Totally OT - Hove schools

[Westdene Seagull]

Hangleton Northeast Drive, has a pool does it not? It attracts a lot a kids from the perceived middle class Hangleton Valley.

Wow !!!! For someone that nit picks other peoples knowledge of Brighton and Hove that's one hell of a mistake !

 

[Guinness Boy]

I'd have to say, most schools in the Hove area are very good mostly.

Forget Ofsted reports, seriously forget them. Michael Gove and his old chum Sir Michael Wilshaw (head of Ofsted) are turning Ofsted into a government beating stick. Ofsted is more of a bully organisation now, and you can speak to many educationalists, where some 'outstanding' schools are actually poor uninspiring stat factories for kids, and some schools on 'special measures' are actually places that enhance a childs experience, are creative, and keep a child enthused by their learning.

I seriously think Ofsted, especially at Primary level is doing more harm that it is good. It is destroying teacher morale, and ruining how exciting learning should be for a 5 to 10 year old. There will be kids at 11 leaving an 'outstanding' school with good stat scores, but tested and drilled to the point they are already exhausted by learning.

Hangleton, Goldstone, Portslade, Benfield, West Hove, St Peters, St Nicholas, trust me on this, they are all good schools, and good environments for children. They can all improve and do better, but they all offer their children balanced experiences.

I'd tear Ofsted reports up if it were me. We have a culture now where talented teachers stop at being deputy heads, because taking a headship is putting you at the mercy of Ofsted.

Go into the schools you are considering for you child, talk to the teachers, get a feel for how the class rooms look, the work on the walls, the happiness of the kids, the pride the school has in itself. Your gut feeling will tell you more than any failed teacher that ends up being an Ofsted inspector.

Sir Michael Wilshaw is a bully. Do your research, look at what people say about him. Do not base your school decision on what he and his merry band of failed teachers say about a school. Go to the school and make your own mind up.

Much of this is true. Having a kid at one of these schools mentioned & having seen 3 of them while looking it's as important to pick one that suits your child. As an example St Peter's is more academic whereas a lot of what Benfield & Portslade Infants are about is less structured learning which can suit kids with a shorter attention span. If you just went off the OFSTED everyone would choose St Peter's