As a parent do you regard Ofsted ratings as important?

[MrsMarigold]

I couldn't give a damn as I think the reports don't look at what is really important to me, but I know some parents use it as a basis for school selection which I find worrying.

Goldmandra- you're bang on about outstanding schools being poor with additional needs

As a teacher whose school was ripped to shreds by OFSTED, I don't think much of them at all. They very often have an agenda. I won't say more or I'll go off on a rant!

My dd's primary school is only 'good' but it's perfect for her. She is in a nurturing environment where she is more than just a statistic. There are several so called outstanding schools that I wouldn't touch with a bargepole near us.

I read lots and lots of Ofsted reports because DH visits lots of schools.
The headline numbers are meaningless, but once you learn to read the code, the text can be useful.

My dc primary school is ofsted outstanding rating and it has lived up to being outstanding for my dc. They are in yrs 5 & 6 now so nearly finished in primary education. It was however only satisfactory when they first started there but with a new head it really improved. Amazing how over subscribed it is now so a lot of weight is carried by the rating around here.

No I don't - I also work in Education and two of my friends work as Ofsted Inspectors.

It's important to remember that some Ofsted reports may be quite out of date, if the school hasn't been expected recently. Also, some inspectors, particularly the outsourced ones, let their own biases about how schools should teach, for example, affect their comments and the overall grade. They are not supposed to do this now, but it was happening until fairly recently, and probably still happens. I know of one fairly recent report that even praised the school for using "look and guess" strategies to teach reading!

I agree that the overall grade doesn't tell you much, but that it can still be useful to look at the comments. They got out local middle school bang to rights about low expectations and the lack of writing opportunities - something all the parents I know had been complaining about.

The Ofsted reports for the nursery I used and current childminder make no mention of any of the things I feel are most important in eyfs care for my dc - most notably no reference to the genuine warmth and affection with which the DC are treated which was key for me. I only read them after my DC joined, and tbh nothing in the reports altered my view of my experience of the settings.

At primary I had choice of new school, good and outstanding. Chose the outstanding, not because of its Ofsted (hadn't read it), but because it seemed to best suit my DC. So far so good.

At secondary, catchment school is good I think. My view is more based on experiences of the tens of older siblings of DC friends already there. Almost entirely positive and as school is local, results OK and DC will have friends there that will do me. If Ofsted changes to RI, think experience of those there will guide me as to whether or not it matters.

A definite no from me. Due to DH's job we move around a fair bit. DC are now in their third school at 8 and 7. The latest is an 'outstanding' and I do not like it one bit. I will never, ever take an OFSTED report into consideration again. DC are settling ok, but it lacks in a community feel. Difficult to describe really, it's very much based on meeting targets and statistics. Almost like it strives to give OFSTED exactly what they want, as opposed to what the children need. DC's teacher looked aghast when I told her I had no interest in SATS and how DC may perform. All I want is for DC to be happy and confident decision makers who most of all, enjoy learning.

Yes from me, because it stops the close-to-retirement head of our "Good" primary from sitting back and resting on her laurels. And it stops our Local Authority from being complacent about schools that "Require Improvement".

I think the vast majority of Ofsted reports I have read do reflect the school although the difference between good and outstanding is not always evident. Schools do not fail an Ofsted inspection for poor administration. It will be something far more important and usually concerns quality of teaching and learning and progress being made by the children. It is not necessarily about results, but far more about children making progress and the leadership of the school being capable of making improvements. The new ofsted framework is very concerned about pupil progress and schools need to demonstrate the children they have make good or excellent progress. Surely all parents want this? It is also very difficult (impossible) for any parent to judge this when they look round a school.

The report is only a snapshot and up to date information should be available as to how well a school is improving. Parents should ask for this information if they are concerned. Ofsted cannot (and do not) look in detail at pastoral care but will look at behaviour, attendance, leadership, governance, and safeguarding arrangements. Spending of the pupil premium to close the gap is also a big push at the moment. As a parent, would you not want to know if the school used this money effectively?

