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Original poster

special measures....school failing

41 replies

talcyoyo · 24/05/2007 12:57

Found out last week...
secondary school has just been put on special measures.

Both my dds will attend this september,

Am not stressing.....or should i be?
Anyone got experience of their school 'pulling it's socks up'?

OP posts:
roisin · 24/05/2007 21:42

Kid - I'm not sure what 'notice to improve' is.

"Special Measures" is a specific legal term, which allows the LEA to take control from the SMT of the school and institue all sorts of new things.

It may be that 'notice to improve' is slightly above this.

Has there been a recent Ofsted? What was the overall grading?

If schools get a borderline satisfactory/unsatisfactory Ofsted tend to come back quite quickly on a monitoring visit.

kid · 24/05/2007 21:45

recent OFSTED gave the school notice to improve. They are returning in 6 months time.

Hulababy · 24/05/2007 21:47

I don't know what "notice to improve" means, sorry. I would suspect it means if they don't improve they go into SM.

I think the school report isn't on OFSTED as it is too recent perhaps. Have seen the 2001 report, which is varied with overall attainent lower than expected. So would think that there have been no improvements since that one.

Hulababy · 24/05/2007 21:50

Have just has a look on OFSTED and found this:

Schools causing concern
Ofsted is required to monitor schools causing concern. This includes schools subject to special measures (SM) and schools requiring significant improvement and given a notice to improve (NtI). There are also schools in categories which existed under the old framework known as ?legacy? categories. These include those with serious weaknesses, underachieving or an inadequate sixth form.

So Notice to Improve means there are serious weaknesses and they must sort it out asap and will have another inspection very quickly - in months rather tan year or so. I supect if they don't improve they go into special measures.

kid · 24/05/2007 21:52

thanks, looks like they have to pull their socks up then if they are to avoid SM.

CarGirl · 24/05/2007 21:52

my local secondary school went into special measures about 5/6 years ago it's had a new name, new uniform, lots of money, several heads come and go and it's still bottom of our league tables and it's a very large county!

Hence considering private ........

Original poster
talcyoyo · 24/05/2007 21:53

That very strange.

Both DH and Myself read it online last tuesday evening.

It has now gone

Perhaps they weren't supposed to put in on so soon? and made a mistake?

DH has emailed ofsted to find out

He thinks there is a conspiracy

Anyway,it wasn't good!

OP posts:
tigi · 24/05/2007 21:54

Our primary is a failing school. It was put in special measures last year. mainly due to a poor ks1 teacher, making children behind when they get to ks2, and then having to work like mad. Poor resources, computers etc too, a bad previous headmistress,bad leadership, long since gone. poor lesson plans etc. But school has a fantastic family feel to it and fantastic parent support, no bullying, and a great new headmistress. It has had a lot of money sent to it. experts from other schools sent in. Constant updates to parents. We've had interim report visits from LEA, last one said reception was outstanding. sats results are now up, and we now await a visit any day now to be signed off.
So I'm pleased we stuck with it, although I realise this is a primary not a secondary.

Original poster
talcyoyo · 24/05/2007 21:58

Thats really good to hear Tigi!
Parents play a big part. In my case,there are no reports of extreme or bad behavior, or unwillingness to learn.

This report sates that the children seem happy and very willing! But the management is rubbish!

OP posts:
CarGirl · 24/05/2007 22:00

TBH I think it is the parents that are the problem at my local school, too many of them are just not interested, hence why it hasn't improved. those parents who really care are therefore desperately try and get their children elsewhere so it's a vicious circle.

Original poster
talcyoyo · 24/05/2007 23:25

I'm one of those parents thats always involved..

They'll hate the sight of me!

OP posts:
nappyaddict · 25/05/2007 00:03

yes all the schools round here that have been put in special measures have miraculously turned around and are actually now better than the ones that were at the top before or at least performing as well as the average school.

Original poster
talcyoyo · 25/05/2007 08:11

yay!!!
Thanks Nappys

OP posts:
brimfull · 25/05/2007 08:29

Hmm difficult one.I would be inclined to think of alternatives if it is their senior school years.
Parental invovlment not so straight forward in senior school ime.

deestingsduznotappen · 26/05/2007 13:32

Tigi, - Primary education is the most important. The younger the child is the more their potential progress. It is entirely possible through primary education for the child to develop all skills and resources to enable them to do well at secondary school regardless of how good it is.

lljkk · 27/05/2007 18:55

Local junior school was put in special measures about 3 years ago; the Ofsted report was damning, I've never read one so bad before or since.

Last year they had the best KS2 test results of any school within about 5 miles. Very impressive and rapid turn-around.

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