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Original poster

Outstanding Ofsted can still be a crap school!

72 replies

Doodlez · 24/09/2011 23:26

Tell me if this sounds right - Ofsted mark a school on about 27 different catagories and a school can achieve 'outstanding' status, even if, for example, the teaching catagory gets a crap mark?

So, when looking for schools for your children, the Ofsted overall finding is worth rat shit on it's own...

The school in special measures might have outstanding teachers but the temptation would be to dismiss it - yes?

OP posts:

carpwidow · 25/09/2011 11:53

dikkertjedap - OFSTED inspectors are well trained - they will smell the new paintwork and see that the resources are brand new. These superficial things are not what they are looking at. They will be looking at the quality of teaching and learning - if the teaching was poor, progress would not have been made and therefore the school could not achieve outstanding. I find it hard to believe that they got people in "pretending to be TAs" as any staff can be interviewed about their role and knowledge of the school at any time by the inspectors - it's far too risky. Also, how did they get all these extra people CRB checked? I'm a bit about your post. Sorry.

lemonbalm · 25/09/2011 12:00

I can't give you the details, carp, or the school would be very identifiable.

I can tell you that the head was an extremely charming and good-looking individual.

carpwidow · 25/09/2011 12:05

So THAT'S the secret!! Next time they come in to my school, I shall ensure I'm wearing my heels, false lashes and that my botox injection is up to date

carpwidow · 25/09/2011 12:06

but lemonbalm the children must be making progress...

noblegiraffe · 25/09/2011 12:12

I don't believe the head could simply charm inspectors into an outstanding judgement. The exam figures would need to add up, as would the teaching observations. Getting brand new resources out of a cupboard doesn't make a lesson much better if the teacher is crap.

lemonbalm · 25/09/2011 12:17

Well, I had personally made a submission as a parent which pointed to the problems. The problems were such that an "outstanding" verdict should have been precluded; and they all spilled out into the open, eventually.

Pupils were making progress because it was a very very nice middle class area where private tutors were extensively used.

qumquat · 25/09/2011 12:32

Of course a crap school can get an outstanding Ofsted and vice versa. What Ofsted considers 'Outstanding' teaching is not what I consider anything of the sort (e.g. the Ofsted inspectors will want to see that all students know their current level and target level, but comment only marking without levels has been shown to be much more effective for ensuring progress than constantly levelling the kids, but if we don't level them all the time, how can we make sure they know their levels when Ofsted comes to call?). A school which gets an outstanding Ofsted simply knows how to tow the line. It may or may not actually be a good school, and it may or may not be the best school for your child.

lemonbalm · 25/09/2011 12:38

What was most worrying was their failure to take note of my comments. Did they assume I was making it all up?

noblegiraffe · 25/09/2011 12:43

The problem is, lemonbalm, that you are just one parent. That has to be weighed up against all the other evidence Ofsted will have gathered.

Clary · 25/09/2011 12:49

qumquat I don't think anybody is disagreeing that a school we or anyone else may not like can still be rated "outstanding". Certainly there are schools near me rated thus which I would not want my DC to go to, for various reasons.

The OP's point was slightly different (as I understand it) - viz, can a school which gets "inadequate" as a rating for T&L still be graded outstanding overall, and surely the answer is no.

lemonbalm · 25/09/2011 13:09

It was quite serious stuff though. Should've been checked out.

SueNarmy · 25/09/2011 13:12

this is what worries me when you get school specific threads on here.
for one user the school might be a diaster but for everyone else fine
opinions are VERY subjective.
I have read threads on here about a school i know that i KNOW are HUGELY inaccurate and semi slanderous

SueNarmy · 25/09/2011 13:13

the knowing level stuff is old hat knwo it seems ( bloody levels)

no one was asked at an OFSTEd recently

noblegiraffe · 25/09/2011 13:14

I'm intrigued to know what sort of thing you were complaining about. Could you give a hint?

lemonbalm · 25/09/2011 13:17

No. In a word.

SueNarmy · 25/09/2011 13:19

another school I know of the best in the universe or whatever, is very talk and chalk - its oustanding for results, but i think teaching is dull.

noblegiraffe · 25/09/2011 13:23

Then I can't try to help you in the matter of why Ofsted overlooked your complaint :)

If you look at inspection reports, there are usually a couple of parents who put 'strongly disagree' against questions like 'my kid is challenged' 'my kid is safe' 'my kid enjoys school'.

Subjective questionnaire data has to be treated quite cautiously IME.

SueNarmy · 25/09/2011 13:24

yes i know that any EXTREME of parental reply to thsoe inspection surveys usually presumes the parent has an agenda

lemonbalm · 25/09/2011 13:33

No, I assure you it was all put in a letter.

carpwidow · 25/09/2011 15:41

Did you put it in a letter to OFSTED lemonbalm - all parents have the opportunity to write to the inspectors during an inspection.

lemonbalm · 25/09/2011 15:53

Yes, that's my point. I took the opportunity of an Ofsted inspection to indicate to the inspectors what exactly they might care to take a look at, and the result was: "Outstanding". All of us parents were reeling from shock when that rating was announced. I remember one saying to me: "Which school was it that they inspected, then? Certainly not this one."

bibbitybobbityhat · 25/09/2011 15:59

Quite. WAY too much significance is given to Ofsted results in some parents minds, imvho.

I am actually pleased that my dc school is not Ofsted Outstanding - the hoops they would have to jump through to get there 1 And yet there are all these uptight insanely competitive parents at the school who can't stop bleating about it. They are just basically ill-informed and not terribly involved with the school, in the main.

noblegiraffe · 25/09/2011 16:06

Lemonbalm, did you take a look at the results of the parent survey on the ofsted report (it'll be on the web)? If all the parents think the school is crap, it should show up there.

carpwidow · 25/09/2011 16:50

I agree with noblegiraffe . You say "all of us parents were reeling from shock" - OFSTED couldn't have been aware of the high level of parental concern.

quirrelquarrel · 25/09/2011 18:12

My old school was supposed to be outstanding, but it wasn't. Bullying obviously doesn't factor in, because it was absolutely normal there. It made a big fuss about G&T provision, didn't really do anything. Never went above and beyond- when you'd finished something and asked for the next one, you were told to wait until next lesson, next term, next year...
They do get the best results in the city, although I think in recent years it's taken a dip. That's why everyone thinks it's amazing. Maybe I don't know what a rubbish school is like, but the school put on a show for the inspectors and the bullies practically control the teachers. Do your own research.

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