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

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Kate Coates Headteacher Kingsfield Primary School Burnsfield Street Chatteris Cambridgeshire PE16 6ET

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Ofsted visit to Kingsfield Primary School

Following my visit with Al Mistrano, 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 Kingsfield 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 Kingsfield 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 Kingsfield Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to the senior leadership team and representatives of the multi-academy trust. 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:  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, a different 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:

 Pupils started back at school on 7 September 2020. Reception children followed the school’s usual staggered approach to starting school and were attending full time by 19 September 2020. You told us that pupils are following the new routines and safety measures in place.  Attendance at the start of the school year was slightly lower than at the same time last year. You said that that there were minor illnesses, and some parents were cautious about sending their children to school. Leaders are working with parents to encourage them to send their children to school.  Pupils are learning the usual range of subjects. Leaders have adapted the curriculum. There is a current focus on reading, writing, mathematics and science. You are providing practical opportunities for pupils to learn in subjects such as physical education.  There is more time scheduled in the daily timetable for the teaching of reading.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

In Year 2, for example, teachers are checking what sounds pupils can securely remember. Teachers are using the information to plan learning to help pupils to catch up quickly. In Year 1, pupils have more opportunity for reading time to recover some of the learning which was missed when they were not in school.  Teachers are using tests to check the gaps pupils have in their mathematical knowledge and understanding. You intend to adapt teaching plans in the new mathematics curriculum to support pupils’ learning.  You have an online system to provide for pupils’ home education should the need arise. 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 board of trustees and the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Cambridgeshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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