Ofsted report/Results V Calibre of intake

[Tasala]

How do you decide what is the best indication of a good school? My 2 are under 3 but we are looking to move so I am taking note of what primary schools are like.

Where I am looking a lot of the schools have an intake where the ability at starting point is well below average & a lot of children are entitled to free school dinners. Sorry, but this makes me uneasy. Am I wrong?

Yes you are wrong Check out the CVA of these schools to find out how well they teach any child.

All schools have to 'differentiate' - so there will be a top table and a bottom table. And as long as your child is on the right table and their work is suitable for them, it really doesn't matter what anyone else is doing.

What it often does mean as that the teaching is better because they have to be.

Read the Ofsted report to see what strength and weaknesses - the latter is where they should be making the most improvement/keen to talk about - but don't be ruled by the report. I teach in a supposedly outstanding school in all categories but I can certainly find fault with areas that could be very important to parents. I have taught in a slightly less well Ofsted assessed school which imo was a lot better.

If data is important to you, don't just look at the % of L4 and above at ks2 which gives them their overall % pass rate, but look too at the % of L5 and above since it poss indicates quality of teaching but also how they meet the needs of the individual. That is important imo if the school's intake is lower than average.

But no replacement for see the schools yourself. What can look similar on paper can be very different in reality or not born out by Ofsted reports. Look to see if the children are happy/smiley and are engaged by the lessons. Are you engaged by them? State of buildings? Do they look well resourced? How much outside open space to they have to play in?

Dh gave me a stat about 54% (or something like that) of primary schools being rated by Ofsted as good or better. Our's is only satisfactory but so is the other choice in our small town so not much to choose from. One of the key areas Ofsted were critical of was pushing the more able. Ds is amongst that category and is getting excellent provision re reading/writing, less so for maths in our opinion.

And once there you might find other factors might come in to play, for instance at the other school ds could have gone to, the classrooms all operate off a central hub which made it a noisy and distracting.

You could also apply the very scientific shoe test... are the children wearing proper school shoes rather than trainers/heels.

Ignore the awful grammar, I definitely need more sleep!

Possibly. don't dismiss all these schools with a less privileged intake out of hand. if a school has kids who start off as well below average, and gets them to average or above, then they are likely to have fab highly motivated teaching, which will be good for all kids. Oh and schools get extra funding don't they for kids entitled to free school dinners?

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I'ld be more concerned about the high schools tbh.

Agree with visiting all the possible schools to see if the children are happy and keen to learn. And look on the website or ask for the school improvement plan (this goes by different names but it's basically a document the school has to write on how it will improve any areas identified by Ofsted - even outstanding schools have something where they can do better).

My nephew started reception in a supposedly outstanding school. Turned out it got results but putting intolerable pressure on tiny children. My sister went in to talk about the ridiculous amount of homework nephew was getting in his first MONTH in reception when he was only just four. Saw a tiny reception child standing in the corridor lost - four adults walked past him without stopping to help, was only an older child who spoke to him. She took him out and was lucky enough to get a space at a non-outstanding but much better school.

ds is at an Ofsted outstanding school which is really great - caring and stimulating.

results by putting intolerable pressure...