Tell me about KS1 stuff if your dc go to an ofsted outstanding primary please

chatworth · 2011-02-19T22:47:46+00:00

I just want to know what an 'outstanding' school is like in terms of: - how frequently the kids read - individually and in groups - how much communication there is about what they are learning - how differences in ability are managed. Tia

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ImNotaCelebrity · 19/02/2011 22:58

My DS goes to an 'outstanding' school. He is in year 2. He is never heard reading individually by his class teacher, only in guided reading once a week. Beyond the first parents' information meeting of the year, there has been no information about what they are learning other than what my son tells me. They set for maths across the year group, and for English and guided reading within the class.

Why do you want to know?

ImNotaCelebrity · 19/02/2011 22:58

My DS goes to an 'outstanding' school. He is in year 2. He is never heard reading individually by his class teacher, only in guided reading once a week. Beyond the first parents' information meeting of the year, there has been no information about what they are learning other than what my son tells me. They set for maths across the year group, and for English and guided reading within the class.

Why do you want to know?

bibbitybobbityhat · 19/02/2011 23:00

But why do you want to know?

beagle101 · 19/02/2011 23:11

My DD is in yr1 in an 'outstanding' school. She isn't heard reading in a traditional sense - the kids take it in turns to read from the board or read out the instructions in group projects etc.

The communication is what I would call dire but I suspect that this is because I just want to know EXACTLY what is going on in my pfb's life and her usual comments of 'just stuff Mum' drives me nuts - to be fair we have a parents evening each term, they do a few 'sharing assemblies' where we find out about the topics they have been studying - oooh and once a term we get a newletter with photos about what they have been doing - hmmm not bad really I should get a grip!

DD's class is a mix of yr1 and yr2 (small school) and they do stream, I know for maths they work in small groups of about 6 based on ability, the same with literacy and science projects, where the teacher moves between a couple of groups, the TA akes another gorup and then a specialist teacher (eg maths) takes another gorup.

Why do you ask?

Original poster

chatworth · 19/02/2011 23:11

Because I want to compare to the DC's school and see what the difference is and what the benchmark is for becoming outstanding.

OP posts:

bibbitybobbityhat · 19/02/2011 23:12

But why do you want your dc school to become outstanding?

PatriciaHolm · 19/02/2011 23:15

There are a million reasons one school could be outstanding and another good, these things may not have anything to do with it. For example, our school is good with many outstanding features, yet the kids in Y1 are read with every week, communication is great, and ability tables seem to work well.

AbigailS · 19/02/2011 23:24

I teach at an "outstanding" school, so ...

how frequently the kids read -

We aim to hear every KS1 anfd lower KS2 child read every week, this might be 1 to 1 or in a guided reading group. Home reading books get changed three times a week if they have read them.

how much communication there is about what they are learning.

We send a class newsletter home every term outlining our topics. Several times a year, as a whole school, we run a curriculum evening when we talk to parents about how we teach a particular curriculum subject (mainly Literacy, numeracy, science & ICT. We also have curriculum content and links on our VLE

how differences in ability are managed.

In brief; by using assessment to plan differentiation in teaching sessions. TAs run intervention groups for children that needed it. Gifted and Talented workshops for more able pupils.

ImNotaCelebrity · 19/02/2011 23:31

Wish I knew what the benchmark is! I've been through 5 Ofsteds so far. I've worked in 'very good' schools (with the old classification system) that I'd have classed as satisfactory, and 'satisfactory' schools that I'd class as good to outstanding.
Not sure why you're so bothered chatworth. One of our local schools (600+ children, and who knows how many staff) was classed outstanding on its last inspection on the say so of one inspector who visited for one day. Oh, and their inspection was done before Ofsted changed all their criteria, so inspections before a certain date are not comparable to more recent inspections locally. Load of old bs IMO! Unless the schools are truly awful, sensible parents read, take with a pinch of salt, and visit to find out the truth!
Can you tell I'm not a fan?!

ImNotaCelebrity · 19/02/2011 23:31

Wish I knew what the benchmark is! I've been through 5 Ofsteds so far. I've worked in 'very good' schools (with the old classification system) that I'd have classed as satisfactory, and 'satisfactory' schools that I'd class as good to outstanding.
Not sure why you're so bothered chatworth. One of our local schools (600+ children, and who knows how many staff) was classed outstanding on its last inspection on the say so of one inspector who visited for one day. Oh, and their inspection was done before Ofsted changed all their criteria, so inspections before a certain date are not comparable to more recent inspections locally. Load of old bs IMO! Unless the schools are truly awful, sensible parents read, take with a pinch of salt, and visit to find out the truth!
Can you tell I'm not a fan?!

ImNotaCelebrity · 19/02/2011 23:33

Someone PLEASE tell me why my messages keep posting twice?!!!

