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

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Tracy Towler Headteacher Westhaven School Ellesmere Road Uphill Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 4UT

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Ofsted visit to Westhaven School

Following my visit with Stewart Gale, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 6 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 Westhaven 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 Westhaven 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 Westhaven School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the senior leadership team and staff members with responsibility for attendance and behaviour. 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 was open to all pupils during the national lockdown. Following the summer holidays, the school reopened to all pupils on 7 September 2020.  At the time of this visit, school attendance is above the normal attendance for this time of year.  Not all of the subjects in the national curriculum are currently being taught. For primary pupils, French and religious education are temporarily on hold. In the secondary phase, you have paused the teaching of music, design technology and religious education. You will reintroduce these subjects at the start of the spring term 2021.  Assessments in reading and mathematics for all pupils are ongoing. The curriculum is being adapted to address any identified gaps in knowledge.  Primary pupils have completed assessments in phonics. Teachers are placing a higher focus on reading across the curriculum.  In primary mathematics, teachers have identified gaps in pupils’ ability to use

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

their knowledge of number, particularly division, to solve problems. Teachers are using this information to adapt the curriculum to help pupils catch up.  Pupils in the primary phase are studying most of the foundation subjects. Teachers recognise that they will not be able to cover all the subject content missed during the national lockdown in subjects such as history and geography. However, teachers have plans in place to help pupils to acquire the knowledge needed for future learning.  In Years 7 to 9, pupils are not currently studying design technology and music. The full curriculum offer will be delivered from the start of the spring term 2021.  In Years 10 and 11, pupils are studying all their subject option choices. Teachers have prepared plans in each subject showing how they intend pupils to catch up with any work they have missed.  The school has provided remote learning for all pupils. Leaders have plans in

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

place to provide online resources should they be required in the future. As well as learning in academic subjects, leaders have included assemblies and one-to-one sessions for pupils to help them with their social, emotional and mental health.

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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 North Somerset. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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