Oh shit. DH's new school has just been Ofsteded and first feedback is not good.

[OrmIrian]

He's only been in the job since the beginning of term. Very nervous but has been doing OK. He was told he was 'satisfactory' which was disappointing but OK. But the staff were informed tonight that the school as a whole isn't doing well.

The inspector personally told DH that one of the boys in his class should have been put forward for GCSE - after a 2min conversation overheard between DH and the lad and without actually looking at his work or talking to the boy. Considering that the boy has major learning difficulties and usually struggles to sit still for more than 10mins it seems a bit ambitious .

Last Ofsted was good.

Bit dispiriting

Just as things were going well.

New teacher. He actually qualified 14yrs ago and then gave up, did a yr as a LSA and was given a teaching post.

well this the trouble with OFSTED...snap shot! Should see it as a way of self-improve

Ofsted have changed the way they evaluate and it is getting harder to get more than a satisfactory. So this is going to be very common.

Don't worry about it - the main thing is whether YOU are happy with the school.

Well then, the only way is up and what an opportunity to be there at the start to help turn it around!

Thanks everyone.

It just feels so sad. Tis a lovely little school - the staff made DH so welcome. Head was in tears this afternoon .

MP - DH said something about the criteria having changed but apparently they had nothing positive to say, nothing at all, even though they had previously graded most of the teachers individually as good.

Some of the pupils in DH's class wouldn't have stayed in the classroom 18m ago. Seriously seriously troubled children. Perhaps they should have encouraged them not to be on their best behaviour so they inspectors could have appreciate how hard it is to teach kids that kick and spit and hit and scream abuse at you Apparently they were perfectly behaved. Which is a testament to the teacher IMO.

cat - yes I appreciate it isn't his problem as such but he feels responsible and angry on behalf of the other staff.

Fucking Ofsted

That's so difficult, isn't it? They've done such a good job with very troubled children that no-one can see what a good job they've done.

Maybe the school needs to organise something to show themselves how proud they are of what they've achieved.

This might sound a bit corny, but at work we have a 'board of success' where anyone can scribble a note about something that they or a colleague did well - it can be something very small (X sat through a three hour meeting with the council without yawning) or something massive, and it's lovely to come in and find a note about yourself

Well, the only way is up.

Your DH can be part of that.

Parents are begining to see thogut Ofsted reports. DS1's school is classed as "stisfactory" by Ofsted, but by me it's classed as outstanding. DS1 is absolutely flying there academically, and runs in to school enthusiastically every morning.

This is after "failing" miserably at a "good" school.

Thanks

I tend to agree re Ofsted. TBH as this is the only school for children with behavioural and learning difficulties in the town it isn't as if the parents have much choice really . But I don't know one who doesn't love the school.

But as it is the official way for schools to feel appreciated it's a bit of a kick in the teeth. Still.... haven't seen the report as yet. Might be OK. All the teachers were individually graded as good or satisfactory so it can't be the teaching that's at fault surely.

Wow! Just had a look at the TES forums and it seems that there are quite few unhappy schools and teachers.

I think my nice cosy private sector IT job is seeming more and more attractive by the minute

Sympathies to your DH, but let this thread remind people not to get too hung up on OfSted reports when choosing a school to live next to or shoehorn themselves into!

Quite frankly I am starting to regard any sort of Ofsted commendation as a bad sign.
My marvellous childminder cannot get above satisfactory and actually, if she started doing the things Ofsted would require for a "good" or "outstanding" then the whole style of her care would have to change and ut wouldn't be what I wanted.

I magine the same applies to schools.

It's gutting for the staff though as so much store is set by "good ofsteds".

If you can, try to ignore and go on your own feeling about the place.

katisha - that was the case for my CM too. The inspections for CM were only introduced about a yf before we stopped needing her and her first one was awful Even though I don't know how she could have been any better from our pov. It accelerated her decision to retire.

Yes this continues to worry me as she gets into such a state about her Ofsteds and sees the lack of a "good" report as a kick in the teeth.

Ormirian - has the school got 'satisfactory' overall? or worse?

It is a real kick in the teeth of you think you're 'good' and don't get that grading. But there are worse outcomes.

A new ofsted framework has just been introduced in sep 09 and the general view is that goalposts have moved and schools can expect a grade lower than last time, unless they have improved a lot and even then can only expect the same grade. There will be a lot of schools in this position, not that it's any comfort.

Also, wait for the actual report, there might be some pleasant surprises. I'm a governor and got interviewed by an ofsted inspector, he was quite horrid verbally but then he said some postive things in the report.

Have a nice weekend and relax.

roisin - they haven't got the full report s they don't know what the result is. But the initial feedback was quite negative. The head talked to DH today and was a little more upbeat - apparently they are only permitted to pass on the things that need to change, not any of the positive points, for 5 days.

manic - that is the general hope atm - that it will be better than expected. We'll see.

Thanks everyone.

Oh god, how dispiriting.

There is something very wrong with a system that cannot pass on positive things for five days. Imagine if schools tried to motivate their pupils like this.

It also comes down so much on the views of the individual inspecting team. My school was praised for doing things that my colleague's school was lambasted for.

Dh is a governor and recently went to some training on the new Ofsted framework. It does seem quite a bit stricter in certain areas. For instance a 'fail' in safeguarding, means an automatic 'fail' overall for the whole inspection.

sorry - that was 5 days not 5.

15!