Setting

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

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Donna Weeks Headteacher Bishop Chavasse Primary School 2A Baker Lane Tonbridge Kent TN11 0FB

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Ofsted visit to Bishop Chavasse Primary School

Following my visit with James Broadbridge, 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 Bishop Chavasse 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 Bishop Chavasse 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 Bishop Chavasse Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the primary lead for Tenax Schools Trust, the special educational needs coordinator and the assistant 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:

 Almost every pupil returned when the school reopened fully on 4 September 2020. All pupils are expected to attend full time.  Pupils’ attendance is slightly better than normal for this time of year. You and your staff contacted all pupils’ parents prior to September 2020 to discuss any anxieties or concerns they may have had.  Pupils are studying the school’s usual curriculum. While all subjects are being taught, you have made temporary changes in music and French. For example, you are considering what instruments pupils can use.  Pupils have undertaken formal assessments in reading and writing. Teachers have used this information to adapt their planning. Teachers are reinforcing the school’s expectations for pupils’ handwriting.  Linked to initial assessments, you and your staff have adapted arrangements for the teaching of phonics. You are continuing to invest in resources to support the teaching of phonics and reading more widely.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 Teachers are assessing pupils’ knowledge in mathematics during teaching. Overall, they are pleased with what pupils have remembered. Teaching is now focusing on calculation skills. This is to help pupils catch up in an area identified as needing attention.  Teachers are delivering the school’s usual curriculum. It is not currently possible to include the typical educational visits and visitors or the full range of extra-curricular clubs. You are considering alternative ways of providing enrichment.  You have set up different ways to continue with remote learning should it be needed. Paper-based materials as well as electronic devices are available for pupils who need these. Teachers set work that is aligned to the school’s 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 board of trustees and the chief executive officer of Tenax Schools Trust, the director of education for the Diocese of Rochester, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Kent. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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