NUT OFSTED SPECIAL MEASURES SURVEY REPORT
MARCH 2009
INTRODUCTION
1. This survey was sent to the NUT school representatives of the 222 schools which were identified by OFSTED as being in special measures at that time. 55 questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 24.7 per cent.
2. A number of questions used in this survey first appeared in the 1999 research “The Impact of OFSTED Inspections”, conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) on behalf of the NUT. Comparisons between the current survey responses and these previous findings are considered in Section C of this report.
3. The comments used to illustrate responses to each of the questions are taken, in the main, from respondents’ comments at the end of the questionnaire. This section of the questionnaire was frequently used to clarify, expand upon or qualify responses given to specific survey questions. Whilst comments tended to be more critical than the rankings given in response to individual survey items, those used in this report are representative of respondents’ views overall.
SECTION A: IMPACT ON SCHOOL
4. Respondents were asked to give their opinions on the effect special measures had had on a number of different aspects related to their school, including whole school issues, professional relationships and pupils.
5. In terms of whole school issues, the majority of respondents thought that the quality of education provided by the school had either improved (63 per cent) or improved significantly (17 per cent). 15 per cent felt that there had been no change and only six per cent believed that the quality of education had deteriorated.
“School is going to be better experience for children.”
(Primary Head Teacher)
6. Almost half of respondents (49 per cent) believed there had been no change in the school’s ability to recruit teachers since it had been placed in special measures.32 per cent, however, felt that there had either been deterioration or significant deterioration in recruitment (26 per cent and six per cent respectively) while 19 per cent stated that this had improved (two per cent significant improvement, 17 per cent improvement).
“School was already in special measures when I joined although changes and decisions were being made between my interview and commencement of job. Had I known these changes were taking place, it might well have influenced my decision to take the position offered.”
(Primary Other)
“Not allowed to recruit NQTs, may be linked to workload issue for NQT and mentor.”
(Junior Head Teacher)
7. The school’s ability to retain teachers was reported as being more adversely affected. Over half of respondents said that there had been either deterioration (43 per cent) or significant deterioration (15 per cent) compared to prior to the school being placed in special measures. Almost a third of staff (31 per cent) felt there had been no change and only 11 per cent believed that teacher retention had improved, with no respondents reporting a significant improvement in this area.
“Have recently handed in my notice as a direct result of stress and problems because of special measures.”
(Primary Subject Co-Ordinator)
“Staff morale hit an all time low and I am the only original teacher left in school other than one other part time teacher!!!”
(Primary Leadership Group)
“Since being placed in special measures in December 07 we have had a 60% change in teaching staff which has had a large impact.”
(Primary Subject Co-Ordinator)
8. Respondents reported a mixed picture in terms of the head teacher remaining in post since the school was placed in special measures. Whilst 41 per cent confirmed that the head teacher had survived since OFSTED’s designation, this was not the case in 59 per cent of survey schools.
“The entire management team left at the end of my first term.”
(Primary Other)
“We have had four heads – I original, 2 interim, 1 federated.”
(Primary Subject Co-Ordinator)
9. Over half of respondents (57 per cent) stated that there had been no change in the attitude of the local press and media towards their school as a result of being placed in special measures. 38 per cent felt, however, that there had been a deterioration or significant deterioration in the media’s attitude towards the school (36 per cent and two per cent respectively). Only six per cent believed that the media’s attitude had improved.
“Apart from initial headline there has been no interest in improvements.”
(Junior Head Teacher)
10. Many respondents were positive about the level of financial support received by their school since it was placed in special measures. 46 per cent said that this had improved, with a further 16 per cent reporting significant improvement. Over a quarter (28 per cent) felt there had been no change to the financial support received by their school, whilst 10 per cent stated that this had either deteriorated or deteriorated significantly (eight per cent and two per cent respectively).
“Not in the actual budget but there has been an increase in free CPD and advisor time.”
(Junior Head Teacher)
11. Respondents were then asked about a range of different kinds of monitoring activity which might have been used since their school was placed in special measures and, in recognition of the fact that a number of these might have been used prior to the OFSTED category, whether respondents had noticed any changes in their use compared to previously.
12. Ninety-six per cent reported that internal classroom observation was undertaken, with 90 per cent of these noting an increase in its use and a further four per cent that this had been newly introduced after being placed in special measures. In addition, all respondents (100 per cent) reported that their local authority conducted classroom observation within their school, with 93 per cent feeling that this had increased since being placed in special measures and a further four per cent stating that this was a new development since the OFSTED designation.
“Having anything from 4 – 7 meetings a week and observations formal and informal occurring weekly. Each year group is also being monitored for a day every month – looking at books, assessment, planning and an observation by upwards up 4 – 6 people from 8 am to 6 pm. Teachers are frequently exhausted and it’s not uncommon to see them in tears in the staffroom – not good!”
(Primary Subject Co-Ordinator)
13. Lesson plan scrutiny was used in 98 per cent of respondents’ schools. 93 per cent reported an increase in its use and two per cent said that this was a new monitoring activity for their school since special measures. Additionally, all respondents said that scrutiny of other documentation took place, with 93 per cent reporting an increase in this activity and two per cent saying that this had not been done previously.
“Increase in documentation – assessment folders for pupils, guidance folders and many other colour coded folders.”
(Junior Head Teacher)
14. Ninety-six per cent stated that one-to-one meetings or interviews with staff were used as part of monitoring, with 79 per cent reporting an increase in its use and two per cent saying that this had not been used previously. Departmental or Key Stage meetings were also used for monitoring in 84 per cent of respondents’ schools, with 71 per cent believing that these had increased and 27 per cent stating there had been no change in such arrangements since the school was placed in special measures.
