Setting

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

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Kate Cavey Headteacher Kington St Michael Church of England Primary School The Ridings Kingston St Michael Chippenham Wiltshire SN14 6JG

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Ofsted visit to Kington St Michael Church of England Primary School

Following my visit with Julie Carrington, 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.

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Ofsted visit to Kington St Michael Church of England 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 Kington St Michael Church of England 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 Kington St Michael Church of England Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and your senior leadership team. 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.

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Context

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 reopened full time to pupils in Years 1 to 6 on 2 September 2020. Children in the Reception Year started gradually over the first three weeks. They are now attending full time.  Pupils’ attendance this term is broadly in line with the school’s normal attendance for this time of year.  All pupils are studying their usual subjects. In the first few weeks of term, you adjusted plans to support pupils’ emotional well-being. These included additional reading, art and music activities.  Teachers are checking pupils’ knowledge and understanding in reading, writing, spelling and mathematics. Pupils have daily practice in basic skills, such as handwriting and punctuation.  Leaders are prioritising reading, and children’s speech and language development in Reception. Some pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 receive extra support in phonics. In Years 4 to 6, teachers are concentrating on deepening pupils’ vocabulary.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 In mathematics, teachers are focusing on developing pupils’ reasoning and quick recall of number facts.  You have reordered some of your plans for teaching physical education and science to cover the content that pupils have missed.  You have systems in place to deliver remote learning for pupils who are isolating. You have listened to feedback from parents and staff. You have plans to introduce teacher-led videos to help with the delivery of remote lessons.

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

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