Why I am passionate about supporting the Parent View – Please do read!!

Hello, my name is Janet Jacobi and I have children in each Key stage. I wouldn’t normally write anything like this so publicly but I ask you to read this as I am writing as to indicate why I am so passionate about supporting the Parent View (an Ofsted requirement) and why I hope that it will show the school in a good light:

I was so pleased when my/our children got into Park Grove as I felt it was the right school for them and for us as parents (after all the school needs to be right for the parents too). Park Grove was our first choice out of 4 possibilities within our catchment area

I trust the leadership of Jo Sawyer and the commitment of the staff. I believe with her guidance she has transformed the school and will continue to do so.

I am an ex teacher myself and understand the complexities of some of the hoops schools have to go through and I soon realised that Jo Sawyer had to make immediate changes to meet ever changing guidelines.

Teachers are not robots, we all hear in the news the level of stress they are under and they are leaving the profession in droves – why do you think I am an ex teacher?

I appreciate that Jo Sawyer and the staff have worked so incredibly hard to continue to raise all areas of education for the returning Ofsted visit (which is imminent!!)

I know from experience how stressful a looming Ofsted visit can be for staff, not to mention the actual event itself when it does take place. Having your hard work scrutinised is so stressful (and very personal)

I also know from experience how devastating it can be to receive poor feedback when only the best intentions have been there. Teachers give so much of themselves usually with effects on their own health, family relationships and overall well being.

The staff have worked so hard to improve Park Grove. Parent View is just another tick box exercise. However, it is so important for Ofsted to look at and get an overview of the school as the Parent’s Views are important

I know how imperative it is that the school gets a ‘good’ grading (after the previous ‘needs improvement’) – please stop and consider for one moment the alternatives if it doesn’t!! (Special measures, bad press, it gets turned into an academy, parents worrying about their children’s education, teachers feeling disillusioned, an increased work load = a downward spiral FOR EVERYONE particularly the children),

Park Grove is a great school, whenever I am in school during the day, I only have admiration and often lumps in my throat with the level of care, commitment and love the staff have for the children, never mind the plates they are spinning at the same time to satisfy OFSTED criteria.

If I have had any issues with anything I have always been confident that I can speak to the Head or the relevant member of staff – I find that Jo Sawyer is easily accessible, always listens and is proactive

Going back to my first sentence:

That is why am I so passionate about supporting the Parent View and why I hope that it will show the school in a good light. I am inviting you as a parent to support it too.

(Please feel free to share this post, please encourage others you know to complete the Parent View. If you have completed it previously, please do it again for this academic year. Your opinions can be updated at any time throughout the year by submitting another review)

Thank you for reading
Janet Jacobi