“More formal meetings and interviews that require individual action. Change in the focus of these meetings – it has become more about monitoring,”
(Junior Head Teacher)
15. Full staff meetings were cited as a form of monitoring by 94 per cent of respondents. Over half (52 per cent) reported that there had been an increase compared to before the OFSTED designation whilst 46 per cent said there had been no change.
“Too many staff meetings and lack of time to complete work and communicate with other members of SLT.”
(Primary Deputy Head Teacher)
16. When considering all of the monitoring activities which had been used since their school was placed in special measures, the majority of respondents believed the overall level of monitoring had been excessive. 43 per cent considered it to be “far too high”, whilst 36 per said that it was “too high”. Only 19 per cent felt that it was about right and just two per cent said it was too low.
“Far too high for some teachers and those are not the ones who needed it!”
(Junior Mainscale Teacher)
“Have not been monitored – new department and bigger problems elsewhere.”
(Primary Other)
17. Respondents were then asked a series of questions about the impact special measures had had on the pupils who attended their school. 57 per cent felt that the educational standards achieved by pupils had either improved or improved significantly (44 per cent and 13 per cent respectively), although 40 per cent believed that there had been no change since being placed in special measures.
“Improvements in English standards and science but deterioration in maths.”
(Junior Head Teacher)
18. Approximately half of respondents (51 per cent) said that pupils’ behaviour had not changed since the OFSTED designation, although 34 per cent reported an improvement and a further six per cent a significant improvement in this area. Conversely, ten per cent felt that pupil behaviour had deteriorated or deteriorated significantly (six per cent and four per cent respectively): this was typically, but not exclusively, reported by those working in special schools and Pupil Referral Units.
“In the school I work in the pupils’ behaviour has become more difficult and violent to each other and staff.”
(PRU Subject Co-Ordinator)
19. Two thirds of respondents (66 per cent) held mixed views about the impact of special measures on the level of pupil applications to their school. Just six per cent stated there had been an improvement, whilst 23 per cent felt the level of applications had deteriorated (17 per cent deterioration, six per cent significant deterioration).
20. Respondents were also asked about various professional relationships within school and whether these had been affected by the special measures designation. 46 per cent felt that teamwork amongst staff had improved (11 per cent significant improvement, 35 per cent improvement) although almost a quarter felt there had been some deterioration or significant deterioration (20 per cent and four per cent respectively). 30 per cent did not believe team work had been affected in any way.
“People need each other because more is expected of them.”
(Special Subject Co-ordinator)
“Staff do not interact freely and frequently. There is a subtle competition to see whose class is best “decorated”. Team work has decreased and members seem to have become more selfish; everyone for him/herself. Staff generally arrive early and remain at their desk long after the children have gone, everyday. No social interaction except perhaps at Christmas.”
(Primary Mainscale Teacher)
21. Respondents reported a mixed picture in terms of the influence of special measures on the relationship between the head teacher and/or Senior Management Team and teaching staff. Whilst 27 per cent felt that relationships had improved or improved significantly (20 per cent and seven per cent respectively), 28 per cent believed they had deteriorated (22 per cent and six per cent respectively). A further 44 per cent expressed mixed views on this issue.
“I trusted the head and deputy, who are both absent on long-term sick leave. The acting head teacher is a colleague with whom I have had a good working relationship, but has no previous leadership of a school experience, and her anxiety to get the job right leads to over emphasis of issues.”
(PRU Mainscale Teacher)
“Some members of SLT (EMAG & SEN) actively discouraged from being part of meetings.”
(Primary Leadership Group)
22. Forty-eight per cent of respondents held mixed views on whether the relationship between the school and the local authority had been affected by the school being placed in special measures. A third (33 per cent) felt that this relationship had improved, with an additional four per cent stating that it had improved significantly whilst 15 per cent believed that the relationship had deteriorated (13 per cent deterioration, two per cent significant deterioration).
“Increase in LEA interference – constant changes, monitoring, new initiatives, observations.”
(Primary Other)
“There was previously no relationship with the LA, there is now less autonomy, less of a partnership and the relationship is more judgemental.”
(Junior Head Teacher)
23. In terms of respondents’ views about the attitude of parents towards their school, 34 per cent stated that there had been either some or significant deterioration (30 per cent and four per cent respectively), whilst 19 per cent felt that this had improved or improved significantly (15 per cent and four per cent). 48 per cent said that there had been no change in parents’ attitudes since special measures.
“Initial reaction to the label was very damaging to staff morale although parents extremely supportive.”
(Primary Leadership Group)
“I feel I would have cracked too without support of staff and parents.”
(Primary Deputy Head Teacher)
24. In the final part of this section, respondents were asked about various ways in which teachers might have been affected by the special measures designation. 36 per cent reported that there had been improvements in the CPD opportunities which were available to teachers at their school (11 per cent significant improvement, 25 per cent improvement) although 27 per cent said there had been some degree of deterioration (21% deterioration, 6 per cent significant deterioration). A further 38 per cent believed that special measures had had no effect on teachers’ CPD opportunities.
“CPD increased in-house (we should have had this ages ago). It has made our school ahead of others with new strategies which are in place. Has been exhausting though – work life balance a joke! If not on the ball no time to spare…. For some deterioration, depending on subject role in school – leads to some staff leaving. ”
(Junior Mainscale Teacher)
25. Over half of respondents (53 per cent) told the survey that there had been no change in promotion opportunities for teachers in their school since it was placed in special measures. 30 per cent, however, felt there had been deterioration or significant deterioration (25 per cent and five per cent respectively), although 16 per cent believed that there had been some improvement.