Setting

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

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Julie-Ann Swaysland Headteacher Greenway Chesham Buckinghamshire HP5 2BY

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Ofsted visit to Ivingswood Academy

Following my visit with Matthew Newberry, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 13 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 Ivingswood Academy

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 Ivingswood Academy

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 Ivingswood Academy

During the visit, we spoke to you and the inclusion leader. 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 to all pupils on 2 September 2020. A small number of pupils, including some with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), currently attend on a part-time basis. All other pupils are expected to attend full time.  Pupils’ attendance is in line with what you would expect at the school for this time of year.  Pupils continue to study their usual range of subjects this term. Teachers plan to check pupils’ knowledge in subjects in the wider curriculum at regular points over the year. They intend to use this information to adapt lessons to include any knowledge that pupils have missed or forgotten.  This term, teachers have introduced additional phonics lessons for all pupils in Years 1 and 2. Checks have been made on pupils’ reading skills, and additional support is being provided for those who need it. You are prioritising reading across the school, focusing on pupils’ fluency and comprehension.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 Teachers have checked pupils’ knowledge in mathematics. They have adjusted their planning to help pupils practise calculation skills before moving on to problem solving and reasoning. You plan to use the COVID-19 catch-up premium to provide additional support in English and mathematics.  You have made plans to provide remote education in all subjects, in case pupils need to isolate, or any groups need to study from home in future. You intend to provide paper-based materials for any pupils who do not have access to online devices at home. 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 board of trustees, the executive headteacher of Red Kite Schools Trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Buckinghamshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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