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

[OrmIrian]

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...

Ofsted do sometimes give undeserved stinkers - my children's primary school got one several years ago. (Our more favourable impression of the school was borne out by the Ofsted report two years later). Is the school holding a meeting for parents about the report? If so, go to it and raise any concerns you may have.

When I was a trainee teacher by tutor was a part time OFSTEAD inspector. Frankly she couldn't find her arse with both hands in a well lit room, and wouldn't last in a current classroom for 5 minutes.

My brother once got a 'satisfactory' rating. that would be my brother, the teacher put forward for teacher of the year....

Shook my faith in Ofstead.

Sorry, OrmIrian, but I have to ask - did the lead inspector bear a striking resemblance to Roz from Monsters Inc?

OrmIrian - if your school is in special measures I would leave your children there...the school will get lots of extra funding thrown at it and trainning and support, especially if you like it. If you are worried why not go to the head and ask him/her about it.

Ofsted spend little time looking at the teaching - its all done on figures and info from the school.

Ormirian, dd1's school was judged as failing about the time dd1 was born. They threw out virtually all the staff, got a new head and teachers and it is now 'outstanding'. But, I know from talking to parents whos dcs went through the school under the old regime that kids were getting to nine or ten and were unable to read.

My best advice woudl be to spend some time with your dcs, listening to them reading, talking to them about what they have been learning about and seeing how well they can do basic maths. Can you look in their work books so that you can see thei rspelling, grammar and handwriting? If you are happy with all of those then I really wouldn't worry too much if the pastoral care is as good as you say. I would choose a school where children are happy over one that is rated as 'outstanding' if the kids are miserable any day.

I don't know agreat deal about how OFSTED rate schools but from what I have heard it can be as much to do with box-ticking as anything else. I know for childminders that they can fail on the most ridiculous breeches regardless of how good their care is - OFSTED really make carers jump through hoops that are not always in the best interests of the children.

Finall, although my dd1 is happy at her school and enjoys the work myself and other parents are becoming concerned that it is a SATS factory. The moment she is at all unhappy or under pressure she is out of there.

Ofsted gave DS nursery an absolute stinker of a report cos the boss had made a couple of paper-work mistakes

They had just had an enormous renovation and on instruction from the Fire Officer, got the alarms set up - Ofsted said they were the wrong ones - fire report = inadequate supply of fire alarms (there were plenty - just not the type Ofsted wanted)

Nursery has EVERY memeber of staff first-aid trained (incase the FA officer is off / absent etc) - Ofsted said this was OTT (how?!)

loads of other petty things like this - the boss absolutely freaked out, thinking we would all run away with the kids cos of this report but to be honest, the report was crap - it wasn't a reflection of the nursery at all and fortunately they have had a new one done after weeks and weeks getting the "wrongs" righted

What I'm trying to say is - Ofsted isn't the be-all and end-all .. it is only a part of it. How can random people possibly know within a week or so, everything about a school - doesn't compute with me.

Our local school has also just had an absolutely shocking Ofsted report, sounds very similar to yours, all 4s bar about one '2' that was for healthy eating or something like that. I do not agree with some of the posters on here about not worrying too much. It does make me laught that when a school gets and outstanding report everyone is talking about it and saying how fantastic is it etc yet when the report is bad people seem to think it we should ignore it, they got it wrong, they don't know the community, the school etc. My local school had a bad report last time and basically they have said that it has failed to improve, this says a lot to me. I do agree however that you do need to think about how you feel about the school, the governers (i.e. the management team) and what you think of it. For me, I didn't really like the school when we went to see it and didn't rate the head at all. We had always planned to move our DD by age 7 anyone, the awful ofsted report has just meant that we will bring this forward. Frankly you only get one shot at education and I think you need to weigh up whether you believe the school can it turnaround and of course if you are prepared to take that risk.

Oh also meant to say that it is all very well saying that everything will be great as money will be thrown at the school. Just like the NHS eh

hallgerda - no he didn't. More like Toad of Toad hall . Actually he seemed a reasonable chap TBH but obviously appearances can be deceptive And there is parents' meeting next week which DH or I will go to. And they've brought parents' evening forward to.

trinity - we help with the children's hw so I have a reasonable idea of their abilities but I suppose I need to know what they should be able to do.

cazzy - that is what is encouraging me atm. If the main failure is down to management (which seems to be what the report suggested) a new head and a lot of scrutiny by the LEA might help. Not to mention the extra funding of course.

mountain - we are in a slightly different position in that we like the school. If we had concerns already as you do I wouldn't hang around for a single moment. In fact there are some parents who are already saying that it has confirmed what they thought - but I wonder why they kept their child there for so long in that case. It's not as if we're a tiny village with only the one school to go to

Thanks for all your advice. It has helped. I'm much calmer this morning. DH is a primary teacher (though he has been posing as a builder for 6 years) and he has dismissed the whole thing - he feels 100% confident in the school... mind you he gave up teaching because he hated the whole testing and grading regime that was starting to come in when he graduated. The thing that made him most cross was the complaint that the childrens' report were too descriptive - that is what most parents want isn't it, not just a list of numbers, a feeling that the teacher knows their child as an individual.

