How can Ofsted and SATs be sooo different?

[sheeplikessleep]

DS1 is 3 and a half (starting school next September), so you'll have to bear with me that this is all a learning curve for me, in terms of what stats matter in school choice.

The local school (and there is only just 1 school within 4 or 5 miles as we live in a village) has had satisfactory Ofsteds for the last 2 or 3 visits. The headteacher has just retired after 20 years and the 'grapevine' is that he was quite bored and complacent by the end. The new head is apparently much 'stricter' and quite determined to turn the school around (she's been in two terms now).

The SATs have gone up last year from 74% up to 84% (% level 4 in both english and maths) and the average point score has gone from 27.1 to 29.4.

BUT, the latest ofsted (in January) still got a satisfactory (I would have thought out of the two, the SATs would lag behind Ofsted in terms of improving with a new head?).

Can anyone give me any advice or thoughts as to why Ofsted and SATs might be so different? Which of the two is a better indicator? Another mum mentioned to me this morning that she isn't that impressed with the quality of the teaching there, but other mums seem more happy.

Any thoughts or advice appreciated. Sorry for waffle!

Have a look at the Ofsted reports and see what areas are good etc and what they need to work on.
Look at the value added score.
Wait until you get to look around and see what it feels like.

Because Ofsted measure on more than just results. SATS results can turn around pretty quickly if the head is really pushing them and encouraging lots of practice tests etc. You can 'teach to the SATS' if you so wish. The other things that Ofsted look at, such as ethos and how happy and secure the children feel, how engaged they are with their teaching etc, can take longer.

the latest report seems quite upbeat, with 'improving' used a lot.
the value added score is 99.7, but i'm trying to work out how this is calculated and whether this is good or not?
yeah, i do need to go and look around the school too. just wondering whether we need to start thinking of looking at other schools and potentially moving (agh! don't want to do this, but ds1 in particular needs 'pushing' into things so far - potty training, getting dressed, attention etc etc, that makes me realise i need a school that is going to push him too, in a nice way!)

Have a look at the other OFSTED thread in active convos today. Explains a lot how ofsted works and how it has changed recently.

thanks for posting.

bibbity - interesting thread, i missed that, thanks.

A value added of over 100 is good.

I wouldn't worry too much. The school sounds fine.

It's 7 or 8 years before your child reaches Y6 and becomes part of the 'stats' for SATS. Over that length of time all schools change.

If it's your local school, and it seems reasonable - go for it.

thanks for posting.

bibbity - interesting thread, i missed that, thanks.