Would you consider a school in special measures?

[EauPea]

We have just moved, Dd will start next september so I am beginning the rounds of school viewings.

There is a school directly across the road from us, but, it was placed in special measures last April.

From reading through the ofsted, the old head and key stage 1 teachers had both been on long term sick leave, both have now left. The majority of teachers were newly qualified and lacking in leadership.

A new head has been bought in, along with a team of more experienced staff and a caveat that no newly qualified teachers maybe employed for the next two years.

Reading the two interim reports since last April, there have been vast improvements, and a part of me feels that maybe this school might be a good choice as there is so much focus on it currently.

I have made appointments at two other local schools, but still undecided about this one. It does have an outstanding nursery attached to it which I will definitely be going to see.

Would you consider vieing this school, or would ofsted alone put you off?

I'm no means an expert, but I was chatting yesterday with a teacher who felt that a school under special measures can be better than a 'good' one that is coasting. If a school is under special measures, she felt that there was a huge pressure on them to improve things and often big changes like a new head can make all the difference. She felt that sometimes pupils at 'good' schools in middle class areas often just bump along as the pupils do enough (because of their backgrounds) to get by without being pushed to be better.

We are in the same boat as our nearest school is in special measures, but apparently with a new head things are getting better.

Hopefully someone more experienced than me can advise!

I'd go and have a look if it's your nearest. They will probably talk you through the measures they are taking to improve.

I worked in a school in special measures. During this time the school has to make vast improvements in a short time if they want to avoid closures and so you may find that by the time your child is starting there is could well be a good/outstanding school, especially if interim reports are positive.
I have also seem examples of what they previous poster mentioned of middle class schools with good ofsteds coasting along and not really pushing their pupils.
Go and have a look round and see what kind of feel you get from the place.

I would have a look around and see how you feel about it.

Our nearest school is in and out of special measures, has had different heads and new teachers with lots of supervison. It picks up for its interim Ofsted report then within 2 years its back into special measures again and another group of children are failed.

We picked a school rated good 4 years ago but its really bad aswell and has just been placed on RI. I'm amazed it isnt on special measures and hope it will be when they come back in 6 months to see how its going because no changes have been made that we can see.

Trust your instincts, we didnt like the school we chose when we looked around but it was the best of a really bad bunch we had to choose from.

I'd definitely go to see it and talk to the head. Being close to your child's school is a real boon. There is a school near me that had a terrible reputation about 5 years ago. It went into special measure and got a new head and lots of changes. It's now Ofsted rated "good with some outstanding features" and people are falling over themselves to get their DC's in.

We had this when my son started school, he's in year 2 now. The school in question is behind my back garden and I put it as my third choice as I was so worried, however he went there. From my experience it can work in your favour as the Council won't like a school being in Special Measures and chuck money at it. A new head came in changed two thirds of the staff and is now classed as Good. Both of my children now go to the school and it has gone from strength to strength.

Thanks everyone.

You've all confirmed what I was thinking, that the additional focus/pressure could mean the school really pulls it's sock up.

I'm going to pop over in a bit to make an appointment, see how it feels.

Thanks again.

The only trouble is that many of the 'involved' parents will have taken their children out both before and during special measures.Although the school might improve rapidly, it can take much longer for its reputation to recover and start attracting a 'good' intake again

The school my dds go to was in special measures a few years ago, although it was 'good' by the time we applied. The higher years (from when it was in special measures) have really small class sizes, with the benefits of a new head, and some good new teachers.

Personally I think it is better than the 'outstanding' one down the road. The children seem more loved somehow.

I would go and have a look, it sounds like the new head and teachers are good so by September it may well be one of the better schools.

We have had a school near us that has been in and out of special measures and tbh despite all the extra support it will only ever be satisfactory. It's never got any better is known for being an appalling school.

It isn't always a case of more support means it will improve. The results that matter any be measured instantly so it an be years before the improvements are known in which time it could have got eternity got worse again. And an improvement may be an improvement for the school but still not good enough.

Damn typos could have got better or have got worse again

DC's school went into Special Measures 2 years ago, just as the new head had taken over. She is a woman possessed and has taken the school from strength to strength. They came out of Special Measures in under a year straight to 'Good', which is pretty rare, and have continued to improve - she won't be happy until they are 'Outstanding'
A lot of staff have left but a lot needed to go really and the ones she has brought in are brilliant - mainly young and very keen.
DD particularly has REALLY benefitted as the bad behaviour in her year (it is one of 'those' year groups!) is being tackled and everyone else is now being taught and stretched rather than sitting quietly whilst the staff tried to deal with the disruptions.
Not that many parents took their children out at the time but I know that some of those who did are regretting jumping ship so quickly.

Special Measures was definitely the best thing for my DC's education :)

I would rather look at a school in special measures than outstanding. I honestly would mainly because one is reviewing every of learning whilst other is resting on laurels...special measure schools receive a lot of support and are monitored closely . I am in education and honestly believe that a special measures school goi g up is better than an outstanding school going down

EauPea

Most schools around here are good/ outstanding at primary - special measures is what we face a lot around here in secondary.

The one school I know was in special measures >10 years ago - is now outstanding and it's catchment is 500m from the school. They got in a great head - who started by posing as a TA for 2 months and then announced he was the Head to be parachuted in. Half the staff left/ retired and he started off his first full school year with a slew of NQTs. However - they've all gelled and they are all clearly extremely interested in best practice.

This is now the outstanding school many of us Mum's (myself included) are constantly holding up to our school as an example of how it can be done.

My advice is try and get a vibe about whether they are taking this 'special measures' verdict on the chin and rolling up their sleeves and ensuring they do better or whether they're defeated by it.

Find out if they are getting support/ advice from other schools which have a good reputation and/or are rated outstanding/ good in the area.

Find out what parents who have kids there think. If in general it's a happy place to go to school - genuinely that's all you really can expect.

I'm at a 'good' school. It was rated 'good' when I was applying for DD1 7 years ago - and it still is. However as a school it's slid from 90%+ pupils achieving NC L4 at KS2 SATs to 62% - scores are also all over the place - one year 79% and the next 64%, etc... Back then if you asked anyone in the neighbourhood/ at the park - they'd be incredibly positive about the school. Now, there's always a bit of hesitation. We're really not sure it is a good school any longer.

So let me assure you that if your gut instinct is I like the feel of this school - listen to that 'inner voice'.

HTH