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

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Sasha Siva Interim Principal Edward Worlledge Ormiston Academy Suffolk Road Great Yarmouth Norfolk NR31 0ER

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Ofsted visit to Edward Worlledge Ormiston Academy

Following my visit with John Randall, 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 Edward Worlledge Ormiston 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 Edward Worlledge Ormiston 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 Edward Worlledge Ormiston Academy

During the visit, we spoke to you and the 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. 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 to all pupils on 9 September, following a staggered start to the term. A small number of pupils and the Reception-age children attended part time initially as part of planned transition arrangements; all were full time within a week of reopening.  Attendance is slightly below what is normal for this time of year. Staff are working with parents to encourage attendance where pupils have minor coughs and colds. Currently, one ‘bubble’ of a class and linked staff are self- isolating as a result of COVID-19.  The first four weeks of term were used to revisit the summer term curriculum from the previous academic year. Leaders asked teachers to ensure that the pupils had encountered the knowledge and skills that were covered during partial closure so that they can build on these this year.  Staff checked pupils’ starting points in September in all subjects (except for religious education and design and technology as these will be taught later in

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

the term) and planned accordingly for the first few weeks.  Further assessment is being carried out to check where pupils may still have gaps. Leaders intend to use extra funding for additional interventions and tutoring to help individuals catch up.  In mathematics, groups will learn through a range of catch-up programmes delivered by support staff, and some pupils will also have online tutoring.  In reading, staff have prioritised phonics knowledge for the younger pupils. All pupils in Years 1 to 3 have revisited the sounds they need to know and specific phonics reading books are being used to practise these sounds. Some pupils also have catch-up sessions in English.  More time is being given to personal, social and health education (in what would normally be assembly time) to support pupils’ well-being. Other subjects are being taught as normal.  Where groups of pupils are being asked to self-isolate and access education

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

remotely, staff are providing work packs and reading books. These are aligned to the normal curriculum. Staff are being trained on the use of an online system to enable two-way communication between pupils/families and staff.

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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 board of trustees and the chief executive officer of the Ormiston Academies multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Norfolk. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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