Considering leaving an Ofsted 'Outstanding' for an Ofsted 'Good' school?

[Ticklylemon]

Three years ago I moved from an affluent county to an inner city to care for my aging parent. I enrolled DD in an Ofsted outstanding nursery/ school which is very diverse and very academically rigorous. DD has been identified as greater depth and we are also awaiting SEN assessment. The school have been nothing but swift and supportive in this. Now that my parent is settled in a home do I stay and complete DD primary education at the outstanding school before moving back to the county for secondary? Or do a go back now and pull her out of this fantastic school. DD is currently in year 1.

Reasons to go include we are living in a tiny flat infested with mice and a dodgy landlord. DD has not made firm friendships with anyone yet and still complains of having no one to play with (possibly a SEN issue). We both have friends in the county and her dad lives there so much less of a commute to see them and of course they provide support I don’t have here. New school is newly built, has large woodland area and backs onto an Area of Outstanding Beauty. I currently pay for private ballet and swimming lessons which are included in the county schools extracurriculars although perhaps not RADA trained teachers.

Reasons to stay include county school is only Ofsted ‘Good’. There are no Ofsted outstanding primary schools in the area- they are all just ‘Good’. New school is much less diverse, it’s had a few complaints of bullying not being handled well. Of course, there are other schools in the county that don’t have this issue but they lack the great location and extracurriculars. Unsure how the county school will challenge her academically being that she’s greater depth or how they will respond to a possible SEN diagnosis.

Am I putting too much weight on an Ofsted rating or is overall quality of life more important than academics? I’m a low-key Tiger mom so academics are important to me. No judgement please. First time poster.

As a teacher I can honestly say that often the difference between ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ can simply be the school knowing how to play the game.
As a SENCo I can say that being 12 months away from an initial assessment in year 1 is, in reality, a million miles away from an actual EHCP which may never even happen (would have to be proven your DD needed support above and beyond what others need - in reality usually that they need 1-1 support).

I’m team move.

Indeed - and some of those have been downgraded to RI or even Inadequate when Ofsted have finally got round to re-inspecting them.

Ofsted ratings mean nothing in real terms.
It is a tick box exercise, the school can show or hide numerous things at the right time.

Depends how much you set by the OFTED regime … you only have to read thr recent reports to see that the scheme is hardly fit for purposes. It’s suits the inspectorate to downgrade schools, so they can force Academisation on them.
Honestly .. talk to some parents, it’s the best way of getting the measure of any school

There are 5+ teachers in my family. The difference between Good and Outstanding could be daily variations, some disorganised paperwork, and other trivial things. The outstanding teacher could have moved to the school across the road.

I moved my kids from an Outstanding school to a Good school.
My reasons:
The Good school was closer to us and had an attached nursery for younger siblings
The Good school was more relaxed, had nicer and warmer teachers (at the Outstanding school I always observed teachers shouting at the children and being very strict with them)
The Good school had greater teacher availability (half of the students in DC's class at the Outstanding school had special needs but there were only two extra TA's for all of them, meaning the teachers were very stretched and able students not given enough attention)
DC's friends in the Outstanding school had major behavioural issues, multiple instances of DC being hurt by 'friends.' At the Good school this isn't an issue.
The Outstanding school was in a small temporary building whereas the Good school was in a large purpose-built building with proper outside space

So it really is a very individual thing. There are two other Outstanding schools near us which my teacher relatives said absolutely not to touch.

I wouldn't worry about an Ofsted grading unduly

But I think a school which is "on the ball" with SEND and where a child with potential SEN is happy is reasonably rare. "Tough" schools often have good pastoral, they have to, in order to function well. Not always the case in nice, leafy areas. There are exceptions, but I get the idea you don't know a lot about the new school yet.

Can you sound out the new school re their attitude to children with SEN? If you can manage a meeting with the head and talk about your DD's needs before you apply.

In terms of the rating I would say all the Ofsted ratings are an average amalgamation of everything Ofsted as looked at. The reality is that a "good" school, may well be "outstanding" on some elements, and an "outstanding" school may be good on some elements. It is not that likely that ever aspect of education and care at a "good" school, will be worse than every aspect of education and care at an "outstanding" school or visa-versa. Honestly I would have a more in depth conversation with the potential new school about how they handle SEN and look around get a feel for it. Also you should be able to get a copy of the Ofsted report and see more about the inspection. If it happened that the one thing that pulled them from outstanding to good was lots of the parents reporting unchecked bullying on the parent questionnaires, or their poor response to SEN children, than putting your probably SEN child there spells disaster, but if they were other fairly minor things, then it will probably be a good school for her.

Seriously? How entitled are you?
You're seriously lucky if your accommodation has always been first class! 🤦‍♀️

Teacher here. Ofsted reports are not worth the paper yet are written on - especially for primary schools. My experience is they come in look at your data. If your spread sheets are in order and you know what to say they leave happy, if not you're in trouble. Someone I know was head of faculty, lied his head off about what went on and was rated outstanding. It's all bollocks. At least secondaries can't fake exam results - that's the only measure worth looking at.

Wow.

I don't pay much mind to ofsted. They make a judgement that lasts years based on what they see on one day.
I worked in an outstanding setting... I told my friends not to send their kids. (I also made an anonymous report that saw them lose that status). Even in one's that aren't awful- children don't all thrive in the same environments!

I too would prioritise moving, but not (just) because of rodents. Being closer to her dad and you having support near by would outweigh the difference in primary school for me, assuming the new one is capable of meeting her needs. More space at home and more of a "village" around you would make for a happier life I expect.
I'd contact the school and see if you can arrange a visit with the head or senco to show you around. Read their inclusion and SEND policies before you go so you can ask them about how it works in practice. Ask them what they've done to tackle the bullying issues too, and how they utilise the wonderful outside space they have. (My "outstanding" setting had an amazing garden that nobody could be bothered to take the kids outside to)

My child has been at 3 primary schools - 2 "Good" and one "Outstanding". I moved him from the outstanding because it was a dreadful, toxic place. Hasn't had an ofsted since 2013. He is so happy at his "good" school. The staff genuinely care about the children. Just because a school can tick the boxes for Ofsted doesn't necessarily mean it's the right place for your child.

My child is at a Good primary and it’s far better than the Outstanding primary my best friend’s children go to in all the ways that are important to me.

I think Ofsted ratings are fairly irrelevant when you have a child with SEN. I would look at two things 1) how good are the LEA at supporting SEN kids as some are positively obstructive 2) how supportive is the school. Try to meet the senco at the new school and see how they can meet your dd's needs.

I think there is so much more to a good education than the academic grades side. Learning is about more than just the lessons, it includes socialising, the surroundings you’re in etc. Academic success and success generally has so many elements to it and so being somewhere a bit more secure with support closer by could be excellent for you and your child helping you as a unit to thrive.

Id move if it were me.

I would place very little on an ofsted report. I have worked in places that have had a but of paperwork wrong and been put in special measure, I would literally have trusted my kids lives in their hands as the education was outstanding in the real meaning of the word. Some that are outstanding know how to play the game and are outstanding on that day only, I have seen what they are really like (when they don't ask the less we'll behaved kids to not come in/take them on a trip that day).

Send them to the one you think is right for them and more importantly that they are happy at, if they are happy they will achieve good grades. We have some awful secondary schools near us and people still come out with decent grades if they apply themselves.

I am not a tiger mum though, for me allowing kids to do what is right for them is way more important. Top grades are not that important unless the child wants to do something at college/uni that requires them. The fact you are getting hung up on a school being outstanding is a bit odd really.

Agree with this.

Thank you all for your feedback. It's really helped me gain some perspective.

I'm not hung up on the word 'Outstanding' or Ofsted's competence as a governing body.

However, our EXPERIENCE at DD's school has been outstanding, hence my anxiety about moving.

There have been times when I'm in tears after dealing with a dysregulated child all night and navigating tantrums all morning. The school have been empathetic, held my hand, drafted emails to the LA and referred me to other support services like family coaching to work on coping strategies while we wait on assessment.

DD has gone from being non verbal in class for the first 3 months of nursery due to seperation anxiety to enjoying learning and being Greater Depth in 3 years.

I have read the SEND policy and every page of their website of the new school. I can and will speak/ meet with the Senco at the new school. But the reality is that if a school can convince Ofsted that they are good/ outstanding, then they can equally convince me.

You only really know what a school is like by speaking to other parents and thats tricky because no one I know has DC that go there. It's a leap of faith so I guess my OP was to sound out whether moving school was a chance with taking.

This is sound advice. Thank you.

Would you consider broadening your search a bit, OP? Atm it sounds as if it's between the current school/location and one specific school/location. You mentioned several positives about the potential new school, but I do think you need to meet the SENCOs at that school and a few others in the area you want to move to. Also, if you want to try and connect with parents to hear their views, maybe try Facebook (there's a Facebook group for parents in my city, for example).

Secondly, this might sound a bit crazy, but consider secondary schools. My oldest is in Y2 and we are planning to move into catchment for the secondary school we want. For a neurodivergent child who struggles with change, you will want to minimise the number of changes. My child (who is being assessed for ASD & ADHD) will struggle with a move but my intention is to choose a primary school that feeds into our preferred secondary so he'll move up with friends.

Lastly, for assessment I recommend looking into the 'Right to Choose' option; it's NHS funded but you can choose provider and you won't lose your place on the waiting list if you move house. There's info here:
https://adhduk.co.uk/right-to-choose/
And there's a Facebook group which is really helpful.

Yabu to place so much emphasis on ofsted ratings. It doesn’t mean your child will be happy there!

@AnotherEmma Theres a good mix of independent and state primary and secondary schools in the area so there should be no need to move again after this.

I will scope out the 3/4 local options just so we have a plan B etc.

I had no idea we could fast track the assessMent, this is a no brainer. Thank you!