Headteacher’s Blog
Ofsted
The big news is that the Ofsted report is now available to us and will be published on the Ofsted website in the next few days. It is available on our website now: FOLLOW THIS LINK
Headline – I am disappointed with the result. Those of you who know me well will know my opinion of Ofsted, and this inspection has done nothing to change my opinion, however, they are who they are and their judgment matters to some.
I think the scores are harsh, and although there is much in the text of the report that is complimentary, it is the numbers that matter and we fell short of where we expected to be. I have to own the judgement, and demonstrate to my staff, students, and parents that I can immediately get on with making changes that will continue to improve the school. So that is what I am doing – working with all my staff, School Committee and Trust.
We missed out by a narrow margin, and the application of an Ofsted framework written before the pandemic was used very bluntly. I must factor the judgements into the development plan for the school. That is what I am doing, and looking at the resources at my disposal, timeframes and skill sets to make the improvements that Ofsted has asked for. The hardest of those is probably attendance – across the country attendance has fallen since Covid and whilst we are at the national average, Ofsted has to set improving that as a target. I understand that need – I just don’t accept that schools deserve the blame for it.
I put the snapshot into context amidst the swathe of improvements we have made, the improvements in our student numbers, the significantly improved curriculum, our continued work on improving SEND provision, our work on student mental health, our ambitious plans for the future and the support the vast majority of our school community give us. For that support, my heartfelt thanks.
If you would like to book an appointment to come in and talk to me about the report, please contact the main office and I will do my best to meet you as soon as I can.
Strike Action 15th and 16th March 2023
We will be discussing the NEU strikes planned for next week at a meeting after school today. Further information on this will follow tomorrow.
Mr Lee-Allan
