Finally made our decision to leave our "outstanding" primary school

[1969Sarah]

When many parents don't see (don't know) what the two faced head is really like and even most of the staff are too scared to speak out against the current regime it's so very hard to have the courage of your convictions and trust your instinct that things are not right.

The school Is rated outstanding (from a few years ago) and every communication is full of cleverly worded spin. On the surface all looks good. But a senior governor has an unhealthily close relationship with the head and between them they overrule everything and everyone. Their behaviour includes constant lies and distortion that I barely thought possible in a local village school. It used to be such an honest little primary where the children came first.

Now, just recently a few staff have (quietly) spoken out and even the school questionnaire results showed that ten percent of parents felt unable to raise issues with the school (Head) and people are actually starting to leave. Two members of staff have even taken their childten out. Only half the questionnaires were returned as its almost impossible to do so anonymously is such a small school community and people who have experienced the Head's defensiveness first hand have given up trying to influence change. There seem to be a lot more unhappy parents although many still blissfully unaware.

After many sleepless nights as yet another and another failing has come to light we have made the decision to take the children out. Surely this must all come crashing down. How they manage to get away with it is shocking. It's so wrong.

I'm an educationalist and even I get caught out by the labels sometimes. We are in the catchment area for an oversubscribed school that has some terrible teachers. DS1 left there unable to spell, punctuate, do tables and so on (I tried to help but he really needed more support in school). Secondary school had to sort him out as he was very behind (although he got Level 4 in his SATS). DS2 could not write by 8 so I pulled him out in a huff and sent him to the unpopular school that was second nearest. I then discovered my kids had basically been taught by ad hoc supply teachers a lot of the time, and when they weren't they spent a massive amount of time with unqualified TAs. Other parents were paying a fortune for private tutoring. At the new school the teachers were very experienced and a better head teacher meant that children made substantially more progress across the board. The other school was relying on a more middle class intake and parents paying for supplementary schooling. After a month in the new school DS2's progress gained massive momentum and by the end of Year 6 he was getting level 5s - despite his statement of SEN!! Now these are only two children but it's a story you see right across the country in the data.

Can I just add with my work hat on that many prep schools play these games as well, and just because you pay for it, does not mean it is what it seems. Some independent schools rely on cheap younger or unqualified teachers in order to balance the books and the myth of success is propped up by parents tutoring at home.

I agree totally boffinmum.

Boffin - yes. Had direct personal experience of that myself.

I'm just about to move from good to needs to improve! similar issues, ghastly HT, dc bullied for years, school won't tackle. HT even telephoned a prospective school to warn the HT off taking us! has been utter nightmare. Just hoping move is as positive as the ones described here.

I don't think that OFSTED reports mean an awful lot. So much depends on the political views of the party in charge. Dc's school is currently under local authority intervention. There has been a complete change in senior management, yet 3 years ago the school was deemed good with outstanding features.

I don't know what going to happen in the future (obv!) but it's been good for us so far.
We had similar...poor teaching, new HT, dreadful TAs :(
Interestingly, the junior school that we also rejected for ds has just gone from outstanding to satisfactory!
There are complaint groups being set up on FB...all sorts going on!
I actually lost friends because I rejected that school.
Oh well.

People always want their own educational choices validated ... That's why they get sniffy if you move schools.

The bit that really bugs me is that the big bods KNOW what is going on.
I know of a school where the ht is ineffective and basically hoping ofsted will take him on. Sits in his office not seen by staff or students. Rules with an iron fist and yet can go off on a jolly and make judgements on other schools when his is going down the pan. Teachers and ht at other schools know what is going on. The council surely must know. But what is done? Who does anything?
Govt wants to be able to get rid of crap teachers more easily but I think they need to take a look at how they can make sure schools are being led well as it all filters down. The way a ht deals with children, staff and parents is key. Doesn't matter how good a teacher is, how bright the children are, how affluent the area is, if the head is shit, a lot of other things get tainted and can find it hard to get the smell off. It carries.
What I fail to understand is how people in positions of authority can let this happen. It's not a business with a product that would come out faulty, get ditched and try again. These are children. Little people waiting to be. With parents who put their faith in the LA and ofsted to guide them.
It's all bollocks. My hand has had to be stayed too many times where I have seen and known of the crap that has been allowed but I don't know if I can take any more. I want to know exactly who needs to be held accountable for this being allowed. They need to be made accountable, they have a duty of care.

I feel like this about our school. (And I'm pretty sure it hasn't been mentioned here yet either!). There are a lot of very unhappy staff there and the Head is so smug it makes me cringe.

