SAT's results maladministration

[frustratedprimaryparent]

Hi there,
Just reading previous comments from previous years and it appears that this issue still very much remains.
I have experience of an outstanding school which now finds itself with a narcissistic head (3 yrs in position) who is bullying staff, children and governors. It is a large school and all but two members of original staff/governors have left. We have reported and presented evidence in various forms (including evidence of it happening in this head's previous school) to the LEA, Ofsted and the Department of Education. All of which is proving difficult and we have now been threatened with legal action. We now have evidence that the LEA told KS1 staff 're-submit' KS1 SAT's papers as the school did not even meet the national average. The most upsetting aspect has been the effect on our children. They ended their primary education this week and returned to us as lifeless, soul-less puppets with all sense of spirit well and truly removed.
If any parent is reading this and can honestly say that their child's primary school is like this - please, please REMOVE them

[Norestformrz]

"If you read back your posts that is what comes across to me" ive read them which is why I asked you to point me to the offending posts.
"My view is that there is no good place for formal Mocksteds as such." Then we agree as does OFSTED and the DfE.
"However no school should be sat on their backside thinking they are good enough." I don't know any school that sits on their backsides thinking that.
"You only learn how to improve by seeing others in the school teach, by appropriate professionals coming into the school or you going to their place of work. " I'd argue that looking at what works well is other schools and sharing expertise outside your own school is probably more useful. Are there any schools that don't have the support of outside professionals? We have trembly visits from our Educational Development Partner (which doesn't in anyway resemble a mini Ofsted as mentioned by B.B.) in a supportive role and access to a range of advisors and courses.

[JimmyGrimble]

Laughing at trembly visits sorry!

[Norestformrz]

For some reason predictive texts refuses to acknowledge termly 😀

[spanieleyes]

Similar to Norestformrz, we have a termly visit from our school improvement partner, and are also a member of a loose federation, a peer-review group, a local teaching school alliance and pay for an additional "support partner" who advises on more day to day practice ( rather than the strategic overview provided by the SIP). There is plenty of challenge and support, just not through mock inspections. So a mock inspection couldn't tell me anything more about my school than I already know, because I have plenty of other sources ( including a very active senior leadership team and challenging but supportive governors!) of information and assessment to support me, a Moksted would be a waste of staff time ( in MY opinion! )

[BubblesBuddy]

Some of you are missing the point where I said the LA Trust looked at schools who were their Amber or Red Light schools. My suspicion is that neither spaniel or norest are working in such schools. Our school does everything mentioned above, but we had disappointing progress in the early days of the Head being appointed and it was Amber. Mostly resulting from the previous Head dropping the ball. The assistance was offered as part of our package of services.

As there had been a churn of teachers, and governors, there was a steep learning curve and an urgent need to analyse what we could do better. I agree with Admission that extra help is valuable and, if you trust the practitioners, it is worthwhile. I too believe every school can learn. The School had not had an Ofsted for a long time and there were changes that had to be considered. Staff are now fully engaged with the SIP and of course deliver it to a large extent.

The idea that the people who helped and came into school were not qualified, moonlighting or out for the money is just ridiculous.

[Norestformrz]

"Our school does everything mentioned above, but we had disappointing progress in the early days of the Head being appointed " probably because those things don't improve progress unless you're measuring hoop jumping.

[Norestformrz]

"The idea that the people who helped and came into school were not qualified, moonlighting or out for the money is just ridiculous." Are you sure?

[spanieleyes]

My school is about as red as you can get!

[Bibesia]

They ended their primary education this week and returned to us as lifeless, soul-less puppets with all sense of spirit well and truly removed

This is just bizarre. Your children were in school only for 6 hours out of a 24 hour day, and for only 38 weeks of the year, yet you never noticed this process happening till they left? Why would you not have removed them long ago?

[beavertown]

We now have evidence that the LEA told KS1 staff 're-submit' KS1 SAT's papers as the school did not even meet the national average.

