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Your right to speak to an OFSTED inspector.

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You have the right to speak to an OFTED inspector when they visit your childs school.

If the school tell you you dont, they are lying. Dont be put off

If the school give you the run around, dont let them. Dig your heals in, turn up at the school and wait until you see the inspectors and collar them yourself.

You have a right to speak to them and if you have any concerns about the running of the school the you MUST exercise that right.

You owe it to your kids.

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Guest sibon

I'm not sure that you have the right to just turn up and speak to an inspector during an inspection.

 

All parents should be surveyed as part of the inspection process and they should get a letter from OFSTED detailing any arrangments for gathering their opinions.

 

You can contact OFSTED in writing, at any time if you have concerns about your child's school.

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I'm not sure that you have the right to just turn up and speak to an inspector during an inspection.

 

All parents should be surveyed as part of the inspection process and they should get a letter from OFSTED detailing any arrangments for gathering their opinions.

 

You can contact OFSTED in writing, at any time if you have concerns about your child's school.

 

I never said that. I said if the school wont lwt you see them you can just turn up and speak to an inspector. They welcome input from paretns no matter what the school may tell you.

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You don't get the chance during an inspection, but you can ask to speak to the inspectors as part of the inspection. Your child should have brought a letter home before the inspection and that will tell you what to do. Usually though you can meet the inspectors before, or after the inspection and raise concerns. They won't help you solve problems between you and the school, nor deal with problems specific to one individual, but will concern themselves with problems or rather potential problems with the school.

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You don't get the chance during an inspection, but you can ask to speak to the inspectors as part of the inspection. Your child should have brought a letter home before the inspection and that will tell you what to do. Usually though you can meet the inspectors before, or after the inspection and raise concerns. They won't help you solve problems between you and the school, nor deal with problems specific to one individual, but will concern themselves with problems or rather potential problems with the school.

 

Which were my concerns. The running of the school is crappy at best and their attempts to prevent me from explaining my fears to an inspector compounded those fears.

The inspector couldnt be nicer, she listened to all our concerns, made notes and promised and investigation.

The school by their actions made matters worse,

Regarding the letter, we didnt get one and neither did any of the other parents i spoke to.

I didnt think they could resolve the issues, that wasnt my intention. My intention was to stop the school portraying the wrong image. I was also annoyed at how many "problem kids" were excluded the day before the inspection. My child wasnt one of these but some of the kids have genuine learning and behavioural problems and should be supported. Not cast aside just in case they make the school look "rough".

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Guest sibon
I never said that. I said if the school wont lwt you see them you can just turn up and speak to an inspector. They welcome input from paretns no matter what the school may tell you.

 

Indeed they do. Quite right too.

 

I've had quite a lot of contact with them for one reason, or another. For what it is worth, my impression is that they are a pretty perceptive bunch and any school will find it difficult to hide stuff from them.

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Which were my concerns. The running of the school is crappy at best and their attempts to prevent me from explaining my fears to an inspector compounded those fears.

The inspector couldnt be nicer, she listened to all our concerns, made notes and promised and investigation.

The school by their actions made matters worse,

Regarding the letter, we didnt get one and neither did any of the other parents i spoke to.

I didnt think they could resolve the issues, that wasnt my intention. My intention was to stop the school portraying the wrong image. I was also annoyed at how many "problem kids" were excluded the day before the inspection. My child wasnt one of these but some of the kids have genuine learning and behavioural problems and should be supported. Not cast aside just in case they make the school look "rough".

 

If you didn't get a letter then that is a serious issue. You would be best advised if you want to make something of it to firstly draw the attention of the Governers to this. If you get no joy from them, write to OFSTED with your concerns.

 

Usually they don't like people jumping in unannounced during an inspection as it's disruptive, but at the appropriate time they are more than happy as I think you found. What you are saying about the exclusions sounds rather worrying though.

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Indeed they do. Quite right too.

 

I've had quite a lot of contact with them for one reason, or another. For what it is worth, my impression is that they are a pretty perceptive bunch and any school will find it difficult to hide stuff from them.

 

I got that too and it made me feel reassured that A, they took our concerns seriously and B, were willing to listen.

If only the school hadent made it so damn hard all the time i woulnt have had cause to need to speak to OFSTED in the first place. :(

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Guest sibon

What you are saying about the exclusions sounds rather worrying though.

 

It happens quite a lot though.

 

The inspection team will be aware of the practice and will probably ask to look at attendance data. They will certainly look at exclusion data.

 

As I said up there ^^, they are a pretty perceptive bunch and have access to a wealth of information about the school. It is almost impossible to hide things from them.

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If you didn't get a letter then that is a serious issue. You would be best advised if you want to make something of it to firstly draw the attention of the Governers to this. If you get no joy from them, write to OFSTED with your concerns.

 

Usually they don't like people jumping in unannounced during an inspection as it's disruptive, but at the appropriate time they are more than happy as I think you found. What you are saying about the exclusions sounds rather worrying though.

 

Worrying yes.

When i picked the kids up yesterday there wasd a constant stream of upset kids walking past me. Some in tears unable to understand why they had been excluded.

The school didnt even follow their own procedure when excluding them either. There was no letter explaining to the parenst why it had happened and what they had done, instead the school just said "the letters are in the post"

Alarm bells rang as i know thats not how they normaly do things.

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Guest sibon
I got that too and it made me feel reassured that A, they took our concerns seriously and B, were willing to listen.

If only the school hadent made it so damn hard all the time i woulnt have had cause to need to speak to OFSTED in the first place. :(

 

Essentially, they are on your side, not the school's.

 

Before turning up, they will have looked at a huge amount of information about the school and they will have formed an opinion.

 

The inspection is just to check whether their opinion is correct.

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Essentially, they are on your side, not the school's.

 

Before turning up, they will have looked at a huge amount of information about the school and they will have formed an opinion.

 

The inspection is just to check whether their opinion is correct.

 

I definatly got that feeling when speaking to her. She was very understanding and pressed the point that it sounds like its not a great school enviroment for the kids if what we say is true.

I just wish the school were so concerned over the children as OFSTED obviously are.

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