Special measures

[Feelingworriednow]

Has anybody been working at a primary school when it went into special measures? Looks very likely this will happen to us when Ofsted come in, LEA already on the case.
Just would like to have an idea of what to expect.

My school, an academy has just gone into special measures. We've been told we will have a "supportive" hmi visit every 6 weeks. So far, the powers that be have introduced a new marking scheme which means all work every day has to be marked in depth. I can't keep it up even if I sit and mark all evening =(

I've experienced this. As Salta said, be prepared for various unmanageable initiatives to be put in place.
Also, learning walks, book scrutinies. It can be a really awful time, to be frank, especially when people start the blame game and cover their own arses.
My advice would be a) GET OUT or b) make sure your teaching is spot on and your books are well marked. If they start making unreasonable planning demands, e.g. stupidly in depth lesson plans or weekly planning scrutinies, contact your union.

Hmmm. As I suspected.
We have already had a new marking policy introduces and book scrutines and learning walks. Already feeling I can't keep up. I am meant to be starting the MaST course this year and just wondering if I should back out given the amount of work about to be thrown at us. I have already had a melt down when the LEA said my lesson was inadequate. That is going from a good/outstanding last year. The stress already is really unpleasant.

I was the scapegoat who kept being graded 4 when it happened to us. It was incredibly stressful as I knew I wasn't inadequate. Both times OFSTED came in I got Good or Outstandings - but according to school I was failing.
Please keep an eye on your mental wellbeing during this period.

It has fundementally shaken my confidence. They only saw my OMS and 5 mins of me teaching a proportion of the class. They said I had pitched it too low for this group as they "should" already have been able to do what we used for the OMS. Well 3 weeks into a new school year I KNOW they couldn't do it, which is why we had been coming back to it, in short burst, regularly over the week. But this amount of time is enough apparently.

Bloody hell. You know your pupils, you know what they can and can't do. Make sure you get written feedback on any observation you have. Amend this feedback and insist the amended copy be kept on file. In fact, if you're feeling vulnerable, insist on your union rep being present for any future observation - and make sure any obs count towards your annual 3 hours.

I have very recently learned that the higher up the educational chain you go, the more downright bullying and dishonesty there it.

Thank you for the advice. Getting it in writing and adding my own amendments is a good idea. I'll also bear in mind the union rep. To be honest we have quite a few staff on only a couple of years experience and I think a couple of them are going to be the first targets.

In my experience of the lead up, older, expensive teachers have been targeted rather than the teachers with just a few years experience.

Just left a school in SM, which forcibly became an academy. Scapegoating, bullying, wholesale bullying out of older more expensive staff by the new head. Weekly book scrutinies, huge blame game. Every book, in depth, every day. 90 books! I was constantly observed and kept getting RI. Learning walks were used to bully people and intimidate.

I left. My first observation in my new job was good with outstanding qualities. My own children are still there and I can't get them out quick enough. It's all about statistics, the SA, the SAplus, the SEN, the G&T. Sod the kids in the middle. The school must make the head look good.

My head introduced these: work to be marked in depth, book scrutinise every week, observations every two weeks if you get an RI, four weeks for good and half termly for outstanding. Needless to say, a lot of staff contacted the union. And we are not even in special measures!!! 5 and a half weeks in, I am now on sick leave!!!!

Yep academy is all about the bottom line...It's a for profit business. My school part of a growing academy (almost cult-like) gets near £250,000 in pupil premium money- where that really goes, no-one knows. As is required, staff are shown an excel spreadsheet which apparently shows expenditure of the PP money but in reality items on there are budgeted elsewhere and so we wonder where these specific monies are actually going. Staff morale is awful and everyone looks knackered.

Funnily enough though we've had lots of (needless)building work carried out...I'm sure it was put to tender but surprise, surprise the contract was given to the head's partner...

It's all really dodgy and I know I'm next in the firing line...M6 and part time, obs are coming thick and fast and they are desperate for me to go. Why is this being allowed to happen. Children's education is being exploited for profit.

RussettBella, you sound so unhappy and I don't bloody blame you. It sounds a total disgrace at your place!
It's also a horrible feeling in the gut when you know you're in the firing line. Can you apply elsewhere? If they want you to go surely they'll give you a decent reference? I know this doesn't solve the bigger problem, of course, but it might make it more bearable for you.

Ah thanks, yep I'm sure they'll give me a shining reference to get me off the payroll:0)...Will bide my time for a bit longer. Not totally unhappy but that's down to the 3 day a week contract. I always know I have choices. An academy is the very last place I would put my child. I'm waiting for the Panorama programme in a couple of years time to expose all the corruption that's going on! I'm sure I've probably outed myself here but really don't mind :0)...Anyway, things will out I'm sure and one day I hope education gets back to what it's purpose is and truly ensures children are at the centre. Right now that is political and fashionable lip-service. The reality is quite literally another story!

its purpose...

