More headteacher woes.....

[fabsoopergroovy]

Ofsted are in DC old school tomorrow and tuesday.

Parents have been given a parental survey to hand in to teachers so that they can then be handed over to Ofsted inspectors. Because of what has happened re my complaint (previous threads) I have heard and spoken to parents who are really unhappy about handing these surveys back to the teachers because they do not trust the headteacher one inch that their opinions won't be shredded and not even get to the inspectors hands.

How sad is that?

I view it as such a waste of a child's education. As headteachers are expected to set an example to their children they should have integrity, be honest and trustworthy.

I am no longer in that school playground but on past experience I imagine the completion of these surveys are the talk of parents and inevitably the children are around when parents talk. Granted some of the younger ones will not have a clue but the older ones are extremely interested in 'listening' to what parents talk about and then talk between themselves....... and then they look and listen to their headteacher - mixed messages .

Boo hoo.

Are they numbered as an incentive to hand them in for a raffle prize - or should I say - so that the parents can be identified? It's happened at our primary school. You couldn't make it up.
No prizes for guessing there weren't too many reponses and that they were largely positive.

Your cynicism is not unfounded, fabsupergroovy

At our DSs school only certain parents were invited to put in comments to the inspector.

The glowing report did not reflect my views.

We had an awful bullying head at my kids' primary - about 98% of staff, kids & parents unhappy with her (the exception being the Chair of Govs who had a wife just like her & the parents she sucked up to, ie GPs solicitors etc)

But when we had an Ofsted the forms were completely unmarked, went to all parents, & were handed back into school in plain envelopes.

A combination of the forms, the parents' meeting with the chief inspector, & some children's comments, meant that the Ofsted team knew of the feelings & she was made aware of them - but she was "a good manager" so was not disciplined & basically just carried on (with the full support of the Chair )

One teacher did eventually make a complaint but she was bought off with early retirement...it does seem to be bloody hard to get rid of a bad Head

This was over 10 years ago, have things changed since then, do the forms not go to all?

Interesting - when dd's school had an Estyn inspection (Wales) we all got a form and the address to send it direct to Estyn if we wanted (or you could hand it into a box in school if you preferred).

Presumably there's no reason you couldn't write direct to OFSTED? (And of course pass the address on to other parents if you wished . . .)

I was told by a parent governor that the only way a head will lose his/her job is if child abuse is involved - horrible even writing that. Basically they have jobs for life no matter how many complain about them. I well believe it.

In the past I've posted my report to Ofsted. I think Ofsted need to set something like that up rather than the assumption that the school will be completely honest and send all forms in. At the very least if you put something in there that you're not happy with and the school see it you run the risk of it being taken out on your child.

OK, firstly you can ask to see the RgI who is the lead inspector when they are in the school - if you contact Ofsted directly they will send a msg to the RgI.

The comment about removing a head teacher is tosh - there are a number of grounds on which a head can be removed... I know as I have had to do this as a Chair of Governors... it is not pleasant but children get just one chance and I intend to make sure that it is the best chance possible. Like any other complaint you have to follow the process to the letter.

To be perfectly honest I have never inspected a school where questionnaires were interfered with and nor have I ever been on an inspection where every response is sweetness and light and believe me when we do investigate and take great note if a pattern emerges.

I would definately put it in an envelope, maybe hand it to a teacher/member of staff you think will pass it on honestly?

Ponders - the forms do go to all and of course there will always be some in the very best of circumstances who do not return theirs. It is however in this instance widely expected that a high return be made as there has been lots of local press, rumour, debate etc, etc. Nobody will ever know how many are really returned as quite rightly they are not compulsory and are anonymous. A parent has said to me that they have placed the survey in an envelope, sellotaped the envelope and signed through the tape to show the inspector it hasn,t been tampered with. How can you tell someone who has gone to such lengths that her actions won't matter a jot!

LatteLady - thanks a million for your advice. I am really reluctant to go to the school itself but if tomorrow I contact Ofsted and request that a brief email be sent to RgI will she/he get to see it?

All I want to do is to flag the complaint up, the details (they will be shocked at what she has got away with) and the fact that it has been confirmed in writing by LEA as being upheld in full. This is really important, I feel, for them to know from me as from her behaviours since she has returned from her suspension she has lied to parents at a parents meeting (subject of yet another thread!) and as such I am afraid she will give a fictitious version of events to the inspectors.

I'm just curious to know how you knew that the questionnaires you had seen at schools you have inspected had not been tampered with? How do you know that none have been shredded for example?

Sadly, there has been alleged shredding incidents with parental surveys before (witnessed by staff at the time) but these were not part of an Ofsted inspection, just the annual 'what do you think of the school' survey.

Usually because I used to collate the responses and they often used to come in sealed envelopes which contained both positive and negative comments... and on occasion were handed directly to the inspectors. So I could not say definitively that I got to see every single survey but I feel that on balance I really did.

As to questionnaires being shredded, I do that with our parental surveys at the schools where I am Chair, once we have taken the info from them, including the comments, as all our surveys were anonymous it seemed the sensible way to cut down on the mountains of paper that we get.

If you do not feel comfortable calling the school to arrange a meeting with the RgI then call Ofsted on:

0300 123 4666 between 8.00am and 6.00pm... and the Inspectors are normally in school before 8.00am!

Have just been discussing with DH survey tampering and have concluded that if she's going to do it she would have only have been able to do it with those received before cob friday. Obviously she's going to be in a right state from early tomorrow so any received tomorrow (and the deadline is tomorrow) are the safest bet (IMO). (I still can't believe I am even remotely considering all of these possibilities!)

LatteLady - re shredded surveys - take your point - fact is, I wasn't there, but given what kind of things I do know have gone on I just accepted it as fact . (look what she's done to me ).

Since your last post have drafted short email to send tomorrow if I can get Ofsted to either give me an email address to send direct or forward it to inspectors on my behalf. So will be ringing the phone number you have quoted before my eyes are open in the morning!

Thankyou again for your help and will keep you posted as to how it all goes.

Just a quick update. Spoke to Ofsted this morning (was given 4234 number by 4666) and they suggested I forward an email to them and they would forward to RgI within 24 hours.

Haven't had email acknowledged yet but am crossing my fingers.

Thanks for your help. As long as I am happy with myself that I have done everything I possibly can to replace the school on the map (IYSWIM) then I can sleep at night.

If anyone else has any further suggestions please feel free as I would love to hear them.