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

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Paul Campbell Executive Headteacher Eastbrook School Dagenham Road Dagenham Essex RM10 7UR

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Ofsted visit to Eastbrook School

Following my visit with Lucy Bruce, Her Majesty's Inspector (HMI), to your school on 13 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 Eastbrook 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 Eastbrook 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 Eastbrook School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the headteachers of the primary and secondary schools, and other members of the senior leadership team, including the senior leader responsible for safeguarding. 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 for pupils in Reception and Years 1 and 2 on 7 September 2020. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 started on 8 September 2020, as did secondary- age pupils. Nearly all pupils are attending full time. Five pupils have left the school to be home educated. Leaders know the reasons for a few other pupils being absent.  Attendance is higher than the same time last year. Earlier in the term all Year 11 pupils were sent home to self-isolate. Leaders encourage pupils to attend school by contacting parents directly. A letter has been sent to parents explaining the rules for attendance.  All pupils are studying their usual curriculum. This includes work in practical subjects such as design and technology. There is slightly less time for teaching modern languages in key stage 3 than normal.  Teachers use lessons to gather information about gaps in pupils’ learning. Leaders aim to have a clear picture about every pupil’s learning by half term.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

Leaders know that developing pupils’ writing skills in English and problem- solving skills in mathematics are priorities. This is part of leaders’ ongoing plans to improve pupils’ learning.  All pupils in the primary school follow the national curriculum. No subjects are left out. Pupils are taught in year group ‘bubbles’. Assessment has identified gaps in pupils’ knowledge of punctuation and how to present their work.  The same is true for pupils in Years 7 to 9. Teachers have made some changes to the order they teach units of work within subjects, to help pupils make up for lost time.  Pupils in Years 10 and 11 are studying the full range of examination subjects. No subject is missing from the curriculum. The times of the day have been changed to give pupils more time in class. Year 11 pupils finish school at 4.30pm.  Students in the sixth form continue to study all their chosen subjects. There is

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

more time than usual for them to catch up with the work they missed during the spring and summer terms.  Staff use a variety of computer programs to help pupils learn at home. Teachers know how to use these programs and undertake regular training. Paper copies of the work are sent home for pupils who cannot access the internet.

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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 the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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