Kingsdale School Ofsted?

[Metallic]

I should think the head would have a clue how it went! If it was an ofsted due to all these exam rumours maybe we can expect to hear about it before the middle of March, especially if someone gets fired!

No I wouldn't send my child to a school where a friend worked as a teacher. But needs must if it is a questionable school versus one where there was someone I knew and the ofsted was higher rated.

[westof]

> Westof....where you child goes to school is not

> necessarily where you would choose to send you

> child, as has been mentioned previously.

True - there isn't usually a 'choice' when it comes down to it - & I expect having friends teaching at your child's school is one of the lesser worries in the grand sceme of things.

[tomk]

It is confidential until the draft report is made final (week or so usually - school has right of reply etc and initial grading v unlikely to change). The SLT will know the initial grading/details but I do not blame them for not passing this on to staff given the firestorm of publicity in the summer. Admittedly, often it is passed on with a 'remember to keep this confidential' remark.

[Fuschia]

westof Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> bluemusic Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> Is it really normal for teachers to get the

> results of an inspection on the day? Inspection

> results don't seem to become public until a month

> or so later, but perhaps I'm thinking of the

> bigger inspections.

>

>

In an ofsted inspection there is formal feedback to the management team and governors at the end. The results cannot be made public until formally published - there is a process of quality control by ofsted before the outcome is finally confirmed

[Fuschia]

But it is usual for the head to pass on the outcome to staff, yes

[betterinthesun]

tomk Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It is confidential until the draft report is made

> final (week or so usually - school has right of

> reply etc and initial grading v unlikely to

> change). The SLT will know the initial

> grading/details but I do not blame them for not

> passing this on to staff given the firestorm of

> publicity in the summer. Admittedly, often it is

> passed on with a 'remember to keep this

> confidential' remark.

Not to belittle Tomk, because they may be correct, but I was just wondering if anyone does know the exact and precise procedures which follow such inspections? Tomk you may well be this person in which case thank you for the information. It would just be good to know for parents and other stakeholders in this school when exactly people will have the relevant information?

[Fuschia]

Full procedure is here

http://www.iris.ac/sites/default/files/users/irisadmin/documents/pdf/ofsted-inspection-framework.pdf

Explains about notice

Report should be on ofsted site within 3 weeks

[bluemusic]

Fuschia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Full procedure is here

>

>

> http://www.iris.ac/sites/default/files/users/irisa

> dmin/documents/pdf/ofsted-inspection-framework.pdf

>

>

>

>

> Explains about notice

>

> Report should be on ofsted site within 3 weeks

Thank you Fuschia, however this is talking about a section 5 inspection, from what I have been told it was a section 8 inspection Kingsdale went through, yes I just checked with both sources and they both remember this being said. Therefore this advice may not be relevant, or is it???

[Fuschia]

Publication arrangements are the same for a monitoring inspection are the same I think

http://www.optimus-education.com/understanding-ofsted-monitoring-visits

[bluemusic]

Thank you again Fuschia, it is interesting that Kingsdale is neither in special measures or is knowingly a cause for concern yet it had a section 8 inspection...is this therefore due to the exam board investigations?

[Metallic]

Until recently when you went past Kingsdale it had a quote from ofsted in large letters that said outstanding. These have now gone. So if it was found to be outstanding last time, this inspection must have been because the powers that be thought there was something wrong there. It must be something to do with the exam problems or something new noone knows about yet. Noone has heard anything about that so maybe ofsted is doing what the exam boards should have done and gone to have a proper look. Maybe some parents have added information or are asking for information as to what came out last year, who knows.

Further up bluemusic says people were told it was a section 8 inspection in the school whatever that entails but if that is for something that has gone wrong everyone will know sooner or later. Somewhere further up there is a mention of being sent questionaires because the school has been inspected because it is one of the top schools but that definitely can't be right because the head of ofsted was on the radio and I heard him saying these inspections wont start until September. So I think something is up.

[Fuschia]

No notice inspections are part of the current regime

referred to in the links I posted

[Metallic]

Fuschia do you have any links to the school? Parent or something else? I would like to hear about it because as I said the other day I have to decide where to look at for my son.

