Weald of Kent school - Ofsted

[Schoolmum5]

I have a DD in Year 5 and am looking for schools for September 2023 entry. I am very concerned about the recent WOK ofsted which seems to highlight a number of internal concerns. Whilst the education provision itself is good there seem to be a lack of clubs and an internal culture which does not address bullying. The headmistress also appears defensive in her response and I have heard rumours of staff discontent. I would really welcome views on experiences at the school which was previously very well regarded. My worry is the lack of other school choices where I live if DD passes the 11 plus without enough marks for super selective.

It is really sad to see a school go from nationally recognised outstanding to clearly needing improvement. What a disservice to the students, teachers and the community.

For us it’s been a good lesson on follow your gut when looking at schools for year 7. The tours were abysmally poor at both locations last autumn. Lifeless decor. Self service tours with no maps and nobody to redirect. Teachers barely available and for the wrong subjects. Chaos and a reflection on the lack of leadership engagement. Nothing student focused about it except for the fact that students weren’t allowed to attend because of Covid. Many parents said it’s a brilliant school, my girl goes there loves it, tours were poor because of Covid. There was a lot of space to overlook rough edges because of Covid. But other schools managed to make it work regardless and showed up much better.

@Blank165
I think this is what happens when a school goes too far away from its core role. This is the education of children. It’s not running a business with a business manager chair of trustees. Schools are complex organisations and running them is onerous and challenging. This school has moved away from providing all round quality education and has a business “no fault” ethos. This serves no one well. I suspect they may now have to negotiate the exit of the head. I hope the deputy can now start to rebuild trust. One suspects the chair of trustees won’t go. It’s interesting that her career wasn’t as a self employed barrister but was in the CPS. Then she’s worked in publishing and is recently appointed to Vardags. She has too much on her plate I think. I also think she’s not a people person.

@TizerorFizz. Agreed on going too far away from its core role. Including starting up an annex in another town, which is effectively an additional school being led by one headteacher and one board. Seems to have taken on too much to the detriment of staff and students. I certainly hope they can recover and quickly. It will leave a big gap in secondary options if it doesn’t.

Rubin can no longer be found on Vardags webpage mentioning Weald Grammar. I guess tomorrow she’ll not be found on google.

I see they have a Quality of Care Committee. That has been spectacularly ineffective.

My daughter was a pupil at weald.
During Year 11 :
The Biology, Maths and Chemistry teachers went off on sick leave !
She was desperate to go to a better school for 6th form -
so taught herself ! Thank you WHSmith
Luckily she got out !
Great ! Pure stress !
She had the same English teacher for 5 years - not the best !
Would NOT recommend !

Has anything changed for the better at this school this academic year?

Doesn’t sound like it 👎

Oh really, what a shame!

Yes, from our experience it is most certainly improving for the better.
The acting headteacher and her team are on the right path to deliver a much improved school.

@1424Main do you mind me asking where your dd is now? I am considering where to send my dd for sixth form.

Yes definitely send your dd for 6th form my son has just left weald with A,B,B (this was without any extra tutoring so just down to the teaching at the school) he got into Southampton uni - his first choice. He worked hard and Weald were amazingly supportive - the 6th form got a very good Ofsted - I think they are marked independently. He made some lovely friends and settled in really well even tho a lot of interruptions due to COVID. I couldn’t recommend it more for its sixth form.

Thethingswedoforlove
she went to the Judd
absolutely loves it

@Thethingswedoforlove
She went to the Judd for sixth form and absolutely loves it !

@1424Main thank you! Very aware of Judd. It’s a great school. So glad your dd is so happy.

My daughter has just started this year and she loves it. I’ve found the school to be accommodating, send out great comms and the teaching has been excellent. Only had one issue which was dealt with quickly and effectively. I’m impressed so far.

Those with DDs at Weald can I ask how you have found the school this year ?

I don't know the school at all, but any school that's had serious issues with staff turnover won't recover over a summer. There are massive issues with teacher shortages in many subjects, and a lot of the subjects mentioned here are difficult ones to recruit for.

Schools often get into a spiral where they're short staffed, so stressed out, and so they look for jobs elsewhere, and then leave and the school struggles to replace them.

A poor Ofsted and regularly changing leadership also won't attract teachers.

My DD was involved in appointing the new headteacher and I trust her judgement. It was a shame Mrs Clark stepped own as she was doing a great job but I also don’t blame her as she didn’t get the head role. We are coming to then end of year 7 and I’m still happy with the school. In comparison to my son’s school, Weald has been a million times better. There are issues hiring and retaining good teachers due to the pay and conditions so all we can do is support the teachers in their quest for better pay and conditions as that will benefit our kids in the end. Still a good school for us.

Just seen this thread, I have 2 at Weald, one in year 7 and one in year 11.
I think all the changes made have really improved the school. The girls all seem really happy there, problems like bullying etc seem to be stamped out quickly. The PTA is back and arranging events for all years and parents and the school just feels a lot more positive.
I think that the change in head and subsequent acknowledgement of the issues by the leadership team after she left has completely changed the feel of the school for the better. My eldest will be staying on for sixth form and I have nothing but praise for the year 7 team as my daughter and her friends have settled in really well.

This is not true. A graded inspection was overdue. If the inspection was due to an event such as a student suicide, it would not have been a graded inspection (I have been involved in inspections due to exceptional events, they are not graded)

You can learn the accurate facts about Ofsted inspections here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1105844/school_inspections_-_a_guide_for_parents.pdf

Wish I was coming on here with something positive but I'm not. Year 11 student just got gcses. Nothing like predicted grades and not through lack of work.

Because the school predicted higher we didn't have a back up for a levels and weald today have been no help at all. Just telling us to get remarks to get the marks up and as we are under their % average for all gcses we are not welcome there.

Don't mention that some of their teachers don't teach the full syllabus so students don't have all the info to sit exams or haven't even sat certain papers in mocks. And the strikes didn't help either.

Zero pastoral care today, zero help. Managed to get a place at another school after being online all day but I'm livid with them.

They apparently go round telling the year 7s that "a grade 8 in kindness is worth more to the school than a grade 8 in science" but that is bollocks. They don't want students who are not good enough in their view and are not going to budge on their % at all.

They also reshuffled all the year 7s into new subject forms after not getting the intake last year splitting them up from their newly made friends.

So I would say their pastoral care is getting worse than ever and I'm seriously looking into moving my younger daughter as soon as possible.

My youngest is part of that year 7 cohort being split from her friend and she’s been inconsolable about it. Said on the day they were given their new classes, girls were openly crying and no one likes after them. However I think it’s a good chance for her to meet other girls as some in her class haven’t been that nice.

As for the GCSE thing, I’m so sorry. I know a lot of kids were marked a lot lower than predicted. It’s so unfair as Wales and Ireland kept the softer approach so kids in England have been dealt with unfairly. I’m of the opinion any child who was year 7 and above in 2020 should be given the boost to their marks - my son is going into year 11 and has yet to have a full year at secondary school. Our government have screwed our kids over in more ways than one.

My DD is going into Y13 having been at Weald since Y7. We have found it a fantastic school, way better than my DS’s which has an outstanding Ofsted.

Rather than focusing on Ofsted I would be looking very closely at progress 8 scores. Weald is known for having great scores and certainly our experience has borne this out - and it has been done in a gentle, unpressured way. My DD has a big friendship group and has never in all her time there had any social issues.

Happy to give more detail by PM.