Ofsted report - is it worth putting more detailed comments in the parents' questionnaire?

[backtolingle]

Ofsted come to our school on Thurs and the parent questionnaire has come round.

DS2 turned out to have some pretty substantial special needs when he started the school 18 months ago and, to cut a very long story short, his life chances have been transformed thanks to the nursery manager backed and led by the head.

There's a small box, large enough for about 3 sentences. Do you think it's important to put something in about all they've achieved with DS2? It's hard to know how to put it in such a small space- presumably they don't want an essay. But it's only when your child is in trouble that you find out what a school is really made of so presumably this kind of thing is quite important?

Anyone got inside ofsted info? or should I just say "Yes, they do lots of sports and music and school trips" LOL

I would put it in - you never know, they might pass on some of the comments to the management team, even informally.

Could you write your comments in full on a separate sheet and attach it to the questionnaire?

do - our school was inspected end of last year. I did the questionnaire thinking waste of time.

Report was published the other week and I was surprised at how much attention was paid to parental comments and we also got the opportunity to have a brief individual with the Inpectorate team.

Yes, I would - our recent OFSTED report included (anonymous) quotes from the parents' questionnaire, which were much appreciated!

We put appreciative comments in about how dd's special needs have been met and they were quoted verbatim in the Ofsted report, so clearly worth doing.

It's definitely worth doing but perhaps you could provide a copy for the nursery manager too so s/he can see what you've passed on. That way if Ofsted keep it to themselves the nursery manager will have the personal satisfaction of having his/her praises sung by a parent... s/he may need it depending on the grilling s/he gets especially if the inspecting team don't have any experience of their own in the nursery.

Yes, tell the Ofsted inspector, add a page, they take notice of all comments received.

Also, pleeeeeese make a point of telling the school. (It may be argued this is more important.) It?s all too easy to complain and criticise, the school gets loads of that but getting a letter that tells of something positive, something going really well, is a welcome fillip for the staff.

that's very helpful, thank you.

I did make detailed comments, for similar reasons to the OP, and the comments were included in the report. Our primary school is such a lovely caring community, it's made such a difference to my little girl and our family. I think that a lot of parents made similar supportive comments and the staff were very grateful at the time!

thanks Shoshana.

DH is a uni. lecturer adn DH and I have just realised that he is spending the whole day at the school on the second of the inspection days teaching Year 6 and Year 5 about Charles Darwin.

Eeek! No pressure DH!