Setting

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

p.1

Wendy Lawrence Headteacher Hanbury Primary School Hanbury Road West Bromwich West Midlands B70 9NT

p.1

Ofsted visit to Hanbury Primary School

Following my visit with Chris Stevens, 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.

p.1

Ofsted visit to Hanbury 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 Hanbury 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 Hanbury Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and the senior leadership team, including the senior leader responsible for safeguarding. We also spoke to some other staff. 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 reopened to all year groups on 3 September 2020 following a phased return. Pupils are expected to attend full time.  Overall attendance is slightly below what you would normally expect for this time of year. You told us that you are working closely with some families to ensure regular attendance.  Pupils are studying their usual subjects, except for modern foreign languages and music. You have plans in place to teach these subjects again after half term.  Since returning to school, teachers have been making checks in lessons to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge.  You told us that reading continues to be a focus for the school, including developing pupils’ love of reading. You are prioritising the teaching of reading and phonics, especially in Year 2. You told us that you deliver daily reading sessions alongside your normal reading activities.  Prior to pupils returning, staff identified the topics that pupils had missed in

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

mathematics and other subjects during the period when schools were only open to some children due to Covid-19 restrictions. These topics are being taught this term.  You are providing work for pupils who are self-isolating. This work is in line with this term’s classroom work. Your school is also ready to put remote learning in place for all classes should it be needed. The school received extra computers through the Department for Education, and these are helping to ensure pupils can access this work from home if needed.

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, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Sandwell. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3