Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

DS will probably have to go to a school in ‘special measures’. WWYD?

71 replies

DemiBourbon · 05/02/2021 21:49

We have been living in our current home for 15 years and DS attends a good, local, non-academy primary. DS is due to start year 11 in 2022 so we have to apply in October year.

The local secondary school (an academy) has recently changed the admissions criteria to favour primary schools run by the same academy. This means that DS will definitely not get into this secondary now.

All other schools within the area either ‘require improvement’ or are in special measures. However, this doesn’t really matter as we are outside their catchment areas anyway, so unlikely he’d get a place. He would be bumped to a school 4 miles away which is also currently in special measures. This school is very undersubscribed and only 18% of the pupils achieve good grades in their GCSEs. I believe the behaviour of pupils has improved slightly but still not good.

We live about 4 miles from a better school and have been looking at moving to that area but all we would be able to afford to buy would be the type of house where the owner he passed away and there is no central heating/kitchen and bathroom not really serviceable. We would definitely not have the money to renovate.

So our 2 options are:

Move into a house as described above in time to apply in October

Or:

Stay where we are, let DS attend special measures school and try to pay for a tutor to bring him up to speed.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or had children start at a school which is already in special measures?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

OP posts:

bathorshower · 05/02/2021 21:55

Honestly? I'd do anything to avoid my child going to a school in special measures - it's not simply the academic side (as you say, you can hire tutors to help with that), it's the likely behaviour. Schools in special measures tend not to be oversubscribed, so if a child is excluded from a school elsewhere, it'll be the school in special measures that has the space to take them. Plus those who are bright will be bullied if they show it. I can keep going along those lines - sorry.

sensiblesometimes · 05/02/2021 21:55

move house , do what ever it takes

snowliving · 05/02/2021 22:03

I would plan to move.
I went to a bad school, my parents themselves helped educate me and I did have friends.
But it wasn't easy at all and I wouldn't put my dc through that.
A school culture is very important.

kerkyra · 05/02/2021 22:05

Schools like this can only improve?
My older two DC went to the local comp which was in 'special measures',one did well and the other got some GCSE's although couldn't get that c in maths ( but would have struggled anywhere I think).

Same school four years later is now rated ' good' and has become very popular and my 13yr old is doing well.
I think your ds would be fine,you have to mix with all sorts in life and you also have the option of a tutor.

LarkDescending · 05/02/2021 22:06

Presumably you mean year 7, not year 11, in 2022.

Is another option to try now for an in-year place in one of the academy trust’s primary schools?

TheSmallAssassin · 05/02/2021 22:07

I thought, generally if a school was in special measures you'd get a new head parachuted in and the school given a good shake up? Your son might benefit in that case from a school which has the spotlight on it?

Hoppinggreen · 05/02/2021 22:07

We went Private
I know we are lucky to have the option

RedskyBynight · 05/02/2021 22:07

Do you mean he'd be starting Year 7 in September 2022?

I've not been in the position myself, but locally there is a huge move in Year 5 and start of Year 6 from some "perceived as much better" primaries to the "we didn't really want to send our children to this school because it has a much more mixed intake, and there was allegedly a fight in the playground 10 years ago, but unfortunately it's a feeder school for the much better secondary school and our current primary isn't" school. So that might be an option for you.

How long has the school been in special measures? Are there signs that it might be on the way up? I'd prefer a "not so good now but improving" school over a "was judged outstanding by Ofsted 10 years ago and has been resting on its laurels ever since" school.

RosesAndHellebores · 05/02/2021 22:14

We sent dd to a supposedly elite cofe school about 11 years ago. It was an absolute shitshow despite being Ofsted "good" and "outstanding" the year we moved her.

Visit and feel the vibe for yourself.

Thatwentbadly · 05/02/2021 22:16

Can you see if he can move to one of the primary schools inside the academy chain?

Lougle · 05/02/2021 22:18

If it's in special measures now, it's unlikely to be in special measures in 2022. They will be having resources pumped in and huge intervention from the LA to get them to at least 'good' ASAP.

CloudPop · 05/02/2021 22:19

This is shocking. How is this acceptable ? This is a state education system.

Puzzler333 · 05/02/2021 22:23

Try to find out more about the school, or any other schools that might be offered. Special measures and improving can be a really positive thing. Schools in special measures don't get away with being poor - they are under scrutiny in every way. Look at the actual oftsted report, but also try to find out what the school is like.

