Result of Ofsted Report

I think it's a good idea for them to learn about life in a multi-cultural school but deeming their school 'too white' would anger me if I were a parent.

What planet are OFSTED on?

Imagine the outrage if they'd deemed a school 'too black'!

Probably a good idea. If they never see anyone from other cultures or races because of where they happen to live they will never get to know that other children are not so very different than themselves.

I do not think that Ofsted will have said the school is "too white". They might have talked about opportunities for multicultural experiences.
This seems to be the relevant bit of the Daily Mail "report", which is right at the bottom of the article (I wonder why?)

"At Ofsted’s last visit in 2010, inspectors praised Payhembury as a ‘happy place’ but pointed out all the pupils were of ‘white British heritage’.
Their report recommended ‘improving links with communities in contrasting parts of the UK and abroad’.
Last night Ofsted said at that time inspectors were required to report on the contribution made by the school to community cohesion, a requirement removed in 2011."

Our tiny village school was told that it had to create multi-cultural opportunities, but, short of busing the children miles and miles, there is no way of doing this directly - so we opted for a linkup with an African school.

I do think it is a bit patronizing really to stick children on a coach to go and look at the black children - groan!

Better I think to get them involved in some sort of sporting or musical event in the nearest city, where they can mix with all races and share a good experience together; the focus being on the music or sport rather than on who the participants are.

I do think that it is nonsense really - the children all watch TV and see people from other cultures acting, playing football etc. They are not totally unaware. many of their sporting and pop music heroes/heroines have various skin colours; and CBBC is very multi-cultural. Children will only be prejudiced if their parents are. They get lots of exposure to other cultures via the media. Not the same as being in a multi-cultural school, but that's fine - all schools are different. As far as I am concerned it is a bit like saying children from a predominantly muslim school ought to go to visit an all-white school - I can't see that happening, or being regarded as acceptable

Ofsted will not have told the school what they should do; the response to the Ofsted judgement is up to the school. The Ofsted inspection was in 2010.
This is what the school has said (quote from DM).
"Explaining the motivation for the trip, Payhembury headteacher Penny Hammett told parents in a letter: ‘The purpose of this trip is to build up a relationship with a school in a very different community to ours.
'This will enable our children to gain a better understanding of multicultural Britain, which was identified in our last Ofsted as being an area for development.
‘Through our topics, visitors and discussions we have been developing multicultural awareness in both Britain and throughout the world, but this visit will help us to experience in real life a school where there is a wide mix of children with different ethnic backgrounds and almost 50 per cent of the children do not have English as their first language.’
The letter also explains that four teachers will accompany the children on the two-day trip, which will involve pupils sleeping in the Isleworth school and using its catering facilities, for an estimated cost of £35.
While in London, the Devon children will engage in outdoor activities and record a CD."

Perhaps the children in London should visit Devon instead? Many children in London see little or none of the rest of the UK.

So children can take two days to go and look at other children, but can't be taken out of school for a holiday which might involve some really multicultural experiences.

Ana I am with you totally on this one.

It annoys me so much how we are made to feel guilty for having a school with predominantly white students in a seaside town in Devon. It hasn't been set up like this it's just how it is, no hidden agenda.

I believe Ofsted gave this school a lower category of grading because of the lack of ethnic students. If they don't live in the area they won't be attending the school.

Sounds like an excellent school trip. How can anyone fault it? The school is, and has been, acting on the recommendations of Ofsted. That's waht they are supposed to do.

Nobody is being made to feel guilty. The school, and Ofsted, just want the pupils to experience a bit of the life of the London school. Very good. And thjey've been planning it in lessons for the last couple of years.

I hope you are all going to get equally annoyed that a whole bunch of schools in Birmingham that are in predominantly Muslim areas are getting criticised too for "not preparing the children for multicultural Britain" .
I am relieved that the same criticism is being levelled at all white schools as well.
Tricky isn't it when the areas they live in are not mixed.

As penguinpaperback suggested, how about a reciprocal visit by a London school to Devon? That would be excellent too, surely?

The London school will do a return exchange to Devon. This can only be a good thing IMHO. Many children don't get to experience the countryside. The children have been corresponding with each other for a while. I see it as a good thing all round.
As for the children being taken out of school, it's a learning experience not a 'jolly' no different to the field trips that most schools have.

I had noticed that the subject had been studiously avoided by Gransnet so far, Jess, although it's perfectly obvious why.

there was this thread about the Birmingham schools

Isn't the report coming out on Monday?

Yes, I know there was that thread - but nothing about what's been in the news recently about it.

NanKate, Ofsted will not have given them a lower grade based on the ethnicity of the children in the catchment area. That is not how Ofsted works. The recommendation for action will have been based on how the school was preparing the children for life in multicultural Britain. They seem now to be tackling this in a very reasonable way.
I really don't see the issue here or the need for a newspaper story about something that happened four years ago. Ofsted did an inspection in 2010 and made a recommendation based on the statutory framework of the time. The school accepted the judgement and set up an entirely reasonable response. Why the sudden need for moral outrage?
In terms of the issues in Birmingham, I personally don't feel that I have enough evidence or information to comment at the moment.

Fair point Mamie I had thought Ofsted's Report had been based on something the school could nothing about.

When I worked in a multicultural school in London we visited a town in Gloucestershire as our "contrasting geographical area". We had links with the local school there and the children wrote to each other in preparation. They used to visit us and go to one of the local temples too. It worked well for both schools. Strangely enough it never made the Daily Mail. I wonder why?