Bollin Primary School

[admission]

Many of you will remember this school appearing on national television for all the wrong reasons when teachers and parents were trying to remove the headteacher and had a party in the heads office. Just after the school was on TV, Ofsted arrived and their inspection report has just been published.

reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/106296

It is a document that needs to be read and shows the state a school can get into. For all those parents and teachers in the school who thought the school was outstanding, you are totally wrong, the school was inadequate not outstanding and had been going down-hill for a considerable period of time. It is a shocking inspection report and the language used in the inspection report could not be more explicit. The head teacher who was being pushed out of the school was right in her assessment of the school.

I think you'll find 8 out of the 12 summary points are completely related to an inadequate head. What's your point?

You could well be right but it certainly is not the substantive head teacher who was appointed to the post in September 2016 who was inadequate. The school has been on the decline for a considerable period of time. Look at the first bullet point under quality of teaching.

"The rapid decline in teaching since the previous inspection is not purely down to recent events and the considerable instability in staffing. It is a result of low aspirations, poor assessment practices and inadequate challenge over time. Weaknesses of teaching are the root cause of rates of pupil's progress falling over a period of years."

My point is the parents and teachers who thought that the arrival of a new substantive head teacher was the cause of everything are not correct. They have been deluding themselves for a considerable period of time about the capability of the school to provide a good or better education to all their pupils.

Is there any change in school since the new interim head joined. We have been offered place but now double minded after reading all this negative publicly.

PS moved to area few months back and put this school on our preference due to previous results. Since then all this issue and ofsted report came out.

Any input on the current situation will be appreciated.

New interim head is fantastic. School has summer fair on Saturday 1st July 12pm till 3pm, a great way to see the school, all welcome.

I really wonder what the point of this original post was? If it was another attempt by a very small and angry element of the school community to spread muck and bad feeling, then isn't it about time you moved on and took the advice of the fantastic new head - move forward positively. The school has an amazing opportunity to really excel with the right person at the helm and great teachers who are determined to make it an outstanding school once again. If the head believes the teachers are fantastic (a view she has openly expressed) then our children are privileged to be taught by them. In my opinion, my child is part of a great school within a wonderful community of parents who are driven to get the best for their children and will stand up for that. I couldn't recommend it strongly enough.

To answer your question mah24 - yes! there has been an immediate change. Substantially, in the messages coming out of the school leadership (they are now open, positive and uplifting) and, more unsubstantially, in the general 'feel' of the playground at pick up and drop off. Teachers are smiling again, as if there has been a weight lifted (despite the Ofsted report), parents are included and communicated with and there is a wave of hope and optimism rippling through the school.
Yes the Ofsted was bad... I mean really bad, and I could pick apart bits of it that were based on what they expected to find or were based on flawed assumptions and the fact that 16 staff members were still suspended during it or some things that were just plain wrong (agh - I got drawn in there, sorry!)... but that's not going to change the report.
The key thing to focus on now is that it was the teaching and learning that was criticised, not the actual teachers (they were given a poor curriculum and not developed), who the head has said are great.
The other positive thing is that now all eyes are turned on the school, it will be given all the support needs to get it back on track. Kylie Sparks is a truly inspiring head and we wish we could keep her, but she is there to do a job - put us back on track - and I'm sure she will do so and leave us in good shape when she hands over the reins.
The kids are still great, the teachers are getting the support and development they need and there is an engaged parent body willing the school to succeed. We'll be back on track in no time! Come on board!