Setting

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

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Mrs Rebecca Ross-Wood Principal Ark Conway Primary Academy 60 Hemlock Road Hammersmith London W12 0QT

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Ofsted visit to Ark Conway Primary Academy

Following my visit with Helen Matthews, 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 Ark Conway Primary Academy

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 Ark Conway Primary Academy

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 Ark Conway Primary Academy

During the visit, we spoke to you and the senior leadership 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 on 7 September 2020 to all year groups. All pupils attend on a full-time basis.  Attendance is slightly lower that it would normally be at this time of year. Leaders have produced videos highlighting the new routines and safety measures in place. These aim to reduce parents’ anxieties around their children attending school.  All pupils are taught their usual range of subjects except swimming. The content taught in each subject remains the same; however, there is greater emphasis on reading. Pupils in Year 2 are continuing with the Year 1 summer phonics programme.  When pupils returned in September, teachers found that pupils’ reading fluency had declined. Leaders feel this is because there were fewer opportunities for pupils to read aloud last term. Staff provide pupils with opportunities to read aloud in every subject.  In mathematics, teachers are planning lessons which include some of the content

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

from the previous summer term. This is because they know some units of work have been missed. Teachers are using pre- and post-unit quizzes to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Teachers provide activities, where necessary, to help pupils catch up.  Pupils have not had swimming lessons this term. This is because facilities are closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Teachers are using this time to deliver gardening and well-being sessions in the school allotment.  Currently, staff are trialling a new system which aims to make it easier for pupils to share their work in the event of any future remote education. Staff have received training on how to use an online digital platform to set pupils activities to complete at home.

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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 and the chief executive officer of the Ark multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Hammersmith and Fulham. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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