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

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Susan Chapman Headteacher Hady Primary School Hady Lane Chesterfield Derbyshire S43 0DF

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Ofsted visit to Hady Primary School

Following my visit with Simon Hollingsworth, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 29 September, 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 Hady 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 Hady 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 Hady Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the deputy headteacher, the school business manager, and the teacher responsible for the nurture and well-being of pupils. 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.

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Context

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:

 You opened the school to all pupils on 2 September 2020.  Attendance is below the normal rate for this time of year. Children in the Nursery Year were isolating at the time of the visit. Senior leaders are supporting families in helping their children to return to school.  All pupils attending the school are studying the usual curriculum.  Teachers have assessed pupils’ knowledge and skills in reading. While pupils retain a love of reading, teachers have found that pupils’ ability to understand the meaning of different texts is not as it was. Staff are listening to pupils read more frequently and discussing the content with them to build their understanding of language and vocabulary.  In mathematics, teachers have found that pupils’ knowledge of calculation has been retained. However, pupils’ skills in being able to explain how they have solved mathematical problems and their ability to reason have lapsed.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

Teachers are providing pupils with more activities to help them develop their reasoning skills.  You have prioritised the teaching of physical education and personal, social, health and economic education. You want pupils to develop in ‘mind, body and spirit’ upon their return to school. A stronger focus has been placed on the teaching of phonics for children in the Reception Year and pupils in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3, so that any gaps in their knowledge and skills are being addressed.  You are providing remote education to pupils who are not attending school and those who have needed to self-isolate. You have made sure that families are able to access the technology needed to learn online.

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

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