Chosen primary school but SATS results poor

[toomanywheeliebins]

Viewed the local primary school. It seemed an excellent learning environment and we felt confident about our choice. The KS2 primary results are out and they have really dropped this year. There is a new head but she was barely in post when the exams are taken and I know that broadly results are a poor predictor of your child's future success. What to do?

I think it was 99.6 last time I looked. Report critical in many areas - but did say leadership taking action in right areas

I've PMd you three links. One the parents questionnaire results and one the data dashboard to the school. I think it was a great school where students were stretched but now it's in a state of flux with a new head/deputy/lots of supply teachers. The best you can do is talk to a governor to try and get to the bottom if things.

I wonder if the school previously had very charismatic forward thinking leadership. The old head worked hard, got his ofsted outstanding and is now on his next project somewhere, turning around a bigger failing school.

Thanks Hedgehog. You are bang on the money. Don't want to say too much but the old head was a bit of a 'name'... And perhaps jumped ship when the results started to turn

Personally I would trust your feeling about the school and send your kids there.

Our school went through a change of Head and it was a little rocky for a while. However, I trusted the good quality teaching throughout and now it has come through stronger than ever.

Your support can help with this and you only need to consider a change if it gets significantly worse.

If it helps, we've selected 2 schools which required improvement just 4 years ago. They are now very close to outstanding thanks to new leadership.
However, the council has to be invested in the improvement of these schools too and they have forged close links with outstanding schools in London boroughs in order to share best practice.

Thanks for all comments. We are still really torn. It's clear the school is going through a massive transition. My reading of the OFSTED is there is probably too much to do to put it as 1st choice over the other school we liked (low 5's but 4's at 92% and coming out of a period of transition and poor results after being federated to a group of schools with a solid track record of increasing performance). This is what the original school needs and hopefully will get.