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

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Paul Hindle Headteacher Black Horse Hill Junior School Saughall Massie Road West Kirby Wirral CH48 6DR

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Ofsted visit to Black Horse Hill Junior School

Following my visit with Joanne Olsson, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 8 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 Black Horse Hill Junior 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 Black Horse Hill Junior 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 Black Horse Hill Junior School

During the visit, we spoke to you and the deputy headteacher. 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 on 2 September for all pupils. Pupils are expected to attend full time.  Pupils’ attendance is broadly in line with their attendance rates at this time last year.  Teachers have checked what pupils know and remember in English and mathematics. They have amended the curriculum to help pupils regain their skills in reading for meaning.  In mathematics, teachers have identified that many pupils are struggling with topics, such as measurement and data handling. Extra time has been planned to help pupils catch up on lost learning.  You told us that pupils are being taught their usual curriculum, with the exception of modern foreign languages. You plan to reintroduce this by the start of the summer term 2021.  For subjects other than English and mathematics, teachers have plans in place to identify what pupils have missed or forgotten. Teachers are planning to adapt their subject plans to include any key subject content not taught over

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

the summer term 2020.  Your leadership team has developed plans to deliver the curriculum remotely, should it be required. Staff have all received training on how to use the learning resources. You anticipate that this new system will allow teachers to monitor the quality of pupils’ work. 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 Wirral. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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