Now that we have had time to digest the report and Mr Turner’s response to it I would like to add the following observations.
Mr Byrne (HMI) :-
“The quality of teaching has improved and is satisfactory”
Taking a look at the previous two Ofsted Inspections which the school has undergone since it opened, teaching was highlighted as good in many areas. This was supported by the authority’s own audit in Spring of 2005. Does this mean, then that the school is back on track to reach the quality of teaching before Mrs Coupe arrived ? Interesting then that her ‘vision’ of the school, her ‘necessary changes’ resulted in a dropping of teaching standards over the last twelve months
Mr Byrne (HMI)
“The performance of the Year 6 pupils improved, with a sharp rise in the proportion of pupils exceeding the level expected for their age.”
Very interesting, as the Sats results in 2005 for Y6 were so much lower than those of 2004 So again does that mean the children are now on the road to returning to the level of their achievement pre-Mrs Coupe. Her ‘vision for the school and her ‘necessary changes’ resulted in a drop of learning standards over the last twelve months.
Mr Byrne’s comment on the reasons for the above improvements - because of good intervention by CSA support staff. So it has taken a full Ofsted Inspection, a monitoring visit by the HMI and (expensive) support by CSA staff to get Mrs Coupe to do the job she is paid to do – improve the school not run it down and get it back to the level it was in before she arrived. Amazing !
Mr Turner’s reaction to this :-
"I was personally over the moon by the comments under 'Personal development and well-being' in the letter … But, at the end of the day, Marton is about young children learning how to come to cope with the world in which we live. In that context interpersonal skills, enthusiasm for school, and pride and pleasure within it, secm to me to be paramount. How can one learn without them'? I think that the school and yourselves carl take great pride and satisfaction from the OFSTED letter and particularly the Personal development section. Teamwork between parents and school is crucial. Thank you for your continuing support."
Look again at previous inspection reports. This personal development and responsibility was particularly highlighted in both reports as being excellent – in fact it has been widely accepted since the school opened that the majority of pupils have been a credit to the school – always welcoming, friendly abd polite. This has been instilled in them since day one and has had full supoort of parents. SO Mr Turner is pleased that pupils’ personal standards have remained the same is he ? We are lucky that these standards did not did not suffer too this year – but perhaps Mrs Coupe has had little time to actually have any personal contact with the children and it is perhaps this which has ensured that the children haven’t changed.
Much of this, of course is down to parents. But they do not get paid. Mrs Coupe and the staff are paid generous salaries to raise standards not to allow them to deteriorate. Please take note Mr Turner.
In the context of the above then, let us rearrange Mr Turner’s letter to parents into a well known phrase or saying :-
“clutching at straws”
Footnote:
In the inspection report last summer Mrs Alderson’s lessons were actually highlighted for their quality. With teachers receiving poor assessments all around her, she maintained her extremely high standards.
These high teaching standards were clearly at odds with Mrs Coupe’s ‘vision for the school’ – one which, as highlighted above, in her first year was to bring lower grades by the children in Sats,and worse teaching. So sorry, Mrs Alderson, you have brought this on yourself - we cannot have excellent teachers challenging ‘the vision’. You’re suspended !
WAYNE HEYS
As a parent who's children have left Marton,I find Mr Turners comment's staggering,he says"But, at the end of the day, Marton is about young children learning how to come to cope with the world in which we live"
so let's get this into prospective,If I disagree with my boss (Mrs A),then I may get suspended,seven months later I am still suspended without charge !!,anyone who tries to fight my case get called vindictive by my bosses boss(Mr L),my boss (Mrs C) then tries to shut down lines of communication that people who are trying to help me set up,my bosses boss (Mr L) slams a parents group for going to the media,yet he makes these claims IN THE MEDIA,tell me Mr Turner,HOW WILL OUR CHILDREN COME TO COPE WITH THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE !!!!!!!!!
What sort of example are we showing the kids of Marton ?
