Setting

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

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Simon Talbert Headteacher Waverton Primary School Common Lane Waverton Cheshire CH3 7QT

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Ofsted visit to Waverton Primary School

Following my visit with Jackie Stillings, 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 Waverton 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 Waverton 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 Waverton Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and the deputy 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 all pupils on 2 September 2020. Children in the Reception class attended for half-days only during the first two weeks. Since this point, all year groups have been expected to attend full time.  Pupils’ attendance has been broadly similar to the same period last year.  Pupils are studying their usual range of subjects. However, some components of the music and physical education curriculums are not currently being taught. You have plans in place to reintroduce these during the spring term.  Since the start of the new term, you have prioritised pupils’ social and emotional well-being. You believe that this has been instrumental in helping pupils adapt back-to-school life.  Teachers in all classes have carried out assessments of pupils’ reading. You told us that these checks did not identify significant weaknesses. However, staff are providing additional support for younger pupils who are below

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

where you would expect them to be in their knowledge of phonics.  Teachers are assessing each pupil’s knowledge and understanding in mathematics as they start each new topic. This is helping staff to support individual pupils by addressing any gaps that have emerged as a result of the local restrictions.  You are aware that the disruption to school life caused by the COVID-19 restrictions led to pupils not learning all of the planned content in subjects other than English or mathematics. You have plans in place to check pupils’ knowledge in different subjects, and then adapt curriculum content, as the year progresses.  You are currently working with parents, carers and pupils to ensure that they are able to use remote learning resources in the event of any future restrictions. You are also developing resources and teacher expertise so that pupils are able to continue their education at home should the need arise.

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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 West Cheshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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