Setting

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

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Daniel Hains Headteacher The Grange Primary School Stonyfield Bootle Sefton L30 0QS

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Ofsted visit to The Grange Primary School

Following my visit with John Nixon, 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 The Grange 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 The Grange 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 The Grange Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, your deputy headteacher and other senior leaders. 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.

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Context

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 all pupils on 2 September 2020. Every pupil is expected to attend full time.  Attendance is below the normal rate of attendance for this time of year. At the time of the visit, three class ‘bubbles’ were studying at home.  You explained how all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are studying their usual curriculum but with some adaptations. You have reduced the curriculum content in some subjects, so that more time can be devoted to the teaching of English and mathematics.  You have carried out checks to establish pupils’ new starting points in reading. You are providing more time for the teaching of phonics, so that younger pupils can be helped to get back on track with their reading. You are increasing the opportunities for older pupils to develop their reading comprehension skills.  Checks on pupils’ knowledge in mathematics have told you that pupils need

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

more practice with their number facts. Teachers are revisiting learning from the previous year to help pupils catch up and regain their confidence in mathematics.  You told us how adults in the resourced provision for pupils with SEND have carefully checked what pupils have remembered. You have found that many pupils have lost ground in their language and number skills. You are providing intensive support, so that pupils can make up any lost learning.  In subjects such as science and geography, you have started to check the learning that pupils have missed. You have plans to adapt the curriculum so that any missed learning can be included in future topics and special thematic days.  You described the systems in place to allow teachers to deliver the curriculum remotely. This involves a combination of paper-based resources and online learning.

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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 Sefton. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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