is this school no good?

[Similaresoldofa]

Hi All,
I think I will be quite unpopular with this one but I really need advice from those who can give a non-judgmental opinion.

DD is a bright child. She is in Year 1 . When she started reception at our local state school, she quickly made progress and was reading fluently after just a few months. All teachers repeatedly praised her and couldn't be happier with her reading and maths skills. I was impressed and happy with the school, they seemed to respond to her needs adequately enough. This school had a "good" rating from Ofsted.

Unfortunately we had to move away to a different borough. I did some research, visited a few schools and moved her to a nearby school which has an Ofsted outstanding rating (dated 2016). This school is split across more than one site but Ofsted conduct inspections in all of them and give an overall rating.

It's been a few months and I am so disappointed. DD comes home with level one books to read at home. (These are the books where there are just a few very basic words per page). This tells me that she has not been properly assessed - even after spending months at the new school. Homework is non-existent or ridiculously easy - even for year 1 level. It basically involves circling some words which contain certain letters. There is no "optional" challenge. When I ask her whether they read in class she says that no one reads aloud, they get some time to read and everyone just reads "in their head". At some point in the past parents were invited to a "phonics" workshop, which was meant to be "help for parents about how to help your child with phonics". Children were given some bowls filled with sand where they could draw and write letters with their fingers. No offence but this is a nursery level activity if you ask me.

What should I do? I am worried DD is not being stimulated to achieve her potential. Eventually she will be so bored at school. I want to move her again but how do I find a good school? This school is "outstanding", seemed good enough when I visited for parents tour. I totally didn't expect this.

Should I address this with the school? How should I phrase my concerns? I don't want to become the "difficult" parent and also I am not sure that something can be done at all. They're not going to change the way they teach just because one parent is not happy. I feel that my voice wouldn't count.

Any advise, please? Thank you

I'd start by going in and asking why dd has been given such easy books. If no one ever listens to her read as school it's not surprising that they don't know what book she should have!

In an ideal world, what do you think the school should implement for your DD?

As with everything, practice is good for your DD, and i would not take everything your DD says as gosple for her not being listened to with reading. Do they not have a reading record book that comes home with her?

I dont see any harm in checking with the school to establish the set up of how things work, but that very much depends on what you actually expect to be happening and how you approach it with the teachers.

Did they not explain how the reading assessment went at the parents phonics meetings- advising that they move children up based on ability, maybe your DD needs to work her way through the levels with them as shes new there, what was explained ?

I actually work at my child's school so desperate not to be 'that' parent. I buy him chapter books which we read at home and he has lots of maths/English exercise books which challenge him which we do together at home.

I would ask about their reading assessment systems and how often they're assessed and how. This will at least alert them to the fact that you are not entirely happy and then go from there.

@tiggergoesbounce I tried that, but the teacher is always extremely brief with any explanations. I tried to understand the system but it seems that there is none in place. They definitely don't have ability groups, I gathered this much. The phonics workshop was a joke - there was literally this sand activity for the children and then the parents were waived "goodbye". No explanation about how things work in class at all.

@cracklefick I think buying chapter books and maths exercise books is a good idea, I do that too. But I feel the school should be doing their bit? They spend most of their time in there after all.

Minimal or no homework is fine, there’s not a lot of research that supports it at that age. As for the rest of it, I think you should ask for a meeting or phone call with the teacher. Ask about her reading books. She might be able to fluently read a lot of words but if her comprehension isn’t there yet then they might be keeping her on easier books until they’re confident that she’s understanding them. Not saying this is necessarily the case but there could be a reason for it rather than lack of assessment and you won’t know unless you ask. Also, my Y1 child isn’t the most reliable when it comes to recounting her day. Not deliberately but just because she’s 5 and the best detail I get is about the lunch menu. I’d be very surprised if the only reading is done ‘in their heads’ and tracing letters in sand is a regular feature rather than a bit of occasional fun.

I would find it very frustrating to not be able to get to grips with what is happening.

What questions have you directly asked so far ??

Do you have a school app e.g seesaw.
What do they post on that?
Sorry did you say they have a reading record book?

The homework thing is not an issue. She’s 5/6 she doesn’t need homework. Read with her, encourage her to write/draw and explore that’s enough at this point.
Maybe practice some spelling of year1/2 tricky words.
The book level thing doesn’t sound great. Have you got a parents evening coming up? I would expect so. You need a proper 1-1 meeting to discuss and get some proper answers.
How has she been assessed? What phonics phase is she working on? What justification have they got for the books she is currently using? They should have some!! You need to pin the teacher down.
Please don’t move her agin until you’ve had a proper conversation and given school a chance to fix the problems. Moving schools is very disruptive and should only be done if completely necessary in my opinion.

