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

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Richard Barnes Headteacher Fleetwood High School Broadway Fleetwood Lancashire FY7 8HE

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Ofsted visit to Fleetwood High School

Following my visit with Emma Gregory, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 3 November 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 Fleetwood High 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 Fleetwood High 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 Fleetwood High School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the senior leadership team, the business manager and the leaders responsible for safeguