Braintree: Head's anger after Ofsted rates school inadequate

9:00am Wednesday 5th December 2012 in News

Trevor Lawn Trevor Lawn

A headteacher has criticised Government’s “politically-motivated tinkering” with exams and generalised judgments from education inspectors after his school was judged to be inadequate in its latest Ofsted report.

Trevor Lawn, head of Alec Hunter Humanities College in Braintree, claimed Ofsted made “assumptions on the basis of results, rather than on what they actually see.”

Inspectors who visited the school over two days in October said teaching quality and pupil achievement were inadequate.

Comments (17)

11:42am Wed 5 Dec 12

mti1970 says...

The same thing happened at Tabor Science College a few years ago,but their head teacher Mr Clark had the grace to put his hands up and say that he had taken his eye off the school`s usual high standards.Now Alecs head teacher seems to be blaming everyone else but himself,he wouldn`t release the GCSE English results for this year because the grade banding had changed,but surely this change was the same for all our local schools and they released all their results.May be they new that they were in trouble then
The same thing happened at Tabor Science College a few years ago,but their head teacher Mr Clark had the grace to put his hands up and say that he had taken his eye off the school`s usual high standards.Now Alecs head teacher seems to be blaming everyone else but himself,he wouldn`t release the GCSE English results for this year because the grade banding had changed,but surely this change was the same for all our local schools and they released all their results.May be they new that they were in trouble then mti1970

1:43pm Wed 5 Dec 12

iwtbat says...

It would appear that Alec Hunter is once again failing its pupils. To anyone in the education sector, the way an inspection is handled is well known; - problem pupils are suspended, teachers are pulling 'all-nighters' to catch up with marking and planning, and everyone is primed for the inspection. If Ofsted go in and see the school 'on show' and still judge it to be inadequate then something is wrong!
As for the ongoing debacle with the Summer 2012 GCSE grades, other schools have not decided to hold the publication of their results, and do not appear to be having these issues, thus it looks like it is the management of the school that is the issue.
It would appear that Alec Hunter is once again failing its pupils. To anyone in the education sector, the way an inspection is handled is well known; - problem pupils are suspended, teachers are pulling 'all-nighters' to catch up with marking and planning, and everyone is primed for the inspection. If Ofsted go in and see the school 'on show' and still judge it to be inadequate then something is wrong! As for the ongoing debacle with the Summer 2012 GCSE grades, other schools have not decided to hold the publication of their results, and do not appear to be having these issues, thus it looks like it is the management of the school that is the issue. iwtbat

3:38pm Wed 5 Dec 12

inexileinessex says...

It's Honeywood for my eldest next year (with a bit of luck & fingers seriously crossed)
It's Honeywood for my eldest next year (with a bit of luck & fingers seriously crossed) inexileinessex

4:40pm Wed 5 Dec 12

bears74 says...

Im quite shocked at this result as i have a child at the school and a child that has just left the school who got 4 A's and 5 B grades in his gcse's and my other child is doing well too, i know one pupil scored straight A*s this year also, i believe the gcse results all round were good, i have absolutely no problems with the school.
Im quite shocked at this result as i have a child at the school and a child that has just left the school who got 4 A's and 5 B grades in his gcse's and my other child is doing well too, i know one pupil scored straight A*s this year also, i believe the gcse results all round were good, i have absolutely no problems with the school. bears74

7:42pm Wed 5 Dec 12

montygirl says...

iwbat, they no longer get a long notice period as they did before. Is now normally a days notice or less under the governments new way of Ofsted inspecting schools meaning pupils cant be suspended in advance or other things hidden. I think this is interesting as you may see schools that previously did well even get inadequate as a truer picture is show which will hopefully pull standards up.However I agree with bears74 that a child can do well at a school if they work hard and apply themself and get support at school as well as at home which sometimes unfortunately is not the case
iwbat, they no longer get a long notice period as they did before. Is now normally a days notice or less under the governments new way of Ofsted inspecting schools meaning pupils cant be suspended in advance or other things hidden. I think this is interesting as you may see schools that previously did well even get inadequate as a truer picture is show which will hopefully pull standards up.However I agree with bears74 that a child can do well at a school if they work hard and apply themself and get support at school as well as at home which sometimes unfortunately is not the case montygirl

10:27pm Wed 5 Dec 12

iwtbat says...

I am aware that Ofsted now give somewhere between 12 and 24 hours notice of an inspection, which is still enough time for a school to 'clean up' its act where required. I have witnessed this on several occasions, working in a number of different schools around the country.
The fact that Ofsted feel the school is currently inadequate in certain areas should be a warning to the school that they are not doing their job properly and this should be rectified. By complaining about it, they are not achieving anything positive.
I am aware that Ofsted now give somewhere between 12 and 24 hours notice of an inspection, which is still enough time for a school to 'clean up' its act where required. I have witnessed this on several occasions, working in a number of different schools around the country. The fact that Ofsted feel the school is currently inadequate in certain areas should be a warning to the school that they are not doing their job properly and this should be rectified. By complaining about it, they are not achieving anything positive. iwtbat

10:26am Thu 6 Dec 12

Martynvernonway says...

lol haha smoke a joint
lol haha smoke a joint Martynvernonway

12:47pm Thu 6 Dec 12

bullymama7 says...

the school is as bad as ofsted state my daughter was moved to Alec when we moved away from notley she has fallen behind in her studies and for the last two years has been victimized by a particular student because of her sexual orientation. despite numerous meetings and calls with other staff members i am still no closer to solving the problems. despite various calls to the school i am being past pillar to post and am no closer in finding someone who is willing to esculate my complaints and after a year am still waiting to find a way to get into contact with the head master himself, i only ever manage to get to the heads pa before hitting a brick wall !! I am not surprised ofsted reported as they did and think its about time special measures were discussed. the school is appalling and I am now at a point where I feel no other option is available other than pulling my daughter from the school which is a shame because she starts her gcse's study's in June and after all she is the victim !
the school is as bad as ofsted state my daughter was moved to Alec when we moved away from notley she has fallen behind in her studies and for the last two years has been victimized by a particular student because of her sexual orientation. despite numerous meetings and calls with other staff members i am still no closer to solving the problems. despite various calls to the school i am being past pillar to post and am no closer in finding someone who is willing to esculate my complaints and after a year am still waiting to find a way to get into contact with the head master himself, i only ever manage to get to the heads pa before hitting a brick wall !! I am not surprised ofsted reported as they did and think its about time special measures were discussed. the school is appalling and I am now at a point where I feel no other option is available other than pulling my daughter from the school which is a shame because she starts her gcse's study's in June and after all she is the victim ! bullymama7

8:54pm Thu 6 Dec 12

montygirl says...

Hard to comment above as not at the school and dont know the full facts but if what bullymama7 says is true then the truth obviously came out and ironic that the head could not find time to talk to you but has time to talk to the press !
Hard to comment above as not at the school and dont know the full facts but if what bullymama7 says is true then the truth obviously came out and ironic that the head could not find time to talk to you but has time to talk to the press ! montygirl

10:50pm Thu 6 Dec 12

brain1 says...

bullymama7 wrote:
the school is as bad as ofsted state my daughter was moved to Alec when we moved away from notley she has fallen behind in her studies and for the last two years has been victimized by a particular student because of her sexual orientation. despite numerous meetings and calls with other staff members i am still no closer to solving the problems. despite various calls to the school i am being past pillar to post and am no closer in finding someone who is willing to esculate my complaints and after a year am still waiting to find a way to get into contact with the head master himself, i only ever manage to get to the heads pa before hitting a brick wall !! I am not surprised ofsted reported as they did and think its about time special measures were discussed. the school is appalling and I am now at a point where I feel no other option is available other than pulling my daughter from the school which is a shame because she starts her gcse's study's in June and after all she is the victim !
Try contacting chair of the governors he will respond if still unhappy you have OFSTED address take it the top
[quote][p][bold]bullymama7[/bold] wrote: the school is as bad as ofsted state my daughter was moved to Alec when we moved away from notley she has fallen behind in her studies and for the last two years has been victimized by a particular student because of her sexual orientation. despite numerous meetings and calls with other staff members i am still no closer to solving the problems. despite various calls to the school i am being past pillar to post and am no closer in finding someone who is willing to esculate my complaints and after a year am still waiting to find a way to get into contact with the head master himself, i only ever manage to get to the heads pa before hitting a brick wall !! I am not surprised ofsted reported as they did and think its about time special measures were discussed. the school is appalling and I am now at a point where I feel no other option is available other than pulling my daughter from the school which is a shame because she starts her gcse's study's in June and after all she is the victim ![/p][/quote]Try contacting chair of the governors he will respond if still unhappy you have OFSTED address take it the top brain1

3:07pm Fri 7 Dec 12

kevinandperry says...

the chair of governors are not easy to contact and surprise surprise one of them is the head teacher lol
the chair of governors are not easy to contact and surprise surprise one of them is the head teacher lol kevinandperry

10:04am Sat 8 Dec 12

bullymama7 says...

I have been told the only way I can contact the chair is writing to the school and they will 'assure' he will get my letter....mmmm sure ??? :/
I have been told the only way I can contact the chair is writing to the school and they will 'assure' he will get my letter....mmmm sure ??? :/ bullymama7

11:30am Sun 9 Dec 12

kevinandperry says...

yes i tried to contact them and was told he would be informed but never heard back again and it was brushed under the rug yet again
yes i tried to contact them and was told he would be informed but never heard back again and it was brushed under the rug yet again kevinandperry

5:03pm Sun 9 Dec 12

keith_l says...

Rather than the chair of governors, there will be between two and four parent governors. The school office are obliged to give contact details to any parent who asks. Their job is to represent the interests of parents and pupils.

Alternatively, if you want to contact the chair, the prospectus, available on the website, lists the chair of govs as Mr Martin Fee. Send you letter recorded delivery c/o the school address, and mark the envelope 'confidential, to be opened by addressee only'. It should get to him.
Rather than the chair of governors, there will be between two and four parent governors. The school office are obliged to give contact details to any parent who asks. Their job is to represent the interests of parents and pupils. Alternatively, if you want to contact the chair, the prospectus, available on the website, lists the chair of govs as Mr Martin Fee. Send you letter recorded delivery c/o the school address, and mark the envelope 'confidential, to be opened by addressee only'. It should get to him. keith_l

9:49am Tue 11 Dec 12

pic2703 says...

There is a weekly Headteachers surgery which can be used without an appointment by any parent who has a concern with any aspect of their childs education, I myself have used this regarding some issues my daughter was having and these have since been addressed, I have two children at the school and have faith that the school will be heading back to the previous levels that it has had in the past.
There is a weekly Headteachers surgery which can be used without an appointment by any parent who has a concern with any aspect of their childs education, I myself have used this regarding some issues my daughter was having and these have since been addressed, I have two children at the school and have faith that the school will be heading back to the previous levels that it has had in the past. pic2703

9:49am Tue 11 Dec 12

esnesnommoc says...

I must admit to being a little surprised by the comments regarding the availability of the Head.
As a parent at the school I have never had any problems getting to see him.
The school’s weekly newsletter, the Herald, clearly states that the Head is available to any parent, without appointment, every Thursday between 3:30 and 4:30 and I certainly had no problem speaking to him about my children.
I simply turned up at that time, meet with him and got the concern addressed promptly and professionally by him.
I must admit to being a little surprised by the comments regarding the availability of the Head. As a parent at the school I have never had any problems getting to see him. The school’s weekly newsletter, the Herald, clearly states that the Head is available to any parent, without appointment, every Thursday between 3:30 and 4:30 and I certainly had no problem speaking to him about my children. I simply turned up at that time, meet with him and got the concern addressed promptly and professionally by him. esnesnommoc

10:05am Tue 11 Dec 12

BridportResident3 says...

I too have allways been able to easily contact all members of staff when required, not just the headmaster. In each case a satisfactory and professional outcome was experienced and I have great confidence that my children will receive an excellent education, now and in the future.
I too have allways been able to easily contact all members of staff when required, not just the headmaster. In each case a satisfactory and professional outcome was experienced and I have great confidence that my children will receive an excellent education, now and in the future. BridportResident3

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