Ofsted’s Good School Rating Explained…
As parents, we want the best for our child; we want them to have a good life and a better future. This is why choosing a school rated as “outstanding” or a “good school” as per the Ofsted ratings can be difficult. The worry of finding that perfect school where your child will thrive in, make lifelong friendships, secure lifetime memories can be one of the most challenging decisions to make, especially if you have limited options for selecting a school.
When you search for a good school in the UK, parents look at catchment areas, size, and Ofsted standards. It can be overwhelming. This is why we have set up a small guide for you to help, as sometimes parents do not understand “what makes a good school”.
What is Ofsted’s Good School Rating?
The first thing that parents look at is Ofsted reports. If you are unfamiliar with what it is, it is the body that inspects and aims to improve schools. There are four Ofsted ratings.
● Outstanding
● Good
● Requires improvements
● Inadequate
What parents don’t understand is that these reports are based on one day’s observations. Moreover, they can happen as infrequently as every four years. Establishing your research on just this report will limit your judgement on a school.
Open Days
Most schools will offer open days for your chance to explore and understand the school’s culture. This is where you, as a parent, need to question and judge every bit of the school.
● First impressions
This is important on how well-loved the school is, are the office staff approachable and helpful (you will need them in future). Was the headteacher around? Does she know the children, does she interact?
Look at the school walls; there should be children’s work and displays of the school’s core values, reward systems, and signage that helps children understand what’s expected of them. This is all relevant to observe.
● Teacher’s behaviour
This is one of the essential elements to look at as your child will be spending most of their time with their teacher. Observe the behaviour between the headteacher and teacher. Are they doing close work with some children whilst focusing on others? Ask to observe a class; they may let you.
● Sen Provision
You should consider this even if your child does not have special needs; your child will benefit from a school that SEN provision is important.
● Cleanliness
A very underrated element, how clean a school is really important, ask to see the toilets and ask how safe and accessible they are. Nevertheless, this will be more important for some parents than for others.
Look out for the play areas, the types of equipment they use. You can ask how they are cleaned and changed.
Do Research
As a parent, you need to ask yourself what you are looking for in a school? What is important to you. Is it academia? Is it culture? This is when you can narrow down on what question to search for.
Researching means looking through the internet on reviews on the school. Ask other parents you know who have sent their children there. Look into forums and ask the questions you need. Think Academy has written an article that may help you narrow down whether you want to go independent or state.
Don’t stress the most important thing; this should be an exciting time you will find your perfect school.
