Changes in Ofsted reporting

[redskyatnight]

DC's school had an Ofsted inspection in 2007. They got a "good" rating overall but with a significant (about half) outstanding ratings. School made it known that they were going to work towards an "outstanding" at their next inspection.

Fast forward to now - they have recently had a new Ofsted inspection and this time they have been graded "satisfactory". However if you'd read the report without the gradings you'd think the school was fantastic - it is almost entirely positive and it really praises some things the school is doing. It makes a couple of points for improvement (and mentions that the school is already taking steps in one case). Actually although the school gets "satisfactory" overall most of the gradings (60%) are "good" or "outstanding".

As a parent I can think of many ways the school has improved over the past 4 years and nothing that they are doing worse. It seems incomprehensible that they now have a lower grading. Some of the areas the school did score satisfactory on are in attendance (too many parents taking holidays in term time) and pupil attainment (which is average - reflecting the intake of the school - despite noting that children enter the school "below average" so surely this is good?). The school has limited opportunity to change either of these.

The report mentions changes in Ofsted reporting - is this a contributory factor in the apparent "worsening" of my DC's school? Or is this just an example of why one shalt not read Ofsted reports?

I've been through 4 Ofsteds in 15 years:
First: too traumatic to remember

Second: focused on how many minutes and seconds subjects were being taught, with emphasis on spirituality and reflection (e.g. candles in assembly)

Third: Focused on teaching style - teachers required to be drama queens . dress up to make lessons exciting, etc. Note emphasis on 'teaching'. Given 3 months' notice - nearly all teachers went over the edge.

Fourth: Blink and you missed it. A day and a half. Wittering on about boys' reading. Looked at SEF and SATS scores.

Current Ofsted are focussing on learning and check with pupils during the lesson if they understand objective / what they're meant to be doing, etc.

I went to a meeting recently and they showed a video of a 2005 Ofsted that we had to rate against new guidelines. Everyone in the room judged it unsatisfactory-satisfactory. The judgement by Ofsted in 2005 was good-outstanding. Said it all to me.

It will be the pupil attainment. It doesn't matter how good the school is on all the other measures. The overall grade is determined by the pupil attainment.

Yes, don't trust OFSTED reports. It's great for you, because your lovely, good, school now suddenly won't be over subscribed by people who do read OFSTED reports.

I think there are a couple of areas which limit the whole score. I'm fairly sure behaviour is one of them. So if they get a satisfactory on behavioiur that is the top mark they can then get. It's possible attendance is another one of those magic categories.

(Or I could be totally wrong :) )

The school is obviously still a great school for your family

I don't think it can just be pupil attainment. DC's ofsted was done two weeks ago and released yesterday and is now an outstanding school,previous ofsted two years ago was "good". It seemed to got outstanding for things like pupils feeling safe but good for "attainment"
The whole of the report is " good" or "outstanding"

And the question is - attainment at what ?
Portfolio exams with lots of input from staff to succesfully complete a piece of coursework , exams taken ,and resat, on line ?

Yes, I agree - a lot goes on tracked progress from KS1 to KS2. Bit of a bugger in schools with a transient population.

(And FS to KS1, of course!)