Special measures primary is becoming an academy, what does this mean?

[dollyplumislotsoffun]

My son is due to start preschool in sept aged 3, the local small village school is in special measures after a rubbish ofsted (4-inadequate for everything). I was trying to relax about this and hope that they will turn it around in time for reception year. I've just found out they are becoming an academy, what does this mean? Is that worse?

It is likely they will become part of an academy chain who will be supporting them to move them from special measures to good. It won't make it worse can only get better!

I work at a school that is in special measures and we are joining an academy chain. The chain are providing a lot of support already and I can see improvements in the school. It isn't automatically worse. Have a look at the Ofsted monitoring reports, they are usually termly. Also if the school is joining a chain have a look at other schools and see what they are like. A lot can change in a year. What did it say about early years in the report?

Early years was deemed good, BUT the reception teacher has just retired ??

If a non-academy goes into special measures, it's almost certainly to become a sponsored, federation or chain academy anyway. The point about special measures is that it's a judgement that the school is incapable of improvement; if the inspectors had confidence in the governors and senior management it would have a notice to improve, rather than being put into special measures.

That's interesting. Have looked at the academy who are taking it on, they have a really difficult caseload and have achieved good with outstanding elements. Hopefully they have a lot to share with our little shit school