Setting

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

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Troy Jenkinson Headteacher Highgate Community Primary School Heathcote Drive Sileby Loughborough Leicestershire LE12 7ND

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Ofsted visit to Highgate Community Primary School

Following my visit with Rachel Tordoff, Her Majesty's Inspector (HMI), to your school on 29 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 Highgate Community 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 Highgate Community 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 Highgate Community Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the senior leader responsible for safeguarding, members of the senior leadership team and curriculum leaders. 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:

 The school opened to all pupils on 27 August 2020. Pupils attend full time.  Pupils’ attendance is in line with that usually seen at this time of year. Pupils are studying the usual range of subjects. Teachers are dedicating more time to the teaching of English and mathematics in all year groups. Leaders plan to return to the usual curriculum after the summer term 2021.  Teachers in Years 1 and 2 checked pupils’ phonic knowledge as soon as the pupils returned to school. Leaders have made sure that pupils are receiving extra phonics lessons to help them catch up.  Teachers have checked pupils’ knowledge and understanding in reading and mathematics. Pupils who have fallen behind are receiving support.  Teachers are promoting pupils’ well-being. They have checked what pupils remember across the wider curriculum. Teachers are using this information to change their plans where necessary.  Leaders have developed plans to deliver the curriculum remotely, if needed.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

You already offer remote education to a small number of pupils who are self- isolating. You have made sure that what pupils learn at home is closely matched to what they would learn if they were in school.

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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 Leicestershire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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