Most schools work hard but not all work effectively. Ofsted reports should be used in conjunction with a visit to the school and can prompt your questions. Only fairly recent ones are a good guide though. Schools change.

I wouldn't make decision for a school made entirely on an OFSTED report.
It's a combination of everything the ofsted report,the atomsohere of the school who are the children who attend, what are the teachers like when you speak to them. The school ethos facilities class sizes

Another thing ive learnt is not to listens too much about other people experiences / opinions of schools as it's different courses for different horses

It's a useful starting point if you read( and read between the lines of) the report.

But so many other factors come into play.

Yes, in relation to nurseries for now.

I have seen many nurseries and those that were outstanding in ofsted ratings really are very very different!

No. In fact I'd be put off by an "outstanding" rating because I'd think the staff were too busy jumping through hoops to please Ofsted.

Take with a pinch of salt tbh, they remind me of hv's all mad :)

No. I chose the school with the best fit for my ds. We tried the local school (SM) so he could walk there and make friends locally but it didn't work for us as the school was all over the place and too carefree without much structure. Moved him out to a good school with a clear daily structure and stricter behaviour parameters and he's happy as that's what fits his personality (quiet, creative, likes to know what is expected of him). Different schools suit different personalities. Dd is in the attached nursery to ds and seems very happy.

I find the existence of ofsted reports better than the alternative (no reports at all). At the very least, it is a very easy to access document with information about the composition of the alumni and the overall results. This may seem very 'normal' for people who have only lived in the UK.
As a foreigner I found it extremely useful to have this 'summary'. I visited many schools before choosing a primary for my kids. I disliked the 'outstanding' one closer to me. All about discipline, uniform, not bringing the kids with us during the open day [hmmm] etc. Could not be further away from what I consider important in a primary school.
However, the ofsted reports were very useful indeed.

As a teacher, not in the slightest - they're not worth the paper they're written on quite frankly. I've worked in a good school, an inadequate school and a requires improvement school (that according to OFSTED is rapidly improving at the moment). Good school was admittedly a nice school - but coasted and was selective with its intake. The 'inadequate' school was a great comprehensive that was trying to do the best for the students, had the only really decent SLT I've ever worked for and would have happily sent a future child of mine there in a heartbeat. The RI school that OFSTED have given a glowing monitoring report stating about all their improvements and moving towards being a good school is in reality dreadful, and I would homeschool a child before sending it there!

I would say tour the school, speak to the current parents (and students) and overall trust your gut instinct.

Ofsted make their judgement purely on data. This is why the Trojan a Horse schools in Birmingham originally got outstanding ofsteds inspite of unspeakable failings. The only thing that is seriously looked at is progress almost to the point of autism.

Inspectors do not have time to use their eyes or spend enough time assessing a school. It is very easy for an ascute head to completely pull the wool over an inspector's eyes.

In an ideal world I would not choose to send a child to an ofsted inadequate school. The turnover of staff is just too high. My daughter's school has recently moved from inadequate yo requires improvement. Personally I think the school has got worse. My idea of a good school is different to OFSTED.

Nah. Ofsted claim that they measure things which are just not measurable. Everyone who has anything to do with education knows this. The problem is that many parents want to believe in Ofsted and it suits those with authority to maintain the pretence.

You can't really read between the lines of an ofsted report as there is no implication, just opinions stated as though they are fact using predetermined statements. This is why you will read nonsensical statements such as: This school requires improvement as it is not yet good.

Ofsted is the best tool we have at the moment for assessing a school. As a parent the only thing you can do is to visit.

Different people have different ideas of what makes a good education.

No. Misleading mostly

A bit. My children's pre school is ofsted outstanding and really is exceptional. Our first school was good and I thought it utterly failed my dc. Our second school has no rating (new) but whatever it gets I do think it is outstanding.

Also 'a bit'. I'm wary of both ends of the scale, make me want to look more carefully/probe more but not more than that.

My dds' school is and has always been good with outstanding features, and tbh I feel very comfortable with that - not too focussed on attainment at expense of amazing ethos and happy, interested kids but aware and working hard at getting better all the time.