Russetbella, you are spot on about academies. They will be exposed soon enough but in the meantime, the kids stuck in the frankly miserable education system at present suffer. They only get one chance. I am furious.

Indeed. Can't believe there is no 'body' who you can report these things to...I got so far with the gov one but then they say we can't protect your anonimity....WEll that's going to encourage whistle-blowers isn't it??? Why can't proper checks be made on these dodgy accounts?? Probably because gov in long run benefits. They're not interested in the fraud of it just the perception that it 'looks' above board-like many things these days. It's all about the 'illusion' of honesty/transparency'. Sad.

Thinking maybe local papers but latest thing they're interested in is 'historic' exam cheating....Yes, we're always sorting these things out in retrospect which is rather convenient for the lying manipulators of the system presently.

BTW, who else has been in a school where year 6 were getting nudges until they got the question right...What kind of system allows this? Ch set up for future failure and aware themselves of the way things can be modified to suit those league tables...

BTW, who else has been in a school where year 6 were getting nudges until they got the question right..
A friend of mine worked at a school where the Head took the level three children into her office for the administration of SATs. Oddly enough they ALL gained level fours... My friend was livid as she'd been their intervention teacher and knew exactly what had happened, but she didn't whistleblow. I don't know how some heads DARE!

They do because we say nothing...It is awful. But fact is everyone, to be cynical, is covering their ***. The only reason I'm still there (and I really am clinging on-management can't stand me) is because of the contract.It suits me and my sit, don't have own class etc. Morally, this is as close as I wish to get to education tho...And I will be leaping shortly into supply no doubt but not without ruffling some feathers. They want me to resign I'm sure but I won't and have not yet mumbled anything about capability but it's the whole...'I just don't think you're very motivated atm' or 'we need passionate people here' etc.....all designed to undermine you of course but I'm just wondering how these 'soft qualities' which underpin the cultlike mission statements will hold up in a tribunal. I'd be prepared to pay the court fee in the very least for the negative publicity it would generate. Maybe some people would start questioning things???

I mean soon people are going to wonder where all the teachers currently teaching do not have school age children and are on average very young and in experienced...Maybe?

Oh and heads have to be a certain type of person (in general no offence!!)...To some people, power is everything...

Totally agree Russett. My old school / the place where my kids still are until other places open up is like Logan's bloody run. No teacher left over 30. No teacher with kids. No teacher on the UPS. No part-timers. 4 perfectly good teachers were capabilited out.

Lunch hours are now 40 minutes. Breaks are 10. They are PRIMARY kids. I was told in my last pupil progress meeting to teach to the SEN, G&T, SAplus and almost L 5's. My kids, who are firm middlers, get lost, as do most others! It was all stats and looking good. The discipline looks good ( all crack action and super certificates) but the same kids keep getting away with things. Nothing is ever really dealt with. And lo! the contract for the out of school booster sessions went to the heads bestie male mate. Wasn't even advertised. Less and less TA's.

I now work back in a LEA school and am frantically searching for a local primary that isn't yet part of the shitty academy chain for my kids.

I wish everyone could read this thread and see what is happening. This affects every parent.

Some thing has to stop the juggernaut of privatisation. These are childrens' lives, not profit margins. I wonder if the general election will change anything.

I'm not a teacher I clicked on the thread in active convo without reading that it was in staff room but I just wanted to say the way you are all being treated is awful. I am absolutely disgusted that this happening to our teachers in a profession I have always had the utmost respect for.

I only hope things start to improve and quickly before all the decent and experienced teachers are effectively bullied out of their profession.

Sorry to gatecrash the thread but just fell I had to show some support

You're welcome Rockinghorse123 :0) Knackered today, not much more to add but there are so many stories out there. This is the case in every single academy, I would bet...

I know what you mean about fearing for your own children. My nearest school is part of my own academy group (South East London area)...They said they were not expanding (why even say that?) when they were the 'cult' of 3 but oh now they have about 5 or 6 schools I think....There is no way my child is going there! I would rather keep her at home watching Cbeebies (joke!)

More and more I understand schooling as no education at all merely indoctrination (a la Doris Lessing) but worse than that big business is coining it in. Even this wouldn't be 'so bad' but it's the hypocrisy I hate, SMT crowing that 'we're doing this for the children'. No you are not, just admit it! Be honest. You're directed to know who your pupil premium children are so you can 'track' them. It's all so weird. I do not want to subject my daughter to this system but just set to churn out uninquisitive/unquestioning robots.

[email protected]
Just written to these guys again but think they're part of it so not sure they'll help. They want you to wave anonimity when it gets so far which is why I stopped pursuing things previously but grrrrrr think I'll just go for it. At least I want them to know we know what they're up to. Where's Panorama when you need them??