ImNotaCelebrity · 19/02/2011 23:33

Someone PLEASE tell me why my messages keep posting twice?!!!

Original poster

chatworth · 20/02/2011 03:23

I'm not bothered per se but am interested in the difference between say, a satisfactory school and an outstanding one.

OP posts:

AbigailS · 20/02/2011 08:37

Have you seen this Chatworth?

www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Forms-and-guidance/Browse-all-by/Other/General/Evaluation-schedule-of-judgements-for-schools-inspected-under-section-five-of-the-Education-Act-2005-from-September-2009

spanieleyes · 20/02/2011 08:40

The Weather!

Can be as simple as that. If the Inspector is in a good mood, you get Outstanding, if it rains on the way in, you're down to Good. There can be no rhyme or reason with Ofsted, one inspector can like a particular aspect ( we were praised for the innovative and exciting activities we provide, a local school who does a very similar thing was slated by a different inspector for being off curriculum!)

skiphopskidaddle · 20/02/2011 08:50

DS1 goes to an outstanding school. Teacher hears him read every week. Another adult (TA or parent helper) hears him read every other day. At the start of every term we are sent a sheet of information on what our child will be learning that term and how we can help them at home. School newsletter sent home weekly. It's a school with mixed age classes, so YR and Y1 mixed, but every morning they are separated for their phonics/literacy into the year groups of 8 or 9. With such small year groups, the ability thing is dealt with on a child-by-child basis, and some children work on some subjects with groups of older or younger kids.

mrz · 20/02/2011 09:58

you aren't going to find a standardised Outstanding school unless they are in the same catchment area and were inspected by the same team of inspectors.

and you could visit a satisfactory, a good and an outstanding school and discover there isn't any real difference between them.

IndigoBell · 20/02/2011 10:06

If you a regular on here you will have picked up loads and loads of tips which might improve your school. But there is very little you as a parent can do about it....

Are you trying to improve the whole school? Or just ensure your children get a good education? Or are you actually trying tonged your school an outstanding rating?

Getting your own children a good education is comparatively simple to do. Getting an outstanding rating is not the right goal to have. And improving the whole school is a great goal to have - but almost impossible to achieve as a parent.

If you want to improve things make sure you stick to your sphere of influence.

choccyp1g · 20/02/2011 10:19

Surely Charsworth is trying to CHOOSE a school, and wanting to work out if the "outstanding" label means she can assume certain standards are guaranteed?
From the various posts it would seem not.

Original poster

chatworth · 20/02/2011 16:29

Of course I'm not trying to make the existing school outstanding. That's not my job.

I am not that happy with the dc's school and it has a satisfactory rating. I wondered just how much better outstanding ones are or if my expectations are a little unrealistic.

Sounds like it's all a bit hit and miss and not worth taking too much notice of then?

OP posts:

Original poster

chatworth · 20/02/2011 16:29

exactly as choccypig says.

OP posts:

mrz · 20/02/2011 16:31

An Ofsted report tells you what the inspection team saw on the days they visited combined with the previous year's SAT results and the SEF form ...

IndigoBell · 20/02/2011 16:34

Your expectations probably aren't wrong.

Schools do vary enormously and there are def ones that are better and worse.

The problem is how to find out which the good ones are....

roadkillbunny · 20/02/2011 17:25

My dd goes to an 'outstanding in all areas' school (small village primary, one form intake, class size never bigger then 24) and she is in Y1.
They are heard reading either individually with teacher, a TA or parent helper or guided reading once a week.
Communication is fairly good, start of every school year is a meeting where copies of the planned years curriculum and topics are given along with the general goals for the year. Parents evening at the end of autumn and Spring term and then reports at the end of the year. School has an open door policy, if there is something you need to talk about quickly you can see the teacher every morning, if it is something you need more time/privacy for then a meeting can normally be arranged for after school that day. Termly class news letters are given (an a whole school weekly one) and through the term we will get little letters about special project work they may be doing.
The children are not split in to ability grouping yet they are quick to identify if a child is struggling with something and then work quickly and effectively to address it, children who are very able are stretched and given appropriate extension work. As there are no ability tables children all see themselves are equals who each have different strengths in the class room. My dd has had problems with her reading due to speech problems and school have been fantastic in helping her without making her feel like she is struggling, I also know the parents of the most able children (and a couple of them are very, very bright) are more then happy with the teaching.

Bubbamumma · 20/02/2011 17:43

DS is in reception in an 'outstanding' village school. He's heard reading every day by a TA or the teacher (teacher probably twice a week). Communication not very good formally, but quite good informally if you seek it out. Not sure how differences in ability are dealt with as it's only reception, but DS's strengths have definitely been recognised and he is doing separate work in those areas.