I think we will wait and see.

BTW very pleased with DS#1's potential secondary school. And DS was utterly sold - inspite of the fact that 90% of his mates are going to a different school. He saw the science labs (incl a robotics room which got him very excited - they've won National competitions) and when we got home went and got his electric set out and started making things beep and flash

OrmIrian, my question was on an off-chance that the lead inspector might have been the same one as we got - clearly wasn't, unless she's had a sex change . The then Deputy Head looked into our school's lead inspector's track record and found a disproportionately high number of very poor markings for the schools she inspected; iirc that was part of the basis of the school's appeal.

I'd like to think it was down to the inspector hallgerda But probably not.

Just had a read of the previous report from 2002 and it was so positive. DS#1 had only been there just over a year then. It's hard to beleive it's got so much worse in that time period.

Ah- wondered if this would be you!

OK, I'm going to give some honest feedback- think I am probably most qualified on MN to do that LOL!

A) when ds1 transferred from your school to his, he was a bout a year or so behind his calss- despite having done the whole Nursery thing

B) But comparing the two (and ours is a Faiths chool with a waiting list longer than your arm) I was still much happier with your school, because of the attitude, general care and atmosphere there

C) I do however know of a Mum who transferred her daugher to St M's when she moved and saw her 'SN' child catch up within a term and be discharged from the medics

D) I reckon your kids- knowing the one a bit as I do- would thrive anywhere BUT imo they will thrive best soemwhere caring,a nd your school is definitely that

Oha nd frankly, what ir emember of your daughter- if my kids turned out that fab I'd be totally 100% happy with whatever I'd chosen, if that helps?

Thanks peachy. That's lovely As you say you have some experience of the place. When did you leave? You are right - they are thriving emotionally and socially and as they aren't stupid I just hope that they can keep their end up academically.

I must admit that I don't have much concern for DD as she is hard-working and really tries. I think she'd do well anywhere.It's DS#1 that bothers me - if he isn't engaged he simply switches off and he isn't exactly top of the class as it is . But only one year to go so no point in transferring him now. DS#2 is more like his sister thankfully. But we'll see. St M's went through a sticky patch itself when we were looking to apply for DS#1 back in 2000. They had lost their ht too. But obviously turned things around a bit better.

Regarding secondary we went to see RB on Thursday and were really impressed. DS loves science and their labs were fantastic (for a small state school obviously). I have a feeling that he could become engaged there. Similarly small and friendly atmosphere to their present school - lovely interested teachers and open, friendly children (all the pupils there to help show us around were volunteers). Going to see H next week but only really to say that we gave it a go....DS not interested in it.

BTW whereabouts in S Wales are you? I have a friend who teaches in a primary just outside Cardiff?

We've been here two and a bit years now, so Whitsun 2005.

RB- isn't that a science schoo, supposedly now? forget what they all specialised in!.

We're in a place called Caerleon, small town just outside Newport, about 10 miles from cardiff so quite handy (unfder an hour from Mum in Bridgy as well). Supposedly well swish, but that's because of the amount of incomers here- high property prices (unless you're payingS oemrset rates in which case it's wow, so cheap!). Ina ctuality there is ahuge poor population here- but they buit the eststae behind the hill where people can't see it , do not approve.....

Your friend will know the place! Everyone does, as its a big Roamn place so all schools come regularly

I know Caerleon. DS#1 visited in Yr 4. Archaeolgy was one of my passions earlier in life - Dad and I dragged the family to most places of interest round us including Caerleon.

My friend is in Sully so nowhere near you I guess.

Yes RB is a science college.

Ah well, you'd have been near us the, right in the old bit - it's very erm, picture postcard (i'd kill for a close supermarket but hey ho!)

From very limited personal experience (lots of supply teaching), I'd say that Ofsted tends to err on the optimistic side. If they have trashed the school, then there are probably real concerns.

It is possible for a school to be both lovely, and poor academically. I did a mat leave on a school that fared poorly on Ofsted. It was recognised that the school was very friendly, nurturing and comfortable (I saw that too and enjoyed my time there), but also lacking in expectations for achievement. It was happy to be mediocre.

You have to look at each part of the Ofsted report separately, and acknowledge the individual areas for improvement. The whole point of inspections is for schools - all schools, even the good ones - to continue onwards and upwards. It isn't necessarily a condemnation to get low grades on Ofsted, but often an opportunity for future improvement.

"but often an opportunity for future improvement. " Well that's what I'm counting on SC.