The school is very popular and keeps growing, historically everyone wanted to go there so everyone still does want to go there! 5 form intake now and the Head just tells anyone who complains that if they don't want their place there are 50 others who do (which is true but not the point).

i have just moved my daughter who the outstanding school had flagged up as being dyslexic but did nothing further to help her. the final straw was at parents evening when her class teacher said that she often forgot my daughter was in the class. she was having a terrible time and had started to be bullied but the teacher was totally oblivious to it. because she just got on with things and didnt cause a fuss she was basically invisible within the school.

moved her to a small village school - only 21 kids in the school. she is in a class of 10 with 2 teaching staff. just had parents evening after 3 weeks of her being there, again school are concerned re dyslexia and have asked what the previous school did to support her. the teacher did not believe me when i told her the previous school levels as the new school placed her way below what the previous school had said - we are now talking a 3 year delay in writing whereas the other school stated she was doing okay - new school now putting in lots and lots of extra support to help her and if that doesnt work then she will be seen by the EP etc.

so although ive moved her from an outstanding academy and also means lost her automatic right into the secondary oversubscribed academy (should be okay as we are very very close to the secondary so will get in under catachment criteria) i am so glad i did as at this rate her levels by year 6 would be totally shocking. she now has a good 3 years to get some extra help and support that she needs - goes to show you just dont know the truth unless you move your child

My DD isn't at primary yet, but we are v near an 'outstanding' school too. Can you tell me what you are unhappy with that contradicts the 'outstanding' label? I wouldn't have a clue what to look for outside of the OFSTED grade.

I'll add 'H' school in Colchester too...

I think in terms of choosing a school you need to trust instincts about the head, staff and other pupils, and try to look past any spin. Ofsted reports are of some use but are only a snapshot, and historic as well. Really intuition counts for more. You know your kids best.

I think in terms of choosing a school you need to trust instincts about the head, staff and other pupils, and try to look past any spin. Ofsted reports are of some use but are only a snapshot, and historic as well. Really intuition counts for more. You know your own kids best, and what they need.

I can understand why people 'go quietly', but this issue seems to be widespread and I think it would be helpful if more people spoke out.

I wrote to the b of gov.
No response.
I complained about the bullying for years.
Nothing done.
There comes a point when you have to let it go...for the sake of your sanity.
Teaching is one of a very few professions where you can be crap/show no commitment to your job and keep it.
It's scary.

...and btw, I don't think private schools are any better.
It's not just a state school issue.
There are many schools using NQTs, unqualified TAs and supply teachers on a regular basis.

but you made them aware, inc governors, that's the point, you did all you could ...
my ds has been bullied dreadfully too, it is so distressing. On his last day they kept telling him it wasn't his last day and he had to come back, so he didn't even get the chance to leave properly.
Another boy left same day, was house move, but in private he told ds he had also been bullied.
Nothing wrong with NQTs btw, I am one of those, and I am good at my job!

I have a good friend who is a kick ass NQT :)
But my sons year 3 teacher was an NQT and was unremittingly crap.
I simply cannot wait for her to see his much my son has come on since he left her class :)

yeah but she was crap irrespective
the most crap teacher I know of has taught for 40 years ...

Perhaps.
She just has that "I have no children of my own but I have been on a course and therefore know more than you do" vibe about her.
I find that deeply irritating.
She told me that the lowest sets were where my severely dyslexic son "belonged".
He is now doing very well and is level 4s in year 5.
I will be having a chat with her at some point.
I think writing a child off at age 7 is pretty unacceptable tbh.

We picked 'good' over outstanding too. The outstanding one was a right old sausage factory. Lots of good buildings, brand new music facilities etc..... but no-one qualified to teach in them - what's the point of that?!

In my own experience, I would never go solely on an Ofsted report. I don't think they're worthless but nor do I think they are fabulously accurate either.

My children went to a school with a head just like your one, OP. She was determined that there would be no criticism of the school and that meant that she'd aggressively defend the school if any parent went to her with a problem. In her view, the parents concern could never have any truth to it, and the ONLY problem was that the parent was trying to say something that did not reflect well on the school.

Needless to say, the head's constant preaching about how good the school was gave the school a good reputation and parents fought to get in. Then, when the reality hit, they fought to get their children out. However, there was always about 50% of parents who had not encountered a problem yet and firmly believed that the head would deal with it efficiently and professionally should they ever have a problem. A couple of them even made it into year 6 with their eldest. Meanwhile the real problems continued to build and build.

Ofsted spotted the unresolved issues in the end, wrote a very critical report and subsequently both the chair of the governors and the head left a few months later.

Very interesting Lisson and yes, that is exactly what our head is like! Not sure that Ofsted would ever see through it though as the main objective of the Head seems to be getting an Outstanding Ofsted.

What I don't understand is why not have an honest culture as surely a great school with a culture of honesty means there doesn't have to be manipulating of figures, spin and disgruntled parents and staff. We ALL were behind the school and the Head 100%. Why blow that? Seems mad to me. A friend of mine joined as a parent governor at one point and their induction was taken over by what to say if Ofsted ask X or Y and teachers have admitted changing levels because the Head expects them to so the school "looks better". Why not just make it the best it can be. Why deceive and lie to the point that good people leave?