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

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Sharon Taylor Headteacher Stanmore Primary School Stanmore Lane Winchester Hampshire SO22 4AJ

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Ofsted visit to Stanmore Primary School

Following my visit with Kathryn Moles, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 15 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 Stanmore 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 Stanmore 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 Stanmore Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the senior leadership team and three curriculum leaders. 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 reopened to all year groups on 4 September 2020. Children in Reception also started their induction period from this date, attending full time from 21 September 2020.  Pupils’ attendance so far this year is similar to attendance at this time last year.  Pupils are studying a reduced curriculum. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 have not yet begun to learn French, instead using the time to focus on reading and writing. Leaders intend to return to the usual curriculum by January 2021.  Staff have tested all pupils to see what they have remembered in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers have also conducted checks on younger pupils’ phonics knowledge. In other subjects, staff are taking additional time to assess pupils’ knowledge before they begin a new topic.  Teachers have identified a small number of pupils who have fallen behind in reading. Staff are providing additional phonics teaching to these pupils.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

Assessments also showed that some pupils lack the vocabulary needed to fully understand the curriculum. Staff are reading more often in class and explaining key subject vocabulary before they introduce new content.  In mathematics, staff are teaching the key content from the previous year’s curriculum that some pupils missed. They are covering this content alongside the usual curriculum for mathematics.  Leaders have created an online classroom to educate any pupils who need to isolate. All pupils have been taught how to access this. If required, teachers can set work that will mirror the usual curriculum for all pupils to access remotely.

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

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