That isn't SATS maladministration.

[beavertown]

Norestformrz - the school had a 'quasi-inspection' carried out by the SIA this year. Apparently, the staff were given the results of the inspection at a later date verbally by the SIA, which were not good. That afternoon, the Head went off on the sick for almost two weeks. On the day she returned, parents received details of the report that had been carried out. The original report was never shown. Instead, parents were given a re-iterated version by the Head and Chair.

Sharing full reports with parents is certainly not normal. Infact it is not normal for parents to know that it is happening. Summary of reports are sometimes shared with parents.

[beavertown]

Not for mocksteds - there was a major crackdown on moonlighting inspectors in 2015.

Most Ofsted inspectors support school review processes- calling them a mocksted or not is irrelevant.

[7YearsOfBlood]

I don't understand how removing them from the school affects the choice of secondary school. Are you not in the UK?

[Norestformrz]

"Ofsted inspectors support school review processes" they aren't allowed to under the rules set by Ofsted in 2015. Regardless of what you call them

[WowLookAtYou]

So, the OP strongly recommends that other parents "REMOVE" their children from schools that might be operating as hers is, but then lists a whole load of valid reasons why she herself did not want to move her own child. Might those reasons not also apply to everyone else?
Moving a child's school is a last resort, surely, when all other avenues have been exhausted.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

I really can’t understand, despite reading your reasons, why your child continued in a school that was harming them.
And also why you are now trying to stir the pot despite the fact that your children stayed in there.

[frustratedprimaryparent]

7yearsofblood if I was to remove my child from the school with no other school to go to, then in effect I sign her off the state register. This means she would be at the back of the queue for a secondary school and would not have the automatic right to go to her feeder secondary. All the primaries in this area are full and so she would have to go to another borough for another primary school. This means that she would be 'fed' into a different secondary.

[WowLookAtYou]

Right, so why are you telling other people to move their children's schools, if similar reasons not to will also apply to them?

[DowntownDallas]

they aren't allowed to under the rules set by Ofsted in 2015. Regardless of what you call them

Lots of Ofsted inspectors work for LAs or MATs and of course they also support school review processes- school review is an ongoing process of QA.

[Norestformrz]

Yes they do and they've been told they have to stop conducting "mini inspections" commonly referred to as Mocksteds

[DowntownDallas]

Yes they do and they've been told they have to stop conducting "mini inspections" commonly referred to as Mocksteds


That wasn't the comment you responded to. The poster said they support school review-you said there were not allowed to do that- of course they are. School review is an ongoing process.

you said

The poster said Ofsted inspectors support school review processes and you said they aren't allowed to under the rules set by Ofsted in 2015. Regardless of what you call them

[BubblesBuddy]

So you really think as a school Governor, norestformrz, that I have no idea ho comes in from our Trust to help with school improvement and evaluate progress? Do you think I am completely stupid? I know exactly who they are. Sadly you are way adrift in what schools do and what professionals they engage to help and how it is done. I guess you are not a Head though. Fortunately other posters understand far better than you do.

[Feenie]

Sadly you are way adrift in what schools do and what professionals they engage to help and how it is done. I guess you are not a Head though. Fortunately other posters understand far better than you do.


Oh don't be ridiculous, Bubbles - she's a vastly experienced Literacy and SEND coordinator and member of SMT who works in school day in, day out and has done for many years, both within her own school and working alongside others.

You do seem to be given to extreme GF posts on occasions - this is one of your silliest. With respect, I think you've forgotten that you are an unpaid volunteer. You may be fairly knowledgeable about some things, but you cannot possibly know as much about managing a school as someone who actually manages a school. I really hope you don't go swaggering about the school where you are a governor like this, it would be hugely innappropriate, not to mention embarrassing. I've seen a couple behave like this - they did not last long.

[Norestformrz]

Do you really want me to answer BubblesBuddy?

Having just experienced my 9th Ofsted I obviously bow to your superior experience.