DC school latest OFSTED report, inadequate

[Dillydollydaydream]

Not happy. DC brought home their schools latest OFSTED inspection report today and it is absolutely shocking.
We live in a good area, the primary feeds into an 'ouystanding' secondary school with the best GCSEs locally.

The previous report was good 3 years ago, don't understand why it's gone downhill so much since then?!
There's lots of '4's which is really awful.
The school is holding an emergency meeting for parents Tuesday evening to answer questions and discuss plans to make improvements.

Will they be able to turn things around or am I going to have to look in to trying to move DCs?

Interesting mrz. There is a lot unsaid in the ofsted reports it seems. Would be good for the parents to receive some sort of explanation from teachers if there are instances such as in your school with the notice. Hopefully op will get some sort of explanation at the meeting next week.

We had a lot of parents jump ship at that point and a few have been brave enough to admit they made a mistake.

I suspect that the new HT will be saying that the problems are down to the previous HT, and that the new HT is in the process of implementing changes to improve things.

I would also suspect that the old HT had been able to successfully gloss over some of the problems, but that the new HT has chosen to let it all hang out. After all the new HT can claim to be the new broom sent to put things right - and will be able to take the credit for turning the school around.

Ah-missed that there was a new head teacher, dilly. Nasties hidden under the carpet are often swept out by a new broom!

Has the school been placed in ?Special Measures??
This should be in the document that your child brought home.

This happened to a local school....also in a "good" area. Loads of people left and within a year they had turned it around with support and a new HT. Now there's a waiing list again and it was only18 or so months ago that the bad report came out.

The bad report locally was in part due to a failure to safeguard...holes in the fence and a come in and out as you please plicy at the door...

We were in this position when dd was in yr 3. We were already unhappy with stuff and that was the final straw. Report giving the school a notice to improve was out at 9:00am and by 10:30 am I'd been to look at two other schools and signed her up for one. Picked her up at home time and she didn't go back.

The ofsted was very similar, kids in key stage 2 not making adequate progress, lots of level 4s, poor cva score.

Now with that school the head was booted out fairly swiftly and a new head with a reputation for turning failing schools around was brought in. But she was just as bad. A year later the school got a satisfactory in an ofsted report but all the parents were still as unhappy with various things, mainly teaching standards and poor communication.

It's 2.5 years since that ofsted report, dd is in yr6 and we have just moved her back to this primary school in sept. Only reason we did this was because of it being the feeder school for the secondary that dd wanted to go to. I figured one bad year at primary is worth getting a place at a good secondary. Plus she had made so much improvement at the primary we'd put her into I was happier that even if she went backwards a bit she would still be ok.

Anyway in sept a new head started as well. In the space of a few weeks she has shaken that school up and brought in so much stuff that there is a noticeable difference. Communication is a lot better, a lot of things have been brought in to improve behaviour. The kids seem really keen and fired up. I'm confident that teaching standards are being improved. Im really happy with the school now.

I really think a new head can make a big difference very quickly. If it's the right head.

So I would definetly see how this new head is going to tackle things.

IME a failing school is down to management failure.

Dont be fobbed off with platitudes. Also, dont be fobbed off with 'we have been misjudged' type statements. You want to hear details of specific actions. If you arent satisfied with the messages you hear at the meeting dont be frightened to follow up with emails to the school. As a former governer IME dont be afraid of being a total pain in the arse to the head.

Yes. Going to hear what is said on Tuesday.
I should imagine there'll be plenty of parents there.
Looking at KS2 results back in 2008 they were good, above the average and now theyre well below.
Really don't know what has happened.

Sorry, to answer a previous question. Yes, the school is now on special measures.
The report was horrendous, worst I've ever seen actually!
If I was a perspective parent and I saw that report I wouldn't touch the school with a barge poll! Unfortunately we're already there :(

Is the school taking in children from a wider catchment ... are there a significant number of children moving into the school ...

