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 would definitely ask for a meeting with the Head if teacher isn’t answering your concerns. As well as supporting your child out of school I would really invest time into asking other parents - ask anonymously on other social media sites and get people to message your privately. Network as much as you can in person also - that way you can also find out the the other ‘great’ schools in the area without relaying on unreliable Ofsted ratings in case you want to change.

I work with schools. A 2016 ‘outstanding’ means very little if the school has not kept up with the expectations of the latest Ofsted framework.

It sounds like they haven't kept up, phonics has changed significantly since 2016. From your information, under inspection, the judgement would possibly be requires improvement, given that the phonics programme sounds so out of date.

As far as the latest expectations around phonics and reading, this is DfE guidance. Phonics must have fidelity to one programme, books must be well matched to phonics taught to allow children to practice what they have been taught directly.
Details are here and should help you to ask relevant questions of the school @Similaresoldofa

www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-reading-framework-teaching-the-foundations-of-literacy

If it’s progress data shows declining standards I suspect ofsted will arrive fairly soon.

Ofsted are not as focussed on the data. They make their judgement on what they see in school, through a range of evidence including talking to the children.
Below national data doesn't necessarily mean a less than good OFSTED. I can evidence that locally. It is dependent on starting points, progress seen in books, the children, curriculum (3 I’s) and the strength in leadership and management in showing positive impact of the improvements they have made.

I teach 9 year olds and they often draw their spelling words in sand (or with chalk, using play dough etc) It’s all about a different sensory experience. She’s literally 5 years old! I’m surprised she gets any homework at all, we don’t send any out until Primary 3 (7ish)

@MTIH
They do focus on data when deciding who to inspect. There’s been a slew of downgrading from Outstanding to RI. Some outstanding schools haven’t been inspected for 10 years plus but other outstanding schools have been inspected more regularly. However if published data remains excellent, they have a greater chance of being left alone. Ofsted publicly state they look for schools where an inspection will make the most difference - so they must look at data to make this call. However with a previous inspection after 2015, the inspection is subject to different provisions as deteiled in the handbook.

When ofsted arrive, that’s another matter and many previously outstanding schools are, of course, good or still outstanding.

Think you might be trying to teach me to suck eggs @TizerorFizz .

Agree - just because it was Outstanding 7 years ago doesn't mean it still is. Schools can get complacent. A school local to us was outstanding for years, with parents desperate to get their kids in there. Because they were Outstanding, Ofsted didn't visit them for several years and when they did, they found them Requiring Improvement (or whatever the phrase is).

Sounds like your school isn't really doing its job. Her reading record should be checked every day for one thing (although it's up to you as the parent to write in it - DD's school just check to see she's reading every day and tick my comment).

@MTIH
How superior of you!