OfSted's "new" ideas

Exactly. My DGCs primary school has just recovered from an Ofsted inspection which led to two years of rapid turnover of staff: four heads and most of the teaching staff. The school dropped from being a ‘good’ school, and as there is no satisfactory grade, became ‘needs improvement’. However, we all knew it was a good school, caring staff, excellent behaviour, good teaching, but the data had not been kept properly. The headteacher was replaced by one and then another totally unsuitable person and then a temporary super head drafted in. During the reign of the two unsuitable heads, the bulk of the staff left. Fortunately, we now have a really dedicated, competent and caring head and the school is back on an even track.

And roll on inspections where a struggling school is provided with some actual help! - now there's a revolutionary idea!

What happens now is that a struggling school (usually lack of funds) finds itself labelled in a derogatory classification, parents slip away with their children, numbers fall, teachers leave and a downward spiral is triggered.

I know a rural primary school where the report read as excellent in every single way and was full of praise for what a brilliant school it is - but did they get an outstanding judgement? - no. Why? - because one child (who represented one third of that year as there were only 3 children in that year) failed the yr 6 SATs. OfSted cannot give an outstanding judgement if a set percentage of children do not pass the SATs.

Now is that rubbish, or is that rubbish?

Ofsted needs scrapping along with all the other "Of's " that have made people's lives a misery with their interfering and undemocratic ways. It's like a dictatorship !

It is the DfE that creates the tests and levels of expectation NOT Ofsted. They monitor against the DfE expectations.

Luckygirl I am sorry but that is not what will have prevented the school having an outstanding judgement. Any group of under five children/students is not taken as statistically significant.

There are some poor inspectors but most are OK..including DH!

meant to add that one of the reasons there is little support for schools is that a decision was taken by central government to reduce the work of Local Authorities. That s where school support traditionally came from. To save money they cut funding so there are no longer advisory or support staff employed who would have traditionally been in schools supporting new HT, helping schools who asked for help with a curriculum area etc.

OFSTED is far from perfect & I am not blind to the problems but really they are only a bit of the problem..a useful distraction for DfE underfunding and their crazy dictats.

Small cohorts are not meant to be counted as they lack statistical significance - but tell that to the OfSted inspectors I have had to battle with over this! They did not listen. Nor the LA who consistently send communications based on these meaningless stats - even asking for a minimum percentage of passes in a subject as acceptable - when reaching that percentage would involve cutting a child in half - or even into thirds! It is all rubbish!

EllanVannin dictatorship! Really get a srnse if proportion!

I have been on tbe recieving end of 4 OFSTED inspections. I have always been treated fairly & respectfully as a HT and been able to argue a case if the inspector had questions.

RECEIVING ?

I believe now they are going to examine the provision of after-school clubs (free child-care) and the level of good manners, (parental responsibility.)

After school activities run by the school as opposed to childcare provision. It is because of the greater focus on the breadth and appropriate curriculum the schools provide. An attempt to stop the over focus on the ' core' curriculum 3 Rs!