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

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Anna McMullen Headteacher St Richard Reynolds Catholic Primary School Clifden Road Twickenham London TW1 4LT

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Ofsted visit to St Richard Reynolds Catholic Primary School

Following my visit with Alison Colenso, 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.

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Ofsted visit to St Richard Reynolds Catholic 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 St Richard Reynolds Catholic 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 St Richard Reynolds Catholic Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the principal, the senior leadership team and the senior leader responsible for safeguarding. 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:

 You opened the school for pupils in Years 1 to 6 on 3 September 2020. Reception children started on 4 September 2020. Children in Reception were attending school full time by 16 September 2020.  Since the school opened in September, attendance has remained similar to that in the previous year. You told us that only a very small number of pupils have not returned to school. You said that leaders communicated regularly with these pupils’ families.  All pupils attending the school are studying the same subjects as they usually would.  Teachers have given all pupils a test in reading. These tests have been used by leaders to focus on specific areas of the reading curriculum. For example, in Reception and Years 1 and 2, you have put in place further phonics teaching, and all pupils have increased opportunities to read.  In mathematics, teachers have also used tests to check pupils’ understanding. You are giving greater emphasis to pupils’ use of

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

mathematical language.  You have made some changes to what pupils learn in English and mathematics. These changes include re-visiting the spelling programme and giving pupils more opportunities to write. In other subjects, including art and languages, pupils continue to have regular lessons.  Leaders intend to use a range of information, gathered from pupils and teachers, to put in place additional support for pupils who may require help with their learning in English and mathematics. You said that this support is planned to begin during the autumn term.  Teachers are planning to deliver subjects remotely should it be needed. These plans include direct face-to-face sessions in English and mathematics. In other subjects, you plan to upload activities for pupils to complete.

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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 director of education for the diocese of Westminster, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Richmond upon Thames. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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