories - 'quality of education', 'behaviour and attitudes' & 'personal development of pupils' it was described as 'Good'. Only leadership and management was described as 'inadequate' (and the overall grade goes on the lowest of the 4.

However, if Leadership and Management was 'Inadequate' it begs the question: how come all other areas were GOOD!

My take on the timing is it’s subtly signposting/questioning someone’s state of mind and more general wellbeing. If the report was all awful I bet they wouldn’t have released it.

Maybe the rest of the staff carry the SLT, happens a lot in the private sector. Honestly don’t know 🤷‍♀️

10 days is too much notice, it gives the school time to make 'arrangements' - a school trip perhaps - for the 'naughty children', which is what used to happen in England back in the day.

Ringing the day before is just about right, can't do a trip in that time - letters need to go out etc. What now often happens is that afternoon a school will frantically call supply agencies and 'friends' e.g. retired teachers and get them in to sit on the naughty children in class when Ofsted come in. Presumably Ofsted can spot this.

The notice is not the issue, it is the unfair one-word grading system and the bonkers over-importance given to 'safeguarding'. E.g. at the Cavendish school a pupil was seen doing a 'floss dance' (from a video game) and that was held-up as an example of sexualisation of the children. Utter nonsense.

I prefer the Estyn approach to Ofsted. There is a different attitude and there is opportunity for a school to challenge the report.
My dds school wouldn't care if it was 1 day or 10..... there will be no special trips, extra staff or volunteers brought in.

That cannot possibly be true! No headteacher would be leaving it until 8am to arrive on ofsted day!

No it was not Ofsted. The school are completely useless if you have a child with Mental health problems. They lack cohesion between departments that really should be sharing information between them. This has caused deep anxiety as no school support. However, letter went to head some things were finally done (a fucking year later) that a GP had requested. All this school at the time were interested in was the bloody uniform and attendance. However, anxiety and the knock on effect with affect attendance.

I am a bit confused by this (I am not having a go by the way - I am just confused). We often talk about the English and Wales education systems jointly and the Scottish one as being slightly different.

But how come you are indicating there is a difference between England and Wales regarding Ofsted, that surely cannot be. A ten day preparation period and an opportunity to challenge/appeal the report, are you really certain about that? Or was it a case that your Head heard that Ofsted were doing the rounds in the local area so took a gamble that they would be visiting shortly?

@Mred22
Ofsted are England only!
Education is devolved in Wales and our education inspectorate is Estyn.

Oh, I didn't know that.

Thank you.

Tine to move to Wales!

All this school at the time were interested in was the bloody uniform and attendance

So Ofsted WERE the problem! They are VERY focussed on attendance and uniform! We had a child being treated for cancer but their attendance was highlighted as an example of poor attendance management (despite our overall attendance being well over the 95%). Our Ofsted also reported on “children were smartly dressed and took pride in wearing their uniform”.