Ofsted report - how bad can it be?

[dinkystinkyandveryverybored]

DS1's school had its ofsted inspection a couple of weeks ago - still not published. The school and governors have called an emergency meeting with parents to discuss it - all they have said to date that it did not go as well as might be hoped. Anyone have any idea what the delay, and the calling of an emergency meeting, might mean? The last ofsted report was satisfactory with room for improvement - could this one maybe mean special measures?

Brief update - nearly 2 months on and head teacher has gone (early retirement), both deputy heads have gone (and head of literacy is going) and around 17-20 other teachers are leaving at the end of term - consultant head teacher (brought in by the governors) who works a part time role is giving the school a real shake up and mixing classes, focusing on discipline and compliance - presumably so that come September the new world order, focusing on the various things that have come out of the Offsted report, can start in earnest.

Sounds a bit like what happened at DDs school - went into special measures after she was given her place. New HT parachuted in, several teachers moved on, old HT 'retired'.

Lots of changes, I am still keeping an eye on things but it seems to be ok, came back out of SM very quickly.

Hopefully there will be more news soon, they (Ofsted) do monitoring visits quite often during special measures

Wow dinky that sounds like real kill or cure stuff! How is DS1 taking such wholesale change? It does sound like the LEA are determined to get the school back on it's feet and achieving well. Which would sound great except that you'd always found the teaching good before.

I think the kids are really unsettled to be honest - DS1 keeps coming home and telling me x is gone, y is gone, there are none of the old teachers there now. Not sure how he'll react to having his class mixed up with other kids from the year (its a 3 class intake) either.

:( Poor kids. Hopefully it will all settle down by September and they can start enjoying school again.

Another update - school started up last week and at the end of last week we got a note home saying that the Dept of Education has been in touch about turning the school into an Academy. To say I'm unhappy is an understatement - the teachers worked so hard last year to pull up standards and have been under constant ofsted inspection: this term they seem to be thoroughly demotivated as a result of the Academy risk - and the school still cant recruit new good teachers (or a new Headmaster or deputy Head)!

I think the inspection had an ulterior motive [cynical]

You and me both Ylandes - I am absolutely furious at the Government for putting our kids through a year of unrest and uncertainty, demotivated teachers, a worn out parent and governor body base and total upheaval. Not the best way to help them feel secure and happy in their learning environment - and definitely not the best way to inspire a desire for learning and aspirations to do the best they can!

Whether you like the policy or not, schools going into special measures are more than likely to end up becoming an academy of one sort or another. I think that what parents in the school need to understand is that you and especially your children have been getting a substandard service in the past. Quite frankly it is a disgrace if the senior leadership team did not sort out the recommendations from the last Ofsted inspection and I have no sympathy for them now not being in the school. I have massive sympathy for the pupils and parents as they will now go through massive upheaval over the next two years as hopefully things are put right in the school.
On a more general note all schools that were satisfactory will now be considered as being in need of improvement. So on average 30% of schools inspected from now on are going to be tagged with this unhelpful description, because that is how many satisfactory schools there are.

Admission - it was satisfactory for years, then in the last Ofsted got notice to improve and was put into special measures and now its going to become an academy. DS spent most of last year losing teachers, feeling totally unsettled as a result of this - and its all going to continue for at least another 2 years from what you said. Given all of this, I am seriously tempted to start looking at the independent sector for his (and his brother's) education, which I didnt want to do, as I can not stand the idea of 2 more years of his being bemused and upset by upheaval at school.

We had such a meeting last year for dd1 school, it was put on notice to improve. There were a number of meetings and later a hidden report which wasn't sent to parents, but some of us found on Ofstead site. At the end of the year they were put on notice to improve, head and deputy gone and we pulled dd1 out. Just heard they are closing and joining the local infant school which is sited on same site but is an outstanding school.
Check Ofstead website, all reports should be on there.