So … the other evening I was checking to see if there were any updates on the DFE site (doesn’t everyone do this on a regular basis? Nope? Just me then!) and came across this page and as I scrolled down I noticed some documents about congratulatory letters sent out and so “as you do” I had a further look (yes, I am that nosey! Actually I’d had a conversation with my gaffer about these type of letters a few weeks ago so I was curious about them … oh come on .. you know I really am THAT sad!) Anyway, I looked at the two documents: the first sets out the criteria to get a letter from a minister and the second was a list of schools that had received one this year for 2015 – I was curious about this list, only inasmuch as I wanted to know how many schools were deemed to deserve a pat on the back from the DFE so I scrolled down to the end to see how many rows of data were on the spreadsheet …. and well you could’ve knocked me down with a feather … right at the bottom was “Alcester Academy” (yes, the very last row) … so here I was, sat wondering why the Boss hadn’t mentioned it. I was sure he would have done, given that a previous letter he’d received from the DFE, which he’d told me about, was saying that the school wasn’t performing over 2 years ago when he first became Head teacher. To be fair to Paul – he already knew what needed to be done and he had no intention of the school staying that way! (In my words it would have been a case of “no sh1t Sherlock … thanks for pointing that out!” but I’m sure he is much more eloquent than I am!). 

So the question was do I ask him if he’d had the letter?

In my opinion (remember I am entitled to one!) to list the school but not send an actual letter is just flipping incompetent!  Paul took the decision to move to a school that was RI as a Deputy HT and shortly after the school “lost” its Head teacher so that very quickly Paul was given the ultimate responsibility -to then get a”sort your act out” letter could only have added to the situation. The pressure of taking on this kind of school and not delivering results already meant that he must’ve felt that he was on a two-year contract and the pressure must have been immense. I am sure that there have been times recently when he has been disillusioned (not that you would ever know!) – the school has turned around (2015 results were amazing!) and he’s had to deal with being awarded Outstanding at our Ofsted inspection earlier this year only to be moderated down (one of 4 schools who had their judgement downgraded through the quality assurance process) AND for us to have achieved such great results and  in his mind been ‘ignored’ by ministers cannot be easy. OK that’s probably a bit “much” but it must be a minor irritant.

So do I ask him if he’s had a letter?  Maybe it was better to let it lie .. pointing out that the school was on this list might not be the best career move! It’s a little like not wanting to be the one that tells your mate her boyfriend is cheating on her because you’ll always be associated with the bad news … yeah OK … it’s nothing like that!

Maybe there was a reason he didn’t tell us …… of course I asked … and no congratulatory letter has been received and he is a bit miffed (and rightly so!). Let’s be honest about this – it isn’t going to make a jot of difference to  me  … and anyway the school has two finalists in the TES awards coming up next month to make up for it! No seriously this letter will not make a difference to what we do at the coal face (that’s not to say they shouldn’t send one as I’m sure Paul and the staff would appreciate it as some form acknowledgement of the turnaround that has taken place) but for me if the school now gets their letter it will feel like the one and only time I got flowers from my husband on my birthday! (yep you’ve guessed it … I reminded him as I walked out of the door that, that day was my birthday!) … maybe the DFE have a sense of humour and will send flowers?!?!?!

Firstly I don’t understand why Alcester is at the bottom of this list … every other school (apart from the bottom two) are “sorted” by URN number …. were we added as an afterthought?

Secondly I’m curious as to why the school hasn’t received their letter? To be fair it could have got lost in the post … or the DFE really are just incompetent. Actually maybe (and I’m thinking aloud) just maybe the DFE website isn’t as robust as it should be and the proverbial “left hand” doesn’t know what the “right hand” is doing – this appeared in Schools week (I may make a cheeky appearance) last week when the DFE initially denied that information had been removed from their website and then declined to comment. Essentially, we have stuff that they say they’re doing appearing on the site (like sending these letters) that doesn’t always happen and we also have stuff that isn’t on the site (like the year 7 resits) that we’re told is going to happen so who knows? … confused? Me too!! Anyway I am going with the “lost in the post” excuse. 

I’ll keep you posted if a letter arrives …

UPDATE: 10th June 2016

A letter was received by our HT today – you can read it here -> LETTER TO ALCESTER ACADEMY