Setting

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

p.1

Sophie Kennedy Headteacher Rosary Catholic Primary School 238 Haverstock Hill Hampstead London NW3 2AE

p.1

Ofsted visit to Rosary Catholic Primary School

Following my visit with Amanda Carter-Fraser, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 29 September 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 Rosary Catholic 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 Rosary Catholic 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 Rosary Catholic Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, your two deputy headteachers and the early years leader. 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. In undertaking this focused work, HMI are visiting a broad range of schools. HMI will visit a sample of:

p.1

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 opened to all pupils on 3 September 2020. All pupils are attending full time.  Pupils’ attendance is broadly in line with the school’s normal attendance for this time of year.  All pupils attending school are studying the full curriculum.  Teachers in Years 1 to 3 have undertaken checks to see where pupils are up to in learning to read.  A structured programme of phonics revision has started in Year 1 so that pupils get back on track with their reading as soon as possible. You have purchased additional reading books to support this. Teaching assistants in this year group have had extra training in the delivery of the earlier phonics teaching materials.  In Year 3, following on from staff checks on pupils’ reading ability, staff reviewed the reading texts available. You have purchased books to match pupils’ new starting points. More time has been allocated to consolidating independent

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

reading skills across key stage 2.  In mathematics, across the school and in the early years, teachers are checking pupils’ knowledge. You are giving an intense focus to pupils’ learning in number and mathematical fluency.  Teachers have started to check that important knowledge in the foundation subjects, that may have been missed during the spring and summer term, is adequately covered in future planned learning.  Leaders are considering how remote learning can be improved should it be needed as a result of COVID-19. You are exploring a blended learning approach so that pupils are familiar with a range of online platforms to help with the delivery of virtual lessons. Leaders want to support parents further in helping the youngest pupils to access remote learning from home.

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

p.3