Setting

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

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Jacqueline Wightman Headteacher St Philip (Westbrook) C of E Aided Primary School Westbrook Centre Warrington WA5 8UE

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Ofsted visit to St Philip (Westbrook) C of E Aided Primary School

Following my visit with John Donald, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 6 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 Philip (Westbrook) C of E Aided 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 Philip (Westbrook) C of E Aided 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 Philip (Westbrook) C of E Aided Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the deputy headteacher and the business manager. 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 opened for pupils in Years 1 to 6 on 3 September 2020. Children in the Reception classes attended full time from 21 September 2020.  Pupils’ attendance is higher than it usually is for this time of year.  Pupils are studying their usual curriculum. Checks in subjects other than English and mathematics have taken place to identify what pupils remember from before the lockdown restrictions. Key subject content and vocabulary that were not taught in the summer term have been woven into teachers’ plans this term so that pupils can catch up on what they may have missed.  In mathematics, teachers have used a range of strategies to check what pupils remember. You have found that some pupils are not confident when completing calculations. Teachers have planned opportunities to help pupils recall prior learning before being introduced to new mathematical content.  Teachers have checked the sounds and letters that pupils know in Years 1 and

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

2. You have provided additional help for pupils who are struggling with their knowledge of phonics. For pupils in Years 3 to 6, you have identified that reading is a priority. Teachers have planned opportunities for pupils to practise their comprehension and vocabulary knowledge in English lessons and in other subjects.  In writing, you explained that teachers are focusing on improving pupils’ stamina to be able write at length, with accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation. This is because teachers have noticed that many pupils are struggling with these aspects of learning.  You have developed a range of resources to support pupils’ remote education should they be needed in the future. These resources are aligned with the school’s planned curriculum.

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

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