Ofsted vs SATs

[SingingGoldfinch]

I'll keep this as brief as possible as don't want to out myself. Dcs school has been placed in special measures due a a huge catalogue of issues. We've taken decision to move them as a result. Both DCs relatively happy at current school but also keen to move which we think must say a fair bit. The school we have secured places at is a friendly little school with a lovely atmosphere overall results are ok but SATs results are not great - better than current school but not great. Current Ofsted is good but they are due another anytime. What would you do? I know what my gut is telling me, but reassurance would be good!

But do children make good progress? SATs results could be low but the progress could be great. All depends where the pupils started from.

At the end of the day, your gut is usually quite a good indicator. If you think this is the right school for your children then I would go for it, just as you have made a decision to move them from the existing school.

When we moved DS, who suffered badly at his first primary, to another, we paid attentuion, first and foremost, to how the school 'felt'.

Turned down a couple of 'better on paper' schools for one that just felt kind and child-centred.

Do look at progress - even the most relaxed primary can get horribly tense if it lands in RI or SM, so knowing what the data looks like IS important (as well as knowing the difference between 'relaxed but essentially somewhat lazy and 'relaxed in atmosphere but academically rigorous')

Do visit other schools, too. If you are coming from a school you know you want to leave, anything can look good. It is when you visit several possible options that the differences between the 'better' schools really become apparent.

Thanks all - useful advice.

The thing is we've had to do this all in quite a rush. Current school only just placed in special measures and places in other schools very scarce. There is likely to be a scramble for any places there are. Looking round other schools is likely to just confuse/upset me more as I know they won't be a realistic option as they'll all be full. To be honest we felt very lucky to find space in this school when we did.

It definitely has a lovely 'feel'. Smiley teachers and happy looking kids. Behaviour seemed good which is a major factor as it is shocking in current school. Ultimately we want somewhere calm, happy and safe. I do worry about leaping out if I've SM scenario into another ofsted nightmare but maybe it's a risk worth taking when the current school is in such a sorry state.

*out of one SM scenario

Might be worth bearing in mind that last year's SATs results were the first under the new system. How not great is not great.

In small schools, each child can be a fair % of the total as well. A few children just missing by a couple of marks could make a big difference.

How many children in the new school compared to the old? Sats are not normal but pure percentages. For example if the new school (a) is 25 pupils in year 6 as opposed to 60 in other school (b). Each child's result will count as 4% as opposed to 1.6%.
Therefore if 4 children don't make age related expectations in school the result in school a will be: 84% as opposed to b. 93.6%.
Also do you know what the cohorts look like? The problem with sats is comparing apples and pears.

Normed not normal!