Ofsted RI March 2020 - when will they revisit?

[Ementlie]

We are looking to move to Norfolk and the only secondary school that has places for both of my DC has an Ofsted RI report dated March 2020, so just before Covid. The Ofsted website states that schools receiving RI will be revisited with 2.5 years but this one looks to have had nothing since in over 4.5 years.

I get that Covid has delayed inspections but I can see other schools that have been reinspected where their previous inspection was more recent than that when they previously received RI or good. It seems odd, so could it be a mistake? I have tried asking the school but not received a response.

I know that Ofsted isn’t everything but I am trying to gauge the school on very little other information.

No answer to your question, but I would look to local sources for more info. Is there a Facebook group for the local area where you can ask for honest opinions?

Any minute, I would think. The school will be on full alert for the next visit this term.

I have tried local Facebook groups today and the main response seems to be that people send their DC to other schools, which I guess is why this one is the only one with places. Also, a comment that people joke that the school must have contacts high up at Ofsted, hence the lack of inspections!

My DC attend a school which was recently placed in special measures, and we are very happy ‐the judgement does not reflect our experience at all.
The amount of time since your prospective school's last inspection is weird; usually schools in RI or special measures can't wait for re-inspection and the chance to bring their rating back up having implemented school improvement recommendations. Staff who don't jump ship but stay working in RI or SM school are usually dedicated professionals who care deeply about their school, anyone else would normally be managed out in the process. Look deeper than the one-word judgement (soon to be a thing of the past) and go with your gut.

It is weird - looking at Ofsted there doesn’t seem to be a state secondary school in any area with an older RI rating, so maybe it is a mistake. As I said, I get that Ofsted ratings aren’t everything but the statistics for last year show a progress 8 score of -0.38 and grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs of 32%, which obviously aren’t great either.

We really need to make this move to be nearer to family, so I’m a bit concerned.

The school may have been re-inspected recently, but not recently enough for the report to show on the website, especially if the school has challenged any of what is written. Or potentially an inspection was deferred, which can be done in very exceptional circumstances(the list is on the Ofsted website). Most likely, it is due to be inspected soon.

Have you actually read the whole report? The one/two-word findings are often misleading. Look at what the school was told it needs to do to improve. You may find that these are things that the school has already dealt with years ago, or that don’t impact on your children or that you don’t consider relevant.

I have found out now that the school hasn’t been reinspected at all yet but nobody locally seems to know why and I can’t find the list of deferred inspections on Ofsted’s website to see if it has been deferred/why. Local opinion seems to be that it has somehow fallen off Ofsted’s radar, maybe due to the previous inspection being as Covid lockdowns were kicking in, and to avoid it if possible.