Setting

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

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Tim Chambers Headteacher Bilton School Lawford Lane Rugby Warwickshire CV22 7JT

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Ofsted visit to Bilton School

Following my visit with Peter Humphries, Her Majesty's Inspector (HMI), to your school on 15 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 Bilton 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 Bilton 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 Bilton School

During the visit, we spoke to you, members of the senior leadership team and subject 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:

 The school opened to pupils and students in Years 7 and 12 on 2 September 2020. You then opened the school to all year groups on 3 September 2020. All pupils are expected to attend full time.  Pupils’ attendance is in line with the usual figure for this time of year. You explained the steps that you have taken to encourage pupils’ regular attendance. For instance, by sharing plans with parents and answering their questions to reassure them that pupils are safe. You described how staff have worked with families, building relationships to support pupils’ attendance.  Pupils across all year groups are studying their usual range of subjects. Within subjects, leaders have changed the order in which some topics are taught. Staff’s aim is to make sure that pupils will have the knowledge and skills needed to tackle future work. In doing this, you are planning for all pupils to return to the usual curriculum in all subjects by summer 2021.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 Pupils have completed assessments in all subjects to check what they know and remember. You told us that teachers are using the results to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge so that they can address these in future lessons. Leaders are analysing the results to inform the adjustments they are making to curriculum plans.  In Years 7 to 9 in English, leaders have identified the need to develop pupils’ vocabulary and love of reading. Consequently, pupils are currently studying stories and novels. In mathematics, teachers are revisiting and strengthening pupils’ number skills, threading these throughout other topics.  In Year 11, you told us that in subjects such as science, teachers are focusing on pupils’ examination skills. Leaders explained that this will help pupils demonstrate their knowledge more effectively in formal tests.  You have plans in place to deliver the curriculum remotely to pupils if needed.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

You explained that you have constructed a timetable of live and recorded lessons, supplemented with a range of resources. You described how this would be a continuation of the curriculum being taught in school. 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, chair of the board of trustees, and the chief executive officer of the Stowe Valley Multi-Academy Trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Warwickshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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