How important are Ofsted reports? I'm worried!

[LauraM72]

Hi
I have 3 boys at our local Primary, where I am also a parent governor. They had an Ofsted just before my eldest joined (he is in year 4) ans it was Satisfactory overall with some 2s and mainly 3s. The 2s were for pastoral care and the 3s for teaching and learning. The school has a big SEN group and I have discovered through being a governor that they really focus on that and not on the more able children. This concerns me more as my boys go up the school as they are bright and my eldest labelled as 'gifted and talented' although this appears to be just a label with no action.....
The school have just had another inspection and this Ofsted report is actually worse and says the school has shown no improvement in teaching and learning.
A new headteacher started this Sept so I am not sure what difference this will make. The previous head claimed that the school would never do well with Ofsted because of being so 'inclusive' and having such a large SEN (and hearing impaired) group and that basically the Ofsted report inaccurately represented the standards at the school. Bit of a cop out I think, and I got very frustrated in governors meetings asking about teaching standards and getting no real answers.
We have been planning to move areas for secondary schools, but I was going to at least wait until the end of this school year. Now I am thinking I should try and move them to a better school asap. They are happy at school, and have nice friends and have said they don't want to change schools when we discussed it with them.
What do you think? Should I wait to see what this new head does, or take the Ofsted report very seriously and look elsewhere.
Thanks v much for your advice.
L

Can I ask if this school is Sutton/Croydon?

Hi auntevil. No, school is in Redbridge.

I don't really know about Ofsted reports. Our dds are at a local primary school with very good reports. We are moving them however because, despite the emphasis on learning, it is run by a deluded dragon. I have tried not to mind, as it's not me that has to go to school, but it is a sad thought that dd1 has no friends at school, and for me as a parent it is a horrible place. So... As far as I'm concerned, Ofsted isn't everything.

If you have concerns, I think it would be sensible to raise them with the head and see how they react. The teaching standards will rely strongly on both the teachers, how they are led, and their morale. Any school will be likely to have a particular interest, and you should be able to find out what it is. Perhaps SEN is what they specialise in?

I'd say that the previous Head Teacher is very wrong. Where I work has results that are about 60% L4 across the board each year and the majority are SEN. They are graded outstanding.

I wouldn't panic...are yur children happy? Can you afford a tutor to fill in any gaps?

If you are planning on a better scondary then why worry to much? The secondary will help your DC's to catch up....in my experience the most important thing is the DC's happiness generally...and help from home.

I agree that you raise concerns with the head...you may find she has implemented changes already.

How are your children doing personally?

A lot of schools focus on the lower achieving children and dont focus on the above average. As long as the kids are "on target" thats all that seems to matter. (Sorry teachers, just my personal experience).

Only you know how the school operates and being on the Board gives you a massive insight as to what is good, bad, indifferent.

My kids have been at several schools (because of relocations) and the best one had the worst Ofted report because they refused to comply with the "rules" and offered a fantastic facility for the children to be nurtured and developed and wouldnt focus on passing exams, just developing each child on a one-one basis. The school that got a fantastic Ofsted was the one that all kids were drilled for SATs and are high on the SATS tables and it was very much more strict and less learn through play.

I think your consideration needs to take into account that the next school might have a great Ofsted report, but will they develop and progress your own children any better.

Given that you have two OFSTED reports basically saying the same thing, I would be tempted to say it is likely to be a true reflection of the school.
A new head has the ability to make big changes to the school for good or maybe not do anything at all. Clearly having joined in September they will only just have found out what the school is about. My temptation would be to start asking about what the school is going to do to address the recommendations in the OFSTED report. As a governor this would be perfectly reasonable and you can make your own mind up based on what is said.
I would hope that a new head will come up with a set of new policies to address the issues as a matter of priority. Having said that the school cannot be that bad because if it was OFSTED would have been putting the school into special measures.

Thanks very much for your replies. We have a Governors meeting in a couple of weeks, so it will be good to ask some questions and see how the new Head reacts to the report. My boys are happy and settled at the school, and are entusiastic about what they are learning, and I really agree with the advice that this is such an important part of their primary school life. I just wish I had more faith in the standards of teaching aswell, I would love to feel that they are being challenged, but I think it is more likely that they are abit bored.
I think the other problem is that if we did decide to move schools, there are unlikely to be places for all 3 of them in a decent school anyway. So it might be that we are abit stuck!
Thanks again for replying.

Laura - if you want to drop me a note, I am a former Ofsted inspector and have been a school governor for 20 years. If you let me know the name of your school, I will have a look at the report and explain what Ofsted are saying... sometimes it is not what they write but more around what is not included, and don't forget that the language that is used is heavily moderated.

Given you have a new head then it is a whole new set of rules. The new head will be fully aware of the ofsted results and will be making it a priority to deal with the biggest issues.

As a governor you can help shape the changes needed - one thing you can start with is pointing out the gifted (or just bright) children also have SEN and that needs to be built in to the ethos of the school.

If you kids are happy then I would stick with it for the moment and give the new head a chance to make some changes. As a governor I would very much keep an informed watching brief as to what is changing.

Is the head a new head or an experienced one ?

I agree with LatteLady that you have to read between the lines in Ofsted reports. My children are at a 'failing' school - but are doing really well. The comments in the report read 'good' and 'satisfactory' - but still couldn't make the grade. The school has a much higher than average SEN and SN %. In my son's year they have a SEN child that is doing brilliantly - and others much less so. I do sometimes wonder if some Ofsted inspectors deem some inclusive, non rigid school regimes ineffective just because they don't focus on SATS results and league tables.

Hi LatteLady. Thanks, it would be great to have your feedback on the report. It has so far been sent to the school as draft (and I have had feedback as a governor) and is due to be published next week. What is the best way to let you know the name of the school?

Hi throckenholt. I did have high hopes that as a governor I would be able to help make changes at the school, but I have found it so frustrating. A 'curriculum and learning committee' was set up, which I joined, but we have only ever had one meeting due to workload of the staff governors. I have mentioned the issue of challenging the gifted children at nearly every meeting and was just told by the previous Head that this is an area being 'developed' in the school. The new Head has been a deputy at a large school similar to ours and then he was a Head at a smaller village school where it seems he did a very good job.

Thanks auntevil. I know you are right about the rigidity of ofsted, and it is only a snapshot of what goes on at the school. I think my concern mainly is that, without being challenged, the brighter children will get bored and lose their enthusiasm. And the teachers I have encountered just don't seem to take this concern seriously. My eldest son in year 4 was told at the beginning of this year that he is one of the best readers in the school, which is great, but now I have to make sure we challenge him at home so he doesn't get complacent and think he doesn't even have to try now.

ok - well time to talk to the new head and the chair of governors about getting the committees up and running (not having that will feed into bad ofsted reports too).

Staff being there is not an issue - as long as the head is and you get opportunities to liaise with staff. Our curriculum has one staff governor - the rest are non-staff.

Sounds like the head of governors isn't very proactive.

Laura - Have sent you a PM.

A new Head can make an enormous difference, even in the space of a year.