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Original poster

Ofsted - Moved the Goalposts?

29 replies

GettinTrimmer · 18/07/2010 17:52

My dc's school was inspected last year and according to the report the overall effectiveness of the school has gone down from 'good' to 'satisfactory' with some recommendations. Many parents were very unhappy and the school is under great pressure. Some not least because they bought a house in the area to be in catchment (at their own risk, I think (could happen to any school), but there you are)!

I heard that Ofsted has changed its criteria and is concerned with statistics, so schools previously graded as 'good' or 'satisfactory' have been downgraded.

Does anybody know how this works and are Ofsted reports worth the paper they are written on?

OP posts:
RollaCoasta · 18/07/2010 18:28

Yes, they have - totally.

The inspections used to judge 'quality of teaching' and now judge 'quality of learning', based on test results, books and feedback from pupils.

I went on a course recently and we were shown a video of a lesson that everyone in the room graded 'unsatisfactory' according to the new guidelines. We were then told that the lesson had been judged good-excellent a couple of years ago.

[umm]

RollaCoasta · 18/07/2010 18:29

...or even

badgermonkey · 18/07/2010 18:31

There are also limiting judgements, so that if a school is judged to be unsatisfactory in certain key areas, such as safeguarding, they can only then get an unsatisfactory, regardless of if they were outstanding in every other area.

(Hope I was paying enough attention in INSET!)

primarymum · 18/07/2010 18:44

A local school was graded unsatisfactory as the poor hassled receptionist didn't provide all the inspectors with a visitors badge when they arrived but relied on their own OFSTED badges

mankyscotslass · 18/07/2010 19:57

OOOh I never knew that!

We have just had ofsted at my DC's previously "outstanding" school.

I wonder what the outcome will be, we won't hear now til September, although school management will have been given the "conditional" report last week.

anInspectorcalls · 18/07/2010 20:04

Yes our local school which is heavily oversubscribed and achieved the highest results in the area last year (5A-C inc Eng & Maths) was graded unsatifactory and placed in special measures.
Staff and pupils alike were in shock.
I think it was something to do with a limiting judgement on added value. The school have not done the BTECs which apparently bump up the score somehow.

nymphadora · 18/07/2010 20:30

Lots of schools going down here.

Whole school vision & ethos is a biggie which means F all but is higher priority than happy & achieving pupils.

RollaCoasta · 18/07/2010 20:58

And if EYFS is judged 'unsatisfactory', that also brings the whole school down.

There are quite a few sections with 'this section can't be classed as 'good' if you haven't got 'good' for this part...' IYSWIM.

RollaCoasta · 18/07/2010 21:01

Sorry - just repeated what badgermonkey said, but not as clearly!

Original poster
GettinTrimmer · 18/07/2010 21:03

Yes, my dc's school got an outstanding for whole school vision & ethos, but they graded the teaching as only satisfactory which caused parents around here to get their knickers in a knot, and a few other things which means it's only satisfactory.

The school just up the road has an outstanding rating, and can be an academy in September I suppose. I also heard all outstanding schools will not be inspected anymore so that Ofsted can direct their attention towards others.

These Ofsted reports are just seen as the be all and end all.

aninspectorcalls - did the previous ofsted grade the school as OK?

OP posts:
Original poster
GettinTrimmer · 18/07/2010 21:08

I just get fed up that these reports are seen as the word of God!

My dcs school has gone from being oversubscribed to undersubscribed. I think partly due to a low birth rate but also the Ofsted.

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RollaCoasta · 18/07/2010 21:44

At least 5 schools within a 10 mile radius (primary and secondary) had Ofsted this last week - 3-5 days before the end of term. How unfair is that?

nymphadora · 18/07/2010 21:55

I know a few that had it last week ( last week of term too)

anInspectorcalls · 19/07/2010 09:24

Gettintrimmer - previously rated as Good.
Also mini inspection only months earlier but before the move of goalposts was good, no hint of concern.
The whole thing was a complete shock but because one area was deemed unsatisfactory everything else was linked and it was a domino effect.

Ripeberry · 19/07/2010 09:30

Ofsted gradings are now tougher! It was easier to get "Good" or "Outstanding" years ago.

Also if the school is not hot on paperwork, policies or safeguarding then that can be an automatic "inadequate".

If you are still happy with the school and the teachers then stay. Gradings are not the end of the world.

gramercy · 19/07/2010 09:42

I thought I read somewhere that schools' gradings would in future be separated into academic and pastoral, so that, say, if all the children were doing really well but there was a hole in the fence the school wouldn't automatically be marked "unsatisfactory".

GiddyPickle · 19/07/2010 10:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Shirleygoodness · 19/07/2010 10:18

Ours went from outstanding to satisfactory under a pilot of the new guidelines.... completely different goalposts. Wasn't clear in the Inspectors' report, but a somewhat upset letter from the head explained it.

mankyscotslass · 19/07/2010 10:21

We are just going to have to wait it out over the holidays now.

So unfair doing the inspection just as term finishes!

I have a feeling it won't be "outstanding" again though.

Acanthus · 19/07/2010 10:26

Our school is rated outstanding and always has been. That masks, however, the fact that the current head is very weak. The discipline is now a bit lax, staff communication and parent communication are poor and there is no provision for stretching the very brightest of the children. As I see it, she's shit-hot at health and safety and paperwork but devoid of an ounce of oomph or drive. Ratings aren't everything!

Original poster
GettinTrimmer · 19/07/2010 11:10

giddypickle That's a good point - as parents we can't be shown examples of exactly how they inspect and the criteria is not explained, we are just meant to take their word as the highest authority on it all.

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Tinuviel · 19/07/2010 11:53

We recently had an OFSTED of our ICT provision (as it's one of our specialisms) and only got a satisfactory because our hardware etc isn't up to scratch. The point is that we are moving into a new build this year so there would be no point in spending thousands upgrading now when we are moving into 'state of the art' (allegedly) facilities this year. One teacher was observed and was told that teaching/learning were outstanding but because 6 of the laptops didn't work properly could only receive a 'satisfactory' for the lesson.

The system stinks!

Original poster
GettinTrimmer · 19/07/2010 12:08

The Ofsted report said good things about pastoral care at the dc's school, my ds especially has great support. The paperwork was criticised so I suppose for that reason it only got 'satisfactory.'

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Breton1900 · 20/07/2010 16:40

And don't forget folks that it's not unknown for inadequate teachers to leave teaching and become ........OfSted Inspectors!!!

qumquat · 27/07/2010 12:43

My experience of working in schools when compared to their Ofsted ratings is exactly as Acanthus describes. THe ratings reflect the school's ability to jump through the correct Ofsted hoops rather than the quality of teaching and learning and the happiness of students. I have been in appalling schools which are rated Outstanding and fantastic schools which are only rated 'Satisfactory'.