Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Heidi Price Yealmpstone Farm Primary School Meadowfield Place Plympton Plymouth PL7 1XQ

p.1

Ofsted visit to Yealmpstone Farm Primary School

Following my visit with Matt Middlemore, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 29 September 2020, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the visit’s findings. Thank you for the time you made available to discuss your actions since September 2020, when the government expected all schools to open fully to all pupils.

p.1

Ofsted visit to Yealmpstone Farm Primary School

This visit was conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 (as amended) and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for visiting schools while routine inspections are temporarily suspended.

p.1

Ofsted visit to Yealmpstone Farm Primary School

Ofsted’s visits to schools during the autumn term are not inspections. We are not giving graded judgements. We did not undertake the usual range of inspection activities and were unable to check other sources of evidence, such as visits to lessons or looking at pupils’ work. The content of this letter gives an overview of our discussions about what has happened in your school this term.

p.1

Ofsted visit to Yealmpstone Farm Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and the deputy headteacher. You are the school safeguarding leaders. We also spoke to the parent support adviser and the English and mathematics curriculum leaders. We did not speak to pupils because of the protective measures in place.

p.1

Context

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s education system is managing the return to full education for pupils following an extended break in formal schooling due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

p.1

Context

In undertaking this focused work, HMI are visiting a broad range of schools. HMI will visit a sample of:

p.2

Context

 approximately 1,200 schools across all Ofsted grades (outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate)  maintained schools, academies and free schools, special schools and centres of alternative provision, including those in cities, and coastal, town or rural communities.

p.2

Context

The information from this visit will feed into Ofsted’s national reporting so that the insights can be shared with the government and the education sector. We did not find any significant concerns during the visit. In such a case, an inspection report would be published on our website and available to parents and carers.

p.2

Context

We did not consider your response to COVID-19 during the spring and summer terms 2020, when the school was not open to all pupils.

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 You opened the school to all pupils on 7 September 2020. Children joining the school in the Reception class attended part time for the first two days of term.  Pupils’ rates of attendance are similar to those seen at this time last year.  Pupils are studying the same subjects as before lockdown but with some changes to the music curriculum. For example, some pupils are learning to play the ukulele instead of singing.  Teachers have checked pupils’ knowledge in mathematics. Teachers found that some pupils have forgotten some number facts. A programme of revision has started so all pupils get back on track with their mathematics as soon as possible.  Teachers have undertaken checks to determine where pupils are up to with learning to read. Some pupils have forgotten how to blend letter sounds. You have introduced extra daily reading sessions to help pupils catch up.  You have plans to check pupils’ knowledge in all subjects other than English

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

and mathematics by 23 October 2020. You will use this information to adjust your curriculum.  Children in Reception are following the early years curriculum. Teachers have adapted some expressive arts and design activities. For example, you have plans to teach singing later in the school year.  You have introduced a system to deliver the curriculum remotely. You have prepared a package of online resources to cover the whole curriculum if this is needed in the future.

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

Thank you again for contributing to this important national work. The views and experiences you have shared will help to inform future policy.

p.3

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Plymouth. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3