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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Oh sh*t! Ofsted report is really terrible. I have to admit my faith has been shaken a little.

47 replies

OrmIrian · 20/09/2007 16:17

We love our school. The DCs are happy and secure there. They are doing OK academically - not high fliers but OK. But we finally got the Ofsted report today after being warned that it was a bit of a stinker. Grade 4 for everything apart from personal development and well-being which was a 2 (said some lovely things about that area). I simply don't recognise the school from their description but having read that the annual reports are too descriptive and that parents don't have enough info about their children's acheivement compared to the national average, I am beginning to seriously wonder if I am deluded and my children are actually doing really poorly. I know that their last SATS were average or just above average, but is that enough to give an accurate picture of acheivement?

DS#2 has just started and settled in really well but I'm so confused...

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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ChipButty · 20/09/2007 16:20

If you are happy and your children are happy then it says it all. Ofsted is about figures and league tables - they see numbers not the real people involved. Have faith in what your instinct tells you.

witchandchips · 20/09/2007 16:22

Imo these inspections tell you little else apart from how good the school is in presenting itself and impressing the inspectors. In the day or so that they visit they can really have no idea about what teaching is like. A good school is probably more likely to get a good report than a bad school but i think it is perfectly possible for the inspectors to get things wrong. You as the parent have a better idea

DumbledoresGirl · 20/09/2007 16:23

If your children are happy, that is important, but I disagree that Ofsted is about figures and league tables. Ofsted inspectors are visiting schools every day and they clearly do not rate your school over others. That is something to be concerned about IMO.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 20/09/2007 16:24

Well I tend to think that chipbutty, that is my instinct - but I am notoriously uncompetitive mother and I'm just afraid that my DC's are going to end up with no education, no job and a drug habit...you know the kind of rational though processes that occur to you when panicking

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Mercy · 20/09/2007 16:25

Agree with Chipbutty.

dd's school got a less than satisfactory Ofsted but most of parents and children love it.

Otoh, I know another place (not a school) which got a good Ofsted - and yet I hear a very different story the children.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 20/09/2007 16:26

But worry about it in what way DG? Move the kids? Wait and see. DS#1 is in Yr 6 so a bit late for him.

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Mercy · 20/09/2007 16:31

Sorry for badly typed post!

If the school is less than satisfactory though, the HT and Governors have to do something about it, usually fairly quickly afaik. Schools can be turned around.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 20/09/2007 16:32

What happens if it doesn't turn around? Are we talking closure?

Sorry for all the questions but I'm in totally new territory here.

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DumbledoresGirl · 20/09/2007 16:33

Not sure what you can do.

I am in a similar position in that my children's Ofsted report wasn't great either. Neither dh nor I are hugely impressed with the school so we happen to think the Ofsted report is probably accurate.

But what can you do in practical terms? I just hope the school is conscientious about following the guidelines for improving, and that my children, all of whom are bright, don't suffer unduly. But I do worry, particularly when my youngest only started school this term. It did cross my mind that he should go to another school, but in the end I went for the easiest option of sending him to the same school as his siblings. I hope I don't regret it.

Carmenere · 20/09/2007 16:35

I think a good measure of a school when reading an Ofstead report is how it has tried to improve from the last one iyswim.

Grade 4 is pretty bad though.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 20/09/2007 16:36

Oh yes. We are in a similar position then DG. I do like the school from a pastoral and social POV but I'm just afraid my assumptions about academic acheivement were way out. I just don't know.

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DumbledoresGirl · 20/09/2007 16:36

The school would have to be failing dreadfully before closure would be considered and even then, it wouldn't be closed. I worked as a teacher in a school which was under special measures and had a "flying head" ie someone brought in from a successful school to turn the school around. But that was an extreme situation.

(I hasten to add, I got the job under the flying head. I wasn't part of the team when it was inspected! )

CarGirl · 20/09/2007 16:37

Parents getting involved and offering 110% support can make a huge difference, dd1 junior school had a very bad onfsted it is now doing great. Interestingly it's weekest point was the fact that it was in debt so offered bad value for money - errr who cares????? It always did well on a kind atmosphere, no bullying, children being involved etc etc to me those are the skills that are the most important. DD is a high achiever apparantly they do not stretch her enough but tbh I want her to enjoy her childhood there will be enough pressure at secondary!

Original poster

OrmIrian · 20/09/2007 16:38

We have had a head brought in from the LEA but that was mainly because the previous head has been off sick for 6 months. That head was very very popular and we all thought he was doing well but it turns out that many of the problems started during his tenure. Maybe part of the reason he was off with stress?

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Mercy · 20/09/2007 16:38

Has the school been put in 'special measures'?

If not, then I think that is the next step if improvements are not made within a certain time frame (assuming they set one?)

DOes the Ofsted site explain any of this?

witchandchips · 20/09/2007 16:39

Your kids are happy and even ofsted gave them a good report on this dimension so the only issue is the quality of teaching. Are they progressing and learning as they should? Before getting too worried, why not try and find out from other souces what they "should" be able to do and then see if they can.
so age ?? can read chapter books confidently and talk about them. age ?? understand division and multiplication

Original poster

OrmIrian · 20/09/2007 16:40

Yes it's in special measures. Seems to involve a lot of shuffling of teachers as well as the new head. And all pupils now have a reading record for us to fill in even for DS#1 in Yr 6. He's not impressed.

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DumbledoresGirl · 20/09/2007 16:40

Oh it sounds worse and worse! You need a head wh has been there long term. Maybe if you could get someone permanent in who is not going to go off sick, the school would settle down? It really might only be one small thing like that that is affecting the school.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 20/09/2007 16:41

Thanks everyone. I will have a look at the Ofsted site.

I just wanted to have a quick panicky rant I suppose.

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Original poster

OrmIrian · 20/09/2007 16:50

I must just say that I was so surprised at how short it was. Just a short paragraph on each area. Maybe they were so horrified they thought least said the better.....

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CarGirl · 20/09/2007 16:52

the reports are very brief!!!! Reading record - all mine have these inc dd in year 6 as do all their friends at different schools???

Original poster

OrmIrian · 20/09/2007 16:55

But all my DC's have a reading age well in advance of their real age and have been reading chapter books independently for years. (well not DS#1 as he's not a keen reader but I know he can and does in school)

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charliecat · 20/09/2007 17:00

I used to work in a nursery, and a lot of the ofsted stuff was based on having the correct paper work(that noone ever looked at) and having things clearly labelled with the right heath and safety stuff up on the walls etc.
Maybe, just maybe the school isnt jumping through the paper work hoops and is spending time teaching the children?
If your kids are happy and achieving, dont worry. You could move them to a school with a fabulous ofsted and they could be miserable as sin.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 20/09/2007 17:00

We're off to see secondary school for DS#1 any minute now. I feel absolutely at sea. If my judgment is do far off how the f* do I know if this school is going to be any better

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CarGirl · 20/09/2007 17:02

dd1 is 4 years ahead in one of the comprehension tests she did but now she is in year 6 we have to listen to her read out loud 3 times per week - yuck, it's def who draws the short straw that listens!

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