I've worked in a special measures school. I would absolutely have sent my child there. Over some of the good schools I've worked in, even. To be fair, by the time I worked there, there had been many changes and within a year the new oftsted grade was good with outstanding features.

JuliesIpad · 05/02/2021 22:36

The school my DC went to had a good reputation locally but went into special measures when DS was in y8. In hindsight the school had been coasting.
We supplemented the education at home and I tutored one who was not so strong in English.
Both DC got all A* in GCSES, A levels and first class degrees.

littlemisslozza · 05/02/2021 22:45

They should be having all sorts of interventions. I used to work in a school which was judged outstanding back in 2012 and hasn't been inspected since. I personally doubt it's still outstanding and I left partly due to being fed up of poor behaviour, but all the local parents think it is the best when applying. Ofsted can be taken with a pince of salt if it was a number of years ago, a recent special measures will mean big changes happening which is a good thing. That said, those exam results are pretty dreadful and I'd explore every avenue.

Landlubber2019 · 05/02/2021 22:54

Our ds is now in a school in special measures, upon visiting the school we were encouraged by the vibe and how the school felt. We felt the school would improve and the leadership is good.

His primary school had been rated outstanding, but truly it was hideous until year 5 when a new teacher arrived. Until that point teachers had coasted, parents were in denial and the behaviour was frankly shocking! Ofsted should be considered but is by no means the end of it all.

Original poster

DemiBourbon · 06/02/2021 05:32

Sorry, yes, I do mean year 7.

I did think about the fact that there will be all sorts of help/scrutiny so surely they have to improve in the next year and a half?

I have found out that the new executive head is the head of another of the schools within the academy trust which is ‘good’ with very good exam results. I’m just wondering what impact he can make in respect of behaviour though?

We did look at the ‘tour’ video on the school website and tbh, the kids were very funny and engaging and DS said he liked the look of the school but obviously the school will only let us see it’s best bits.

Another thing is, this school is now likely to get a few more kids attending from DS‘s primary along with a few others from schools who would not normally send their kids there, so this may mean an improvement in behaviour generally

DS is absolutely devastated about the possibility of moving house. He doesn’t cope with change very well but I suppose he would get used to it if we did move. I will definitely explore all possibilities mentioned, so thank you.

OP posts:

orangeblosssom · 06/02/2021 05:42

Move into the house.

inquietant · 06/02/2021 05:46

@CloudPop

This is shocking. How is this acceptable ? This is a state education system.

Academies are shit, their freedoms are designed to undermine the whole state sector.

FTMF30 · 06/02/2021 05:56

Is there not the option for your DS ti get the bus to the school 4 miles away? 4 miles isn't that far. If there is a direct bus route, surely he'd be capable of getting himself to school at 11/12?

inquietant · 06/02/2021 06:09

DS is absolutely devastated about the possibility of moving house. He doesn’t cope with change very well but I suppose he would get used to it if we did move.

Unless he has some diagnosed additional needs I would say this is not a feeling to be encouraged - 'devastated' seems too strong?

SD1978 · 06/02/2021 06:17

It doesn't seem as if the school is all doom and gloom. You liked the video with the kids- yes it's a promotional video, but have you managed a look around it? He will now have several friends going as the other school has changed its entry criteria, and the managmant brought in to sort out the other school has a good track record within the area. I wouldn't necessarily be utterly ruling it out. Do you have a school FB group? How many parents are likely to now be going to this school?

DiamanteFan · 06/02/2021 06:21

My anxious child went to a school in special measures for two years - it was a disaster.The school was well intentioned and putting in measures to improve, but there were massive behaviour issues. Fortunately we had a local UTC he could transfer to, with a much better atmosphere and aspirational culture where he was much happier. I'd seriously consider either a transfer to the feeder primary, if they have places, or a house move.

Ilovemaisie · 06/02/2021 06:22

I wouldn't move house. Schools change. I live near one of the most over subscribed popular schools in London. But when I moved here just over a decade ago it was considered a dreadful school with appalling behaviour with fights on local buses by the pupils and they were all banned from local shops.
Your son will potentially be going to a school with lots of his current classmates - which I think is important for friendships and community.
If the school is in special measures it will be getting help to improve - which is a good thing.

SnuggyBuggy · 06/02/2021 06:26

I might get flamed but I think it depends if the school is in special measures because of bad management or because most of the pupils are from difficult backgrounds. The former can be turned around but not the latter.

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread