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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think it is disgusting to 'hide' a SN pupil when the inspectors are in?

66 replies

stirfry · 21/11/2008 11:23

I am so disgusted and cross with this.

I work in a school 1-1 with a year 2 pupil who has communication and behaviour difficulties.

Early this year we got a bad Ofsted report and so this week the inspectors have been back in to reasses certain classes within the school, the ones who were inadequate last time.

The pupil I work with is in one of these class and at times his behaviour can be a little disruptive but nothing I can't handle.

Rather than let the inspectors see the school how it really is the head decided that on that day this pupil would spend the morning in the school nursery with the nursery children.

I am so fecking cross, there are so many policies with regards to inclusion in school and yet so called professionals still think it is ok to hide away a child with SEN's just in case he makes the school look bad

OP posts:
2shoes · 21/11/2008 19:11

bloody hell that is disgusting
shame on the school

mytetherisending · 21/11/2008 19:13

If you tell me the name of the school I will contact OFSTED myself discrimination. Not providing equal opportunity, giving false impressions to OFSTED inspectors. Did other members of staff know about this? If they did then it could be anyone who reported the school iyswim. Contact OFSTED.

mytetherisending · 21/11/2008 19:16

The thing is that they are going to keep doing it unless someone reports them

Original poster
stirfry · 21/11/2008 19:20

the class teacher knows, and the staff in the nursery class too. I'm really worried about what the best thing to do is. I will without doubt lose my job if I report school to ofsted and head finds out. The child himself wouldn't be able to communicate what happened to his mum either.

OP posts:
Reallytired · 21/11/2008 19:23

In school jobs references are everything. A sh!tty reference would make hard to get another job.

Gawd, I feel for you. In someways you might be better at telling OFSTED than the mother. OFSTED might be better at coping with a whistleblower than a parent. The problem with a parent in that situation is that they would (quite fairly) go ballistic. The head might be angry and you would lose your job for telling the parent.

Is the inspection over?

VictorianSqualor · 21/11/2008 19:25

Bastards.
Report them.

Lovesdogsandcats · 21/11/2008 19:26

I think I would play stupid, and ask his mother why he was sent to the nursery for the day, and let her ring Ofsted.

Original poster
stirfry · 21/11/2008 19:59

yeah the inspection finished today

OP posts:
wannaBe · 21/11/2008 20:37

and people think inclusion is a good thing.

I would be tempted to leave it for now, look for another job, and once you've got another job then go to ofsted (off the record obviously).

One of the schools around here with an "outstanding" ofsted shows parents around in the evenings when there are no children - wonder why?

mabanana · 21/11/2008 20:40

I simply could not agree more with Jimjams! She's is bang on. Schools cannot afford to have poor Ofsteds. The problem is in the system. My ds has SN, by the way. I would love to say what I really think of how hard I've had to push etc, but i won't because bad comments scare off committed parents and don't bother uncommitted ones who don't read the report, and then the school gets in trouble and that's not what I want for the school my ds goes to (which is currently brilliant with him, and I take my share of credit for that)

loobeylou · 21/11/2008 20:54

this reminds me of a school i worked in where there were such serious behaviour/discipline problems they held interviews when Y11 were on study leave, Y10 on work experience, and Y7-9 on various trips for "activities week". there were about 4 staff in school that was it!

i was young and stupid and did not twig.It looked lovely and I got the job.
Place was a nightmare once the kids were back in!!!!

But OP - yes, I think this was wrong and you should report it.

RustyBear · 21/11/2008 20:57

Does your LA have a whistle blower policy? We have just been issued with a copy of ours & had to sign to say we'd been given it, on a form which goes back to the LA, presumably so the school couldn't withhold it. If this is a nationwide thing, then your LA should have one

This is our borough's policy, (hope the link will work - I may be automatically logged in on this pc)
Have a look on your LA's website

angrypixie · 21/11/2008 20:58

Not at all unusual.

prettybutterfly · 21/11/2008 21:29

Well, inclusion certainly can be a good thing. It ought always to be a good thing for kids with the right kind of profile, though, of course, some kids wouldn't benefit.

Horrible dilemma for the OP. HOpe you find a way through it. I think it's a fucking poor show.

Another mum of a kid with SN here. Wondering what goes on behind her back ...

mytetherisending · 21/11/2008 22:08

By law they cannot harrass or discipline you. As a nurse if I saw abuse of a patient I would have no qualms about reporting the person concerned. Contact the local schools inspector (not OFSTED, the area manager so to speak) and report through that route. If all those staff saw what happened then any of them could have blown the whistle? Why would you be singled out?

cory · 21/11/2008 22:16

The Discrimination Act is very clear about protecting whistle blowers; discharging or otherwise harassing someone who blows the whistle about discrimination counts as discrimination of its own. Go for it!

Original poster
stirfry · 21/11/2008 22:23

I think we do have a whistle blowing policy. I think it was one of those things that was mentioned to us very quickly and quietly in the hope that we wouldn't really remember.

Do you have to give your name etc if you were to whistle blow?

OP posts:
nofunanymore · 21/11/2008 22:46

I am not condoning 'hiding' SN, but doesn't it make you think about OFSTED and the unrealistic expectations they have, i.e. if all children do not behave as if they come from Stepford, the school must be failing?

2shoes · 21/11/2008 23:18

this thread only proves why inclusion is crap imo

VivaLaPotPourri · 21/11/2008 23:24

How humiliating for the child to be hidden in the nursery full of tots. I bet he felt wonderful THat's actually quite sickening. How degrading

Waltzywotzy · 21/11/2008 23:32

The Heads decision should have been challenged by the staff. But that day has passed. What will happen to the SATS tests? Will the child be in nursery again?

The parents have a right to know. Its so sad.

nofunanymore · 21/11/2008 23:35

Cd not agree more, 2shoes.

2shoes · 21/11/2008 23:41

inclusion = exclusion imo

mytetherisending · 22/11/2008 09:14

OFSTED do not look for all children are behaving in a certain way, they look for good management of children with SN, not for them to be hidden It is the heads very wrong assumption that they want to see perfection. He needs re educating!

mytetherisending · 22/11/2008 09:15

OFSTED do not look to see that all children are behaving in a certain way!