Setting

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

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Jonathan Hughes Head of School Plumpton Primary School Southdowns Plumpton Green Lewes East Sussex BN7 3EB

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Ofsted visit to Plumpton Primary School

Following my visit with Matthew Newberry, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 8 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 Plumpton 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 Plumpton 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 Plumpton Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and the executive headteacher. 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:

 You opened the school to Years 1 to 6 on 7 September 2020. These pupils attend full time. As is your normal practice, Reception children returned on 4 September on a phased basis for the first three weeks.  Attendance of pupils since the beginning of term is broadly in line with the same period last year. Pupils who have been absent have had contact from the school to support their return.  Pupils are taught the full range of subjects. Teachers have devised the learning activities with COVID-19 restrictions in mind. Therefore, apart from some activities, such as trips and visitors to school, the usual content is being delivered to all pupils.  Teachers have checked at the start of this term what pupils have remembered from their previous learning in English and mathematics. They have found that most pupils are where they would expect them to be, with a small number showing they have some gaps in what they know and can do. Leaders have

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

put in place a range of support to make up the gaps.  Teachers are focusing on younger pupils’ reading and writing as this is where the need to catch up is greatest.  Pupils have maintained their mathematics knowledge and skills and are at expected levels at the start of the year.  Teachers are reviewing what learning pupils have retained in the wider curriculum and picking up on any gaps as they go.  Leaders and teachers are ready to deliver the usual curriculum remotely should the need arise in the future. Time has been spent this term on setting up a new system so that teachers, pupils and parents can access learning when needed.

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

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