[Fuschia]

No, not at all

My children are at primary

I am a manager in another school is all, so I know a bit about ofsted

From what I know, I would apply to kingsdale and be happy to get a place. Problems there wouldnt be enough to put me off

[Metallic]

At least you know how schools work! It depends on the problems though.

[bluemusic]

Fuschia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> No notice inspections are part of the current

> regime

>

> referred to in the links I posted

I was speaking to an inspector who retired last month and they seemed to believe it was normal to have no notice given for section 8 inspections but that section 8 inspections in themselves can indicate that something is wrong to have to trigger one of these.

[Fuschia]

Yes, that seems to fit the published guidance

As kingsdale not previously just 'satisfactory' or worse, it's hard to see why it was triggered

Ah well

All will become clear, no doubt

[bluemusic]

Well exactly it was 'outstanding' so very odd. But as you say we should know soon enough. Thanks for all the knowledge though! Much appreciated for those of us who do not work in education.

[Metallic]

I realised the schools are back so there should be news about what happened before half term and so I was looking on the Ofsted website to see if there is any news about the inspection, and this letter from Ofsted was on it:

Existing academy: Kingsdale Foundation School

URN: 136309

Predecessor school: Kingsdale Foundation School

URN: 100844

Alleyn Park

Dulwich

SE21 8SQ

Academy conversion and predecessor schools

Under the Academies Act 2010, schools may apply to the Secretary of State to convert to academy status. Such schools are known as academy converters.

Upon conversion to academy status the existing school closes and a new school opens in its place. Although little may have changed, the academy converter is a new legal entity.

Most academy converters have yet to have a section 5 inspection. However, to assist parents and other interested parties, information about, and the inspection history of the school which preceded the new academy are available here.

It is important to note that, as the academy converter is a new school, which may not yet have been inspected, the inspection judgements of the predecessor school are not those of the new academy. However, the most recent inspection judgements of the predecessor school are taken into account by Ofsted for the purpose of scheduling the first inspection of the new academy converter.

Some academy converters have replaced schools which were judged to be outstanding at their most recent Ofsted inspection. Under the Education Act 2011, most schools previously judged to be outstanding will be exempt from routine inspection. This means they will not be subject to inspection at regular intervals. However, three years after the predecessor school was last inspected it will be subject to Ofsted?s formal risk-assessment process, which may lead to an inspection.

Finally, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 the Chief Inspector may decide to inspect any school in England if requested to do so by the Secretary of State, or if, based on information received by Ofsted, he judges that a school would benefit from inspection.

Frank Norris

Divisional Manager, Education

As everyone knows it was a Section 8 inspection, and the school was called outstanding in the last ordinary one it had, I can only think that either the minister or the head of Ofsted has received information that needed to be looked in to.

I can tell you that if this comes out badly I will not be looking at that school for my kid!

[tiddles]

Thank you that is most helpful.

I am sure there are lots of parents like myself who are quite happy with the school. When I was looking at secondary schools, I visited lots of schools and based my preferences (notice I do not use the word choice!)on what I felt most comfortable with. There were a couple of 'good' schools that I was not so keen on - so I put them further down my list. I urge others to do the same - go with what feels right. So rather than criticise a school that you don't like, just choose one that you do! When you realise the shortage of co-ed non religious secondary schools in the area, one's perspective might change.

[Metallic]

I am waiting to see what has happened. Never judge til the truth comes out. You can't help but be curious about something that effects so many people though can you?

[bluemusic]

I think everyone is waiting to be honest...what is interesting about the letter is the last paragraph really. It tells a lot about the KD situation!

[Carbonara]

In the end, if your children are happy and doing well, then the ins and outs of Ofsted, the marketing led, target chasing hype of the place doesn't matter, maybe, as long as good teachers are allowed to do a good job.

[prickle]

"good teachers are allowed to do a good job"

This is the key point isn't it? Allegations of cheating and ofsted section 8 inspections doesn't quite fit with that?

[Metallic]

I was just about to say the same thing as prickle this morning when I had to go out so no time to post til now. Anyway would you teach your child to cheat? Would you like your child to think cheating is OK if a teacher says it is? If that comes out as true then surely you would not say that it was a school you would like your children to be educated in. And if it doesn't make any difference to you then I can't say that would be a great role model going in to life and work.