Ofsted reports - are they really important?

[AdiVic]

Hello - the title of this thread may make it sound like I don't' care if they a good report or not - but I do.

I live in a rural area, and our village is quite nice with lots of nice, well off families. Our local school has scored 3's on all the points, which is apparently 'satisfactory'. One thing that concerns me is that the school has a far higher than average amount of children with special learning needs. I am worried that this may hold my daughter back.

Please don't think I am in anyway prejudice against children who have any kind of learning issue. I am more of the mind that it is not an issue, they just might need another type of teaching to help them progress. I have 2 younger sisters with learning difficulties, and one was very disruptive in class (this is going back 20 years).

Another issue I have with the school is that due to the small size, the classes are merged, so the pre school children are in with the reception class.

As I said, this is a rural area with few oppurtunities, so I would like my daughter to do as well as she can so she can go on to do whatever she wants. I know every mother wants this for her child.

I seem like I am moaning and having a pop, but I'm new to this selecting a school lark.

What are others thoughts and experiences on this?

Is a school graded 3 in everything ok?

Would I be able to send her to a school in another local village?

Any advice gratefully received - many thanks:)

DD's school is Ofsted satisfactory. She has thrived there.
Friend's DC goes to an Ofsted outstanding school. Friend has pulled DC out due to him being so miserable and unsupported.

Read the report with a pinch of salt (several pinches). Then pick the school that suits your child.

Also worth noting when the report was done and specific comments made- If the report was while ago the school may have changed and the points addressed. DD's Ofsted report e.g. mentions able writers not receiving sufficient support. This is not true any more as school has made supporting able writers a main focus :)

If your child is happy, healthy, and achieving, then I wouldn't worry.

Ofsted is good for rating buildings, resources, physical factors etc. However, they never get an accurate reading of teachers, children's progress, well-being of children in school etc. Inspectors only see a tiny example of what and how a child is learning in school.

If you are worried about your child being held back TALK to your classroom teacher. They will show you the targets they have for your child, they will tell you about how they interact with other children and how they are affected.

A classroom teacher knows your childs ability, weaknesses and stregnths better than any statistic.

I myself (23 years old) and my brother and sister went to a primary school that was rated Satisfactory, and the entire school was in one classroom because it was so small. Each student in my year (7 of us in total) have recently graduated from university, 2 of which have gone on to post-graduate study and the other 5 have gone into full-time professional employment.

RATINGS MEAN NOTHING

Also, never underestimate the opinion of the child. Ask her what she wants to be good at in class, if she ever feels bothered by other children why she is working. Ask to see her work (you can tell if a child has been interrupted alot by the way they write, how often they rub things out etc.).

Also schools that have poorer ratings have better teachers (ironic I know). But it means they have more challenging students to deal with, and therefore their strategies for getting a child to reach a level they are capable of are normally more effective.

Ofsted also focus on grades, test, marking etc. I would emphasise that grades are not everything. Your child may struggle with spelling, however they may have a fantastic imagination which sadly gets overlooked when the focus is on attainment and not personal qualities.

Just remember, grades and exams are a piece of paper, but personal skills, qualities, happiness are things that stay with you for life.

What the others say. I have a friend who was in exactly the same position as you ( small village, mixed classes, satisfactory results from Ofsted) She moved her children, but it wasnt just due to those factors - she just didn't feel her children benefitted in areas that they should have. They got into another school fifteen minutes drive away and feels much happier (although they don't start till September so her fingers are crossed - but the point is that it FELT right moving them)

Our school just got a satisfactory which is a drop from previously when they had a 'good'. However I am inclined to think that it fits the bill in many areas and my DS1 is very happy there. The shortfalls in specific areas (maths mainly) can be covered by us (his parents) and the headmaster as addressed the problematic areas and I'm hoping will improve matters. I think his current teachers are fantastic, his progress in his first year has been phenomenal, and I don't plan to move him based on that, not Ofsted.

Others made plenty of relevant comments about the Ofsted rating and would concur - look round, look round and look round. You will know which is the best school for your child.

But just wanted to say, with regard to SEN, remember this really doesn't equate to poor behaviour or anything that will hold your child back. My ds's very small school has three children with statements of SEN (he is one of them) ALL for autism. These boys are each the brightest in their year groups and on the whole very well behaved. There is also one child a medical condition and AFAIK the others on the register but not statemented are just the usual, some dyslexic tendencies, some needing a little extra support with maths.

Remember that small schools can attract higher than average numbers of children with SEN (or their parents!) because there is a feeling that they will be safer there or generally because a school (large or small) has developed a reputation for being good with SEN, and if they are then they will probably be a good school for any child.