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Primary education

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Original poster

Where is my child's school's Ofsted report?

21 replies

Canyoucheckonme · 19/04/2023 19:11

School had a visit from Ofsted for an inspection w/c 6th February. I've set up the alert so that as soon as the report is published I get an email. I keep checking but nothing.

Does anyone know possible reasons why there is such a delay? I thought they had 30 working days to publish their report?

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Nimbostratus100 · 19/04/2023 19:12

can take a lot longer

Original poster

Canyoucheckonme · 19/04/2023 19:17

Hmm. I'm getting impatient! Guess I'll just have to keep waiting 🙃

OP posts:

HarleyLane · 19/04/2023 19:23

Reports are often longer than usual when either school leaders have challenged some of the accuracy which requires the inspector to review the evidence and resubmit for quality assurance or if the school has been judged inadequate.

However, reports do seem slow at the minute. The latest one published this week in my LA was an inspection on the 2nd of February.

Original poster

Canyoucheckonme · 19/04/2023 19:32

Thanks.

I've heard on the grapevine it possibly will be deemed inadequate (hence my impatience). It was already rated 'requires improvement'.

OP posts:

HarleyLane · 19/04/2023 20:01

Even a second RI will most likely bring about an academy order made by the Regional Director.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1111085/FINAL_FOR_PUBLICATION-Schools_Causing_Concern_Guidance_Update_Representations_edit__2.pdf

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1111085/FINAL_FOR_PUBLICATION-_Schools_Causing_Concern_Guidance_Update_Representations_edit__2_.pdf

Shortandsweet20 · 19/04/2023 20:03

Also RI isn't necessarily bad. Ofsted have agendas and the hoops they expect schools to jump through are awful.

I've worked in RI, good and outstanding and the RI schools by far had the best teaching and well being for children compared to outstanding!

HockeyJock · 19/04/2023 20:05

They're taking quite a while at the moment, and will take longer of any of it is contested.

ShowOfHands · 19/04/2023 20:09

We had Ofsted in the two days before we broke up for Christmas and the report was out towards the end of January but it was straightforward, nothing contested.

PriamFarrl · 19/04/2023 20:15

The Easter holidays don’t count in the working days.

Original poster

Canyoucheckonme · 19/04/2023 20:25

Shortandsweet20 · 19/04/2023 20:03

Also RI isn't necessarily bad. Ofsted have agendas and the hoops they expect schools to jump through are awful.

I've worked in RI, good and outstanding and the RI schools by far had the best teaching and well being for children compared to outstanding!

No, I know it doesn't mean it's a bad school, but it doesn't help either. Feel sorry for the teachers as morale seems so low and has done for over a year now (new Head 18 months ago and around 60-79% of the staff have left in that time).

It was rated RI six years ago after the last inspection.

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Original poster

Canyoucheckonme · 19/04/2023 20:26

PriamFarrl · 19/04/2023 20:15

The Easter holidays don’t count in the working days.

@PriamFarrl no, I know, and neither will the strike days nor February half term. But it's definitely been more than 30 days now.

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mrsblueskyeye · 19/04/2023 20:36

30 days, plus 2 weeks for Easter, plus 1 week for half term, so potentially 40 days, more if the school have put a complaint in. Ofsted don't sit on completed reports just to piss off parents!

Original poster

Canyoucheckonme · 19/04/2023 20:41

Was just wondering what might be holding it up, so grateful for anyone who has posted to help educate me. I'm not taking it personally 😂

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Shortandsweet20 · 20/04/2023 06:44

Schools can often appeal things that are in the report and time has to be given for this to be looked at and evidenced so it may be that. It probably won't be long now although if it's not in the next week or so I wouldn't hold your breath of it coming before the BH

Iamnotthe1 · 20/04/2023 07:13

Ofsted reports are delayed at the moment and they will only publish if there is a clear two week working window for schools after the publication. This delays things further. It could be that the report is ready but hasn't been published because of Easter holidays (some schools were the two weeks before this one but some are last week and this week).

Original poster

Canyoucheckonme · 20/04/2023 22:01

Funnily enough, it has been published today! Requires Improvement again. School sent out a covering letter explaining that they had formally complained about both the process and report.

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HollyGolightly4 · 20/04/2023 22:05

I think there's currently an embargo on publishing anything that could be biased around local elections (we're great, look at our schools/they're terrible look at their schools etc)

However, Feb would suggest a challenge of the report!

BillyNighysWife · 20/04/2023 22:14

I've worked in RI, good and outstanding and the RI schools by far had the best teaching and well being for children compared to outstanding!

Me too! In fact I worked for many years at a place that had been given RI, good and outstanding during the time I was there and honestly there was no difference in the school during that time. It was just fine in all the 17 years I worked there. I remember being quite surprised when it got outstanding and mystified when it got RI.

I have been teaching for 35 years and have experienced a large number of inspections. Every single one seemed to generate random conclusions which bore little connection to the reality of the school.

Original poster

Canyoucheckonme · 20/04/2023 22:38

BillyNighysWife · 20/04/2023 22:14

I've worked in RI, good and outstanding and the RI schools by far had the best teaching and well being for children compared to outstanding!

I have been teaching for 35 years and have experienced a large number of inspections. Every single one seemed to generate random conclusions which bore little connection to the reality of the school.

@BillyNighysWife thanks for the reassurance. Very interesting to know your viewpoint as a teacher working in the same school for so long, and experiencing all the different Ofsted results. I'm disappointed for the school, staff, pupils and parents that they didn't achieve 'good', but know the whole system is flawed anyway. Let's hope some improvements are made to it soon...

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Original poster

Canyoucheckonme · 20/04/2023 22:39

HollyGolightly4 · 20/04/2023 22:05

I think there's currently an embargo on publishing anything that could be biased around local elections (we're great, look at our schools/they're terrible look at their schools etc)

However, Feb would suggest a challenge of the report!

@HollyGolightly4 see my update from this evening - yep, school had put in an official complaint about the inspection and subsequent report. This explains the delay.

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inthewest · 21/04/2023 11:56

I think they're super backed up right now. My school has been in the "they'll be coming any day now" window since November. ugh.

A school near us was inspected the first week of March and has just received their report this week.

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