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

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David Hayes Principal The De La Salle Academy Carr Lane East Croxteth Liverpool Merseyside L11 4SG

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Ofsted visit to The De La Salle Academy

Following my visit with Emma Gregory, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 8 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 The De La Salle 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 The De La Salle 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 The De La Salle Academy

During the visit, we spoke to you, the senior leadership team and the leaders responsible for attendance and 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:

 You opened the school to all pupils on 7 September 2020. Pupils are expected to attend full time.  Pupils’ attendance is broadly in line with the school’s normal attendance rates for this time of the year.  All pupils are being taught their usual range of subjects. You explained to us how you have adapted the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. You informed us that this is to prioritise support for pupils’ mental health and well-being as they settle back into school.  In Years 7, 8 and 9, you have changed the order in which you deliver topics in some practical subjects, such as design and technology. You expect that pupils will learn the full content in these subjects by the start of the summer term 2021.  Pupils in Years 10 and 11 are continuing with all of their chosen GCSE and vocational subjects. You have extended the school day for Year 11 pupils, to prepare them for their external examinations in 2021.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 You have plans in place for teachers to check what pupils know across all subjects later this term. You explained to us that you will use this information to identify what pupils may have missed during the period when schools were only open to some pupils due to COVID-19 restrictions. The content of subject curriculums will be adjusted to take account of what teachers’ assessments tell you and your staff.  You have developed a new programme of remote education that aligns with subject curriculums. You have purchased additional equipment, and trained staff in how to use these resources. You have plans in place to inform parents about how to support their children to access the new remote learning resources.

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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, who is also the chair of the board of trustees, the director of education for the archdiocese of Liverpool, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Liverpool. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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