Setting

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

p.1

Zoe Phillips Headteacher Round Diamond Primary School Whitehorse Lane Great Ashby Way Stevenage Hertfordshire SG1 6NH

p.1

Ofsted visit to Round Diamond Primary School

Following my visit with David Milligan, 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.

p.1

Ofsted visit to Round Diamond 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.

p.1

Ofsted visit to Round Diamond 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.

p.1

Ofsted visit to Round Diamond Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to the senior leadership team, the designated safeguarding team and other curriculum leaders. We did not speak to pupils because of the protective measures in place.

p.1

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.

p.1

Context

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 The school fully opened to all pupils on 3 September 2020. We heard that pupils are happy to be back with their classmates and teachers and are settling into the routines.  Attendance at the start of the school year was slightly lower than at the same time last year. You said that this was due to a few pupils needing to quarantine after holidays, or parents who needed additional assurance to bring their children back to school. You are pleased that attendance has now returned to your normal levels.  You are using a wide range of approaches to help encourage all pupils to return to school. You have allocated additional government funds to increase leadership and staff capacity. Staff are providing extra pastoral support and resources to help relieve pupils’ and families’ anxieties.  Curriculum leaders explained that all subjects are being taught as usual. You have reviewed the important learning that pupils missed when they were not in

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

school. Leaders have planned when to revisit topics across the wider curriculum and have organised how to deliver practical learning safely. You are providing more opportunities and resources to encourage physical exercise during breaktimes.  You have prioritised reading and mathematics. In Years 1 and 2, teachers have checked what sounds pupils can remember. Teachers are using this information to choose what to teach, so pupils can catch up quickly with their reading skills.  In mathematics, pupils are having more time in lessons to practise and show what they can recall in times tables and in other mathematical calculations and methods. Leaders told us that teachers are using your calculation policy to help remind pupils what they need to know and to help pupils overcome some common errors.  You have recently set up and trained staff to use your new online system for remote learning. You intend to use this system for pupils to learn at home if the

p.2

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.

p.3

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body and the director of children’s services for Hertfordshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3