Setting

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

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Samantha Walker Headteacher Wodensfield Primary School Woden Avenue Wednesfield Wolverhampton West Midlands WV11 1PW

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Ofsted visit to Wodensfield Primary School

Following my visit with Peter Humphries, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 1 October 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.

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Ofsted visit to Wodensfield 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.

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Ofsted visit to Wodensfield 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.

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Ofsted visit to Wodensfield Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and members of the leadership team. We did not speak to pupils because of the protective measures in place.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 The school opened to pupils on 3 September 2020. All pupils were expected to attend from this date, apart from children in the Nursery and Reception Year classes. Staff visited these children at home during the first week in September and the school then opened to these children on 7 September 2020.  You told us that attendance is slightly below the normal attendance level for this time of year. You explained that this is due to an increase in illnesses other than COVID-19. You described the steps you have taken to encourage pupils to attend, for instance by posting virtual school tours on the school’s website and inviting pupils and parents into school to see the measures put in place to keep them safe. You detailed how staff communicate frequently and openly with parents to support pupils’ attendance.  All pupils are studying the full range of subjects that they would normally study. You explained that teachers assess pupils and use the information to

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

adapt curriculum plans and to identify and support those pupils who have fallen behind. You described how subjects are being taught in short, sharp bursts to build pupils’ learning stamina and concentration. In doing this, your intention is to return to the usual curriculum in all subjects by summer 2021.  Leaders told us that there has been an increased focus on reading. For example, across all year groups, pupils are reading more than they usually would. You outlined how teachers have checked pupils’ phonic knowledge so that teaching can be targeted to address any gaps.  In mathematics, pupils are completing assessments so that teachers can identify gaps in their knowledge. Teachers also continue to assess pupils’ mathematical understanding in lessons. This has helped staff to identify areas in which pupils’ knowledge is less secure, for instance in understanding the concept of time. You plan to use this information to provide specific

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

support to pupils.  Teachers are adapting the curriculum for other subjects. These adaptations are partly in response to the learning that pupils have missed as a result of lockdown, but also as part of your wider plans to develop your curriculum.  The primary focus since pupils returned to school has been on the curriculum being taught in lessons. You are exploring how the curriculum could be delivered remotely should this be required. You explained that you are doing this by looking at a range of resources that pupils could use which align with the planned curriculum in school.

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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.

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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 Wolverhampton. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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