Setting

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

p.1

Sue Heath Executive Headteacher Grayswood Church of England (Aided) Primary School Lower Road Grayswood Haslemere Surrey GU27 2DR

p.1

Ofsted visit to Grayswood Church of England (Aided) Primary School

Following my visit with James Broadbridge, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 28 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 Grayswood Church of England (Aided) 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 Grayswood Church of England (Aided) 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 Grayswood Church of England (Aided) Primary School

During the visit, we spoke with you and the head of school. 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:

 The school opened fully to pupils on 2 September 2020. Reception Year children started part time, attending full time from 21 September.  Pupils’ attendance is in line with normal attendance for this time of year. You communicated expectations for pupils’ full-time attendance to parents, together with information and support.  Pupils are following the school’s usual curriculum except where government guidelines apply. These exceptions include: a pause in team sports and gymnastics during physical education; a focus on aspects other than singing in music; and a weekly change in pupils’ class books rather than free access to the school’s library. You plan to restore all usual curriculum elements as soon as possible.  Staff are using the school’s routine assessment procedures in English, mathematics and religious education to check pupils’ starting points on return. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 Teachers are using their assessments in reading and phonics to inform their teaching. During our meeting, you credited families’ efforts during lockdown to sustain pupils’ progress in these areas.  In mathematics, teachers are using information from initial assessments to plan for pupils to catch up in areas identified as needing attention. You anticipate a similar pattern emerging as teaching moves on through different aspects of the subject.  In the wider curriculum, you have asked teachers to focus on pupils’ writing as they deliver the usual planned topics. It is not currently possible to include the usual educational visits and visitors.  You are developing contingency provision for remote learning, with the local confederation of schools. Your plans include recorded teaching and systems for teachers to check and feed back on pupils’ work.

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 co-chairs of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Guildford, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Surrey. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3