Three OFSTEDs in a year?

[ofstedconfused]

Regular user, but namechanged due to circumstances.

Our school was given Notice to Improve last May (OFSTED 1), then there was another visit in November, after which the letter said satisfactory progress was being made (OFSTED 2). However, last week OFSTED turned up again, only about 7 working weeks after their previous visit (OFSTED 3). Is this normal?

Don't know how it went, but inspectors asking some strange questions on the playground like - "is you child happy at school?" - "yes", "Are you sure? Do they ever fake Illness?". Is this sort of questionning appropriate? Another parent questioned why they were back so soon and they told her that the school was not making progress, even though their letter in December said the school was. I'm very confused and worried about this situation. The school is converting to academy status (sponsored) on 1 April.

Advice anyone?

OFSTED 1 and 3 were full inspections, 2 was a monitoring visit.

When we asked governors why they were here again, we were told that it was unexpected as the monitoring inspector had told them that due to progress they were unlikely to be inspected again before september.

It's all very confusing. In December, the league tables showed that our school had made massive improvements, but one of the inspectors indicated to a parent that the school hadn't improved. Also, we now have a new interim headteacher, who I'm told is very experienced.

I would like to think that the outcome was good, but the inspectors gave the impression on the playground that they werent happy. There's been no indication at all from the school - it wasn't even mentioned on the newsletter.

But am I right in my understanding that any report on the current school ceases to be valid on conversion?

If so, then why OFSTED so close to conversion? Surely, especially with the previous inspection being so recent, this is a poor use of money?

My friend who had the conversation with OFSTED about progress is absolutely convinced, based on what the inspector said to her, that the outcome is going to be bad.

Any Ofsted inspection will potentially have some level of questioning about well being in the school. As an inspector in Wales we would always ask pupils around the school, whether they feel safe,what they would do if anybody was nasty to them, what they understood by being healthy, are you happy, etc. So I think that it would be quite appropriate to being asking such questions of parents. However asking whether they were sure that children were happy or whether they were faking illness sounds a bit too heavy handed to me.
I find it incredibly difficult to believe that any inspector would say they were back because the school was not making progress, that is so un-professional as to be worthy of disciplinary action. The one thing that you should not be doing is discussing the inspection with outsiders, especially while the inspection is on-going. No decisions on the outcomes of the inspection are cast in stone until they have been checked by other Ofsted inspectors.

The story about the inspector commenting on lack of progress is absolutely true. It was taken by the parent to a parent governor they were so shocked and there is now a very strong rumour going round that all is not well. I am equally convinced of the other comments as they have now been repeated by a couple of parents in different environments. It would appear we may have an issue on our hands. If so, how do we deal with it? Or how do we ask the governors to deal with it?

Thanks, tiggytape, I know this all seems confusing. A quick precis, if it helps

May - Notice to improve - Achievement graded 4, based on SATs results being below floor, but acknowledgement that progress much improved and an expectation to see higher SATs that year. All other gradings 2 or 3

So, most of us stayed to see what would happen

However, we lost several teachers at the end of summer term, but my DC still had 'good' teachers and due to local nature of the school and friendships etc, stayed on.

November - monitoring visit - satisfactory progress acknowledged

General upbeat feel. Staffing more settled.

December - league tables published. School improved from bottom of local table to nearer top (well above middle). So, still room for optimism.

February - OFSTED inspector suggests to parent that progress is not all it should be, and nature of questionning caused concern. Questions to teachers and governors have been met with little response, they all look exhausted, and surely if there was at least a glimmer of good news they would hint this?

Oh, and conspiracy theories are rife with regards to OFSTEDs role in the whole academy process. They turned up before the week after governors had been asked to consider academy status.

I think for me the concern here is that a school that is apparently getting better is potentially going to be put into reverse gear by the need to convert to an academy. Undertaking such a conversion is a big task and will for sure divert attention of the senior leadership team away from the key task of improving attainment.
Ofsted's focus on the school can do nothing but aid the push to improve attainment. It is the inter-connection or otherwise of Ofsted involvement with becoming an academy that is worrying.

Thanks admission

I think there are two concerns here. Firstly, that academy conversion may well/has diverted attention from the key task of raising achievement. Secondly, that the timing of the OFSTED inspections does seem a little odd, even in light of what is normal practice. If this inspection is negative it will do untold damage to the school - it definitely won't have aided the push to improve attainment.

If, during a monitoring visit, the inspectors think that enough progress has been made they can trigger a full Ofsted visit. There is no point in reinspecting if monitoring visit does not show that improvement is being made. They are already category 4.

There are lots of questions inspectors ask children, staff and parents. I don't find the questions unusual. I can understand how they can sound and the speculation.

I wouldn't over speculate. The report will come out shortly.

Is it likely to be relevant that this final OFSTED took place the week before the academy funding agreement is/was due to be signed?

Lots of negative rumours abound, some with substance.

Move your kids.They only get one education.

Currently in process of moving them TBH, but that doesn't help the rest of the kids who deserve a whole lot better, not only from the school, but from all those who promised to help.