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

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Rebecca Cramer Executive headteacher Reach Academy Feltham 53-55 High Street Feltham Middlesex TW13 4AB

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Ofsted visit to Reach Academy Feltham

Following my visit with Sophie Welch, 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 Reach Academy Feltham

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 Reach Academy Feltham

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 Reach Academy Feltham

During the visit, we spoke to the senior leadership team and the safeguarding team. 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:

 The school opened to all pupils from Reception to Year 13 on 11 September 2020. Pupils attend full time.  Children in the Nursery started gradually before the provision opened fully on 16 September 2020. Most children attend Nursery for half-days, either mornings or afternoons.  Overall attendance is broadly in line with normal attendance for this time of year.  All pupils in Years 10 and 11 have returned to their usual timetable. They study the full range of subjects they opted for at GCSE.  In the sixth form, students continue to study their chosen subjects.  In Years 7 to 9, pupils learn the usual range of subjects that the school offers, with the exception of food technology. This is due to the school’s restrictions on mixing different groups of pupils. Music and art are taught in larger groups than usual to accommodate class ‘bubbles’.  In the primary phase, pupils do not currently have lessons in music, or

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

design and technology. This is because of leaders’ concerns about cross contamination. Music peripatetic lessons are on offer for all pupils.  Leaders plan for all pupils to return to the school’s full curriculum by the spring term in 2021.  In the early years, teachers have checked children’s starting points in the prime areas of learning. This term, they are focusing on developing children’s fine and gross motor skills, as well as communication and language.  Teachers have checked Year 1 and Year 2 pupils’ knowledge in phonics. A structured programme is in place to help pupils who have fallen behind, for example, in their letter sounds.  In the primary phase, teachers have recapped learning in all subjects and checked pupils’ starting points. In the wider curriculum, teachers have amended lesson plans as necessary to address any gaps in learning.  In primary mathematics, number fluency has emerged as a common

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

weakness across all year groups. Teachers use ‘Maths Meetings’ each day to address areas in which pupils need more support.  Leaders have identified a decrease in primary pupils’ reading fluency. Daily ‘Book Club’ sessions have been amended to include paired reading and give pupils further opportunities to read aloud. Teachers use the earlier school start time to deliver extra reading support.  In the secondary phase, teachers have checked pupils’ knowledge and understanding in all the subjects that are currently being taught. Leaders have prioritised reading in Years 6 to 8 and given pupils further opportunities to read whole books in class reading sessions.  Leaders have established systems to deliver the curriculum remotely should it be needed. Staff are confident in planning and delivering lessons online, mainly through the school’s involvement in Oak National Academy.

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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 chair of the board of trustees, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Hounslow. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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