Hi Paul,
The process was very busy but didn’t involve me as head that much through the day. They wanted to do lesson obs with subject leaders but as my English lead also leads history day one we had to cover her class most of the day to release her. She is my strongest teacher so they didn’t see our best classroom practice which was annoying and same for maths lead, again one of my strong teachers.
We were due from December last year so focus had to be on the old framework last year. Lovely RQT, with a fine art degree, leads art, had to partake in one of our deep dives. She has only observed as part of her development, not as a leader, so if it wasn’t such high stakes her meeting with Ofsted would be great development but reading our report (not out yet) it was the lack of strength in subject leaders which pulled us down. History, English and maths lead are mentioned as strong so that leaves me, also mentioned as a strength and her.
I now have to manage that with her so she isn’t demoralised but also strengthening her leadership before they’re back. I don’t necessarily disagree with their judgement, we were an inadequate school and have had lots of instability, while we’ve made improvements. We’re on the right track but you can’t turn around teaching, rewrite a whole curriculum (there was nothing) and get everyone up to scratch with everything in less than two years. The report recognised lots of strengths and I know we have lots to do. My only concern is in a 1FE people are recognisable so the impact on individual teachers when it’s me and us as a whole who should have to shoulder that responsibility. A RQT with no TLR or release can’t be held responsible across the school.
Thank you so much for the honesty!