Setting

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

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Paul Edmondson Headteacher Morecambe Road School Morecambe Road Morecambe Lancashire LA3 3AB

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Ofsted visit to Morecambe Road School

Following my visit with John Nixon, 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 Morecambe Road 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 Morecambe Road 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 Morecambe Road School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher and the business manager. 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 fully to all pupils on 3 September 2020.  Pupils’ attendance is broadly in line with what it was at the same time last year.  Pupils are learning the usual range of curriculum subjects. Teachers have changed the order of the content in some subjects, including music and food technology. You have made the teaching of personal, social, health and economic education a priority because you believe this helped pupils settle back into school life.  Teachers’ checks have revealed that some pupils have forgotten their previous learning in reading due to missed time in school. You have put in additional support for those pupils who need to catch up.  You explained that teachers have used the information from their checks on pupils’ recall of mathematics to identify where pupils need extra help.  Pupils in Years 7 to 11 are studying their usual curriculum. Some learning that would normally take place off site is now taking place in school. For

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

example, pupils studying for a hair and beauty qualification are not making their usual visits to college.  Pupils are not visiting the local community to learn life skills. Instead, you are providing similar learning in school.  Staff have identified that pupils lost some of their physical skills during the spring and summer terms. You told us that staff ensure pupils take part in the ‘daily mile’ walk, or run, around the school grounds. Therapists have resumed their visits to school to support pupils’ physical needs.  Should it be needed, you are developing plans to deliver the curriculum remotely. You explained how you are helping pupils and their parents and carers to access online learning safely. You are considering the balance of paper-based and online 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, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Lancashire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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