@Smartiepants79 I totally agree with you. I want to avoid moving her again at all costs, but if I do need to do it, I need to figure out quickly, before she really settles and makes friends.
They do have a reading record, there has only been one entry so far. I asked for books of correct level for her but weeks passed and it seems that no-one has read my request. There is no response from the teacher.

@tiggergoesbounce I do find it very frustrating and worrying. Also, I don't quite understand how this school is outstanding?! On ofsted you can look up school performance etc and they seem really good, partially the reason why I decided to go there. But I have a nagging suspicion that because the school is split across several sites, the other schools may be performing better and "rescue" this school's results.

Just give your child the appropriate reading material to read at home and speak to the Childs teacher letting her/him know which level she/he is at.

OP it sounds very poor .is there any opportunity for parents to volunteer to help with reading ? As well as being useful it also means you get to see first hand what’s going on and get to know the teachers .

ps I wouldn't worry too much about the reading if your reading every night with child. I think schools can only manage one reading session a week so home reading far more useful

If you haven’t got parents evening due then phone the school office and formally request a meeting.
Talk to her teacher.

@Similaresoldofa
2016 is a lifetime in a school. It quite possibly isn’t outstanding now. I would be defeated too.

Good schools will assess Dc around three times a term. They will rely on you to do the reading homework and put info into a home/school record. Then the teacher or TA should adjust the reading material. If you don’t have a parents evening coming up, I really would see the teacher. It’s so boring for Dc to go backwards and be disappointed. Do get books of your own. Phonics and other methods suit some Dc better and your DD seems to need a mixed diet. I would provide it and, if the school cannot assess and tell you how they assess, I would have no faith in them.

@TizerorFizz Thanks! To clarify, the issue is not so much about reading specifically. Of course we get other books to read at home. I just use it to gauge the overall level of the year. I think that if with reading the school is not following up on progress and not assessing, it's very likely they don't do it in other subjects too.
Also, how likely is it that this situation will improve in older year groups?

@Similaresoldofa
I do understand what you are saying. I would ask the teacher how the school’s assessment policy works. Schools can decide upon their own but it must be coherent and they must report progress to parents. So how do they judge progress and how do they report progress to parents.

Where I was a governor, work was scrutinized, teachers assessed knowledge via questioning, tests might be set, targets set and achieved for example. It’s hard work for teachers and results are put into a computer program around 2-3 times a term to provide data for teachers, governors and school improvement. No children named but trends could be seen and areas for improvement highlighted. Teachers cross check evaluation of a sample of children to ensure accuracy.

I didn’t mean to accuse you of not getting additional books but I do think it’s too easy to hung up on phonics without thinking Dc might enjoy a different diet.

Book a mtg to chat to teacher.

Saying "just do the reading at home" is missing the point. The OP is worried that the school is a bit pants generally, and she's worried about the LT implications of being in a crap school. She can't fill in for the entire curriculum for the next six years.

Are you involved in any local groups, local friends etc.? That tends to be the best way to hear which schools are on the ball and which are not. I'd be looking around hard for an alternative.

@Kokeshi123
The difficulty at the moment is knowing if the whole school is pants or if it’s just this teacher. Clearly speaking to other parents in this school might give info too. Also looking around a school on a working day. Are there busy engaged children?

Outstanding Ofsted = perfect paperwork and statistics

Good Ofsted = focusses on the children

In my experience as a teacher and grandparent anyway. Schools trying to get Outstanding concentrate on the wrong things imo.

Can you speak to the teacher at drop off or pick up? This is not acceptable at all. Email the teacher for a meeting and if that doesn't get very far I'd speak to the Head.

Absolutely continue reading at home but she should be properly assessed at this age. Don't take no for an answer and be firm! Hopefully you'll get some answers.

Thank you all for suggestions. This discussion really helps me dissect the issue. I realise now that I am more worried that the school's general level is rather low, and it is not so much the issue with one specific teacher. I know that pupils sit exams and the material and level is determined centrally, but do schools have some wiggle room to make it easier for the children and that is how they can achieve good performance results without actually being good? No idea. Or is it just that the school's performance deteriorated since the last inspection?

In terms of looking for alternatives: how do I find a better school? I am just at a loss of what to look for. What questions would you ask?

Lots of good schools have Dc who are pretty bright in the first place. Lots of parental involvement and tutoring. The schools don’t all work hard!