I expect you are feeling annoyed/upset/angry about being put into 'special measures' but the following is true:-

1. The worst is over, the school is now getting better,
2. The County Education Dept know the problems and will be pouring extra money/time/resources into the school to take it out of special measures
3. the Staff and Governors know the probs and are sorting them out now.

Points to make/ask at the Emergency Meeting
a) Try not to dwell on the Past and complain about what has happened and ask why it happened, that?s all finished with
b) Try to ask about the future and what the new Head intends to do about the problems
c) Since the school was placed in special measures what immediate steps have the Governors taken to improve the situation?
d) What are the next few steps that will happen?
-and breathe-
e) Will the school be fully staffed for Sept?
f) Ask the Chair of Govs, What can we do as Parents to support the school through this process?
g) Ask the Head, What can we do as Parents to support the school through this process?
h) This is a bit of a negative point but depending on how confident you feel and how the meeting is conducted you could explain that the Governing body has seriously let the children down, you clearly hold them responsible and ask how many of them are going to resign.
-or-
I am concerned that the governing body seem to have missed [the reason the school has been put in special measures]. Can you shed some light on how this happened and give some reassurances that our children will not be let down in this manner by the governing body again?
Are any of the governing body (especially the Chair) intend to resign as a result of the failings?

-and breathe again-
i) What Governor vacancies are there? (put your name down!)
j) Read the Ofsted report, pick out the Good Points and thank the school for the Good Points.
k) Are there likely to be any changes in the Senior Teaching Team soon?

• If so - what steps are being taken to recruit experienced teachers?

l) Will the Governors publish the ?Action Plan?? (they should do) m) Finally, make a big effort to be supportive (It's all too easy to criticise and whine). n) What does the school need next (Computers, equipment), how can we help? o) My child said 'insert something nice' he is very happy here - thanks for all that you do

The school will be getting regular inspections (roughly 2 or 3 per year) from Ofsted to check progress

Remember:- Because of the extra money, time and effort, when the school comes out of ?special measures? it will arguably be the best school for miles around.

Try not to be disheartened - keep smiling

Viva Can I ask how your DD has been with the moves? We moved ours this year...year 3....and my have to have another move and then a return in year 6! Not set in stone yet..just curious really...has she fitted back in?

I think moving in yr 3 was the hardest, probably because it was so sudden. She was upset and asked to go back to her old school for weeks. She settled into the new school well and made friends but missed her old ones badly. Though we continued to have her best friend over for tea quite a bit.

She was involved in the decision to come back to the original school and had the final say so I think it was easier. She's settled back in really well, it's like she's never been away.

Has she just slotted back in with her old friends?

Yep, slotted straight back in with the old friends. Had a little ruck with the class bully who was never a friend of hers, but also hadn't caused problems for previously. I think this kid thought the new girl would be a good one to go for. But dd is quite outspoken and won't tolerate it and I was straight in to see the teacher. And dd says they're actually getting on well now.

That sounds good Viva they all get new friends in Hight School anyway! I wont' worry as much!

just to add they have also tightende up the critera for what makes a good or outstanding school

for example dd school lost marks as they feel the playground not intresting enough and becuase there is not enough space in the hall for pe equipment

nothing school can do its a small school 92 dc from 3-11 in 4 classes

We are in Scotland so not OFSTED inspected but the dc school 5 maybe 6 years ago looked good on paper then when the current head started and got inspected it was like other posters have said she let everything all hang out and it looked like the school was doing far worse with her there.
Now the school role has grown massively people come from out of catchment to go there, the nursery got outstanding at their last inspection and the school is due theirs any time now.
The statistics show it as attaining way above the local coucils average and it really is a fantastic amazing school and I would be devestated if the current head left.
I wouldn't jump ship yet I would give the new head a chance to see what they are going to do to turn this around it is definitely possible.

Shell have to get new friends. She surprised us by passing 11 plus, only two others in school have and they're both boys. So now she won't even be going to the comp that we moved her back or. But she's really happy.

Hooray VivasDD ! Just goes to show that an "upheaval" isn't always detrimental!