Accepted into first choice primary but been put into special measures since applying....

[CakeBeTheFoodOfLove]

I really don't know what to do. I have a DS in year 4 at the same school, which is why I applied. I don't know whether to pull him out either! Basically there have been a lot of issues with the head over the last year, who is now on long term sick leave. They have a stand in head who apparently has a good track record of turning schools around quickly but I'm still not convinced. I just hate the awkward, unhappy atmosphere of the school right now. Eldest seems happy enough though so I don't know if I will be causing issues for him of I tried to move him now.

Difficult one.

Would you be happy to have them in different schools from each other?

You could look for another school for your littley and - if you get one- look to move your older son. But there may well be a delay. Do you have another school in mind?

In your situation I think I'd wait a bit and see what happens with the new head.

Think I would wait and see what new head achieves. Why were they put in special measures?

I'm battling the same issue. My son is in reception and the school has since been put in special measures. I've put his name down at two other local schools despite the staff telling me it's all changing around and not to pull him out. He is doing extremely well at this school and I'm not too sure what I'm going to do if he gets a place at one of the other schools. Maybe put your child's name on the waiting list and watch what happens. Keep your options open.

They were found to be inadequate in all four areas - safeguarding, leadership and management, early years provision and another but can't remember what that is. The new head had only been there for 3 weeks when the inspection took place but has addressed all the safeguarding issues and made good headway with the other points, apparently. There are a lot of people on board now trying to improve it but I still feel very uneasy about it all.

My Ds’s school had Ofsted requires improvement when in year 1 . I can say there was money and training put into the school . I am very happy with the school

If a school receives inadequate in safeguarding it will be given inadequate across the board. Read the Ofsted report to see what the issue was, but be aware that if there's a safeguarding issue, they will look for fault everywhere. I'm not trying to defend the school, of course safeguarding should b taken seriously, but just be aware of that.

The thing is, though, with a different head it is a different school, essentially.

Whatever you do OP do not reject the offered place otherwise you could find yourselves with no place come September. You can accept and then consider what to actually do at your leisure.

Thank you for replies, they are encouraging me. I've accepted the offer for now while I mull over what to do. What happens if the school doesn't improve?

Our primary school was once( a while ago) in special measure , the old headteacher who had been had for 20 years was getting old and ill and I think he just went along with what ever . He left when the school went into special measure and we had a new head teacher, she pulled the school up and us one of the best in our area.
If it were me in that position ( I too have a starter in sept) I would continue as I am, if I really wasn't happy after a certain period I would try to find else where

The school has 2 years to get out of Special Measures. It will have a smaller inspection every term for these 2 years, these are monitoring visits by ofsted. The reports are public so you can see them. They monitor whether the school is ‘taking effective action’ to get out of SM and list the strengths and the next areas to develop.
I’m a head that had taken over a SM school. It really will move rapidly now!

I'm thinking I should maybe sit tight for now after reading these replies. I mean, the school can't get any worse I suppose. Hopefully it will improve rapidly.

when a school goes into special measures it triggers a lot of support and funding to get it out again, so in a couple of years it will be a very different school for sure and in the meantime you will know it is being closely monitored and money being spent to drive improvement. However I would expect some turbulence for the next year or so - new heads coming in under these circumstances tend to make big changes and rightly so. This will inevitably lead to more staff turnover in the short term and it may take time for changes to be visible to parents and embedded across the school.
Unless you have a really good alternative I would stick with the school for now especially as you have your Yr 4 to think about too. But if you don’t see change quite quickly, worth looking at other local options...

Tbh I think I’d rather go with a school that is in special measure rather than languishing in requires improvement tbh. At least in special measures things have to change.

There has been a high turnover of staff in the last 6 years anyway as the head who has run the school into the ground and is currently off sick wasn't a very nice person to work under. It's been estimated that in the last 6 years 70 teachers and support staff have been and gone. He got rid of all the good teachers in his first year there.

What worries me is that the head hasn't actually resigned yet, he is just on sick leave. Surely he can't be allowed back after such a damning report?

Our schoil went from Outstanding to Special Measures and back up to Good in just over a year. From what we saw, there was no difference. We were always happy with the same school. Go with your gut.

I’d think it would be highly unlikely the old HT will be back. I wouldn’t be too bothered about a school in SM with a new head that’s making changes. It’s unlikely they’ll be in that position long.

The real worry is when there are no changes in HT and the school are in denial that anything is wrong.

The Head won’t be back. ‘Sick leave ‘ is probably the explanation while they sort out the official deal.