Ofsted failure

From the Salisbury Journal, first published Friday 6th Jan 2006.

I AM a governor of a local infants' school that last year failed its Ofsted inspection.

This did not come as a total surprise.

The inspector's report included a letter directly to the children with phrases such as "We have told your teachers they must try harder" and "Some lessons don't work and are too easy".

This school already has serious problems, including uninterested parents and some disruptive children.

Comments such as these only give them grounds to undermine staff, rather than work with them.

I am all for direct action but teachers, even in failing schools, need every support, and the government needs to reassess how it communicates this.

DEIRDRE BUCKLEY, South Mill Road, Amesbury

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