another Kingsdale thread bites the dust

[gingeroots]

So the whole thread has gone - positive comments ,queries ,critical comments .

Kind of makes posting on internet forums unattractive .

Any pretence of a space where comment and ideas can be exchanged blown .

Yes, clearly an astute Ofsted team too who do what Ofsted say they do (and as teachers we always wonder if they actually do it!) - lots of celebration of the great stuff, a clear analysis / understanding of data and showing what the school needs to do to improve; in fact, to be outstanding in every area.

Feel very fortunate to live in a city with such amazing good/outstanding schools. So many friends moved out of London years ago to find those schools - they should have stayed! Statistically, we've got some of the best schools here.

Well done again to Kingsdale!

Brockmum, I agree, I don't k ow why people have a low opinion of London. Schools in general, and I think we are very well served in the area, though the people who teeter on the edge of catchments wouldn't agree.

I am really shocked though at this deletion. My memory is that TC congratulated the school, acknowledged that the outstanding to good change was very likely due to the new framework, said it is now very hard to get outstanding , but speculated that 2 other local schools got outstanding under the new rules. A suggestion now refuted in discussion by Rebound. Which is what discussion is for. TC then made one of the statements I made below. I have no wish to be libellous against anyone, and am now very confused. Can you explain, pry, without repeating the offence?

TimeChild - I don't want to risk my own post being deleted so I'm going to be a bit vague but no, not those bits. You mentioned something that hadn't happened in a way that could have been read as suggesting an ulterior motive, although that may not have been what you meant. If that doesn't ring any bells feel free to PM me.

Very satisfying that posts have dried up , nothing to bitch about anymore folks ?

Very pleased and relieved to see the ofsted report is good.:)

I agree the post was unneccessary and shit stirring but I do think families in the area should be delighted at how well Kingsdale has done under the new OFSTED framework.

The positive report is great reading after all the negative press and gossip, particularly pleasing for new and prospective parents. I'm sure we can all agree there is nothing more stressful than secondary transfer.

These extracts confirm to me that we are lucky to have good local options for our children:

^Students are very proud of their school and behaviour in and out of lessons is excellent. Students are very considerate and respectful to one another and state that they feel very safe in school.

All groups of students, including those with additional needs and those supported by the pupil premium, make good progress in their learning and achieve well.

The quality of teaching is good. Teachers are enthusiastic, have good subject knowledge and plan interesting lessons. There are very good relationships between staff and students.^

One question though, the report says "The school has specialist status in mathematics and the performing arts."

I thought they had specialist status in sports as well? Indeed the website and the admissions stuff mention sports scholarships. Have they dropped this specialism? Does it mean that sport scholarships will no longer be offered?

Apologies i wasn't meaning to be bitchey.
It has been very hard as a parent to see such negative & often unfounded comments based on media hype , often posted by people with no connection with the school at all. It can appear to a reader that there is an axe to grind ? As parents we have great faith in the school based on facts ; the well being & happiness of our kids , the regular & consistent updates that we have as a parent thru the parent forum & now by Ofsted that has confirmed that this is a good school with a clear mission to make improvements where necessary.
Re TC last post the specialism in Maths & Performing arts , i believe means that at some stage in their history they have had Ofsted endorsment that they excel within this area. Son is a G&T Maths member & has fast track lessons , he also joined the school with basic trumpet skills & gets free lessons.They still offer scholarships in sport & music.
Hope i haven't offended too much ?

Southwark www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/education/school_tables/secondary/12/html/210.stm

So if they're now above 40% because of retakes ,what are they ?

Not intended facetiously: but I'm guessing not above 50% (or possibly even 45%?) as I expect they would be then be described as "above 50%".

Yes, it's concerningly low, before or after the retakes.

However I've just re-read the Ofsted report: it's clear that the Ofsted inspectors were aware of the 2012 GCSE results - they refer to a 'significant dip in Year 11 students? attainment and achievement in 2012' and make note of issues concerning this.

But they then give an overall judgement of "2" (ie Good) for both achievement and teaching. Improvements to be made - but definitively not "unsatisfactory".

I'm guessing it would be fairly unusual for a school with a bald attainment level as low as 36% to be given a 'good' for achievement?
Which I'm taking to mean that the Ofsted inspectors had a good idea of the issues faced, and a good amount of confidence in the school's ability to address them.

Laysy89 - the staff evaluation forms may not have been used, but the report does describe meetings with staff at various levels (as well as with parents, governors etc).

So presumably there was opportunity for staff to meet with the inspectors & raise issues, albeit not anonymously via the questionnaire.

I can see that there's good reason for anonymous questionnaires to be available - for staff as well as parents.
However if an organisation has suffered unduly from anonymous commenting (I'm thinking more of the online stuff, and not on this forum) then I can also see why it might be neccessary to remove that path of comment, unfortunately.

I'm stunned that ofsted went for a "good" rating with a 36% 5 GCSE pass rate. I thought it was a sort of automatic fail if you couldn't get 40% plus? How can a school in the bottom 200 in the country results wise be judged "good"? Unless it was a special school or something?

Was feeling reassured by the ofsted report but now feel plunged into gloom again. My kids are the kind of lazy scrotes who will be in the 64% fail to get 5 GCSEs group, sure as eggs is eggs. I hope ofsted are right that the school has a good improvement plan.

Given the scrutiny this school is under - I doubt that Ofsted would give a 'good' rating to a school with a 36% pass rate, unless they were pretty bloody sure that there were good reasons for the low pass rate this year, and that those reasons were being addressed.

I so, so, so hope you are right, psammyad.

Absolutely agree Flouncing .

The EDF thread has gone! What a surprise.

If the Ofsted report is itself libellous then quoting it is also libel. However, given the league table information, I cannot see any sensible case that this extract from the Ofsted report is libellous.

It could be argued as a breach of copyright but the report itself allows you to copy all or part of the report for non-commercial educational purposes provided you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. Whilst you haven't stated the date of publication I think overall there is no real case that quoting this extract is a breach of copyright.

I can't remember what you said regarding concerns expressed in earlier threads. It may be that Mumsnet are unhappy with you referring to deleted threads. It is also possible that something you said was potentially libellous although I don't recall thinking there was anything amiss when I read your posts.

I've never had a post deleted so I've no idea if Mumsnet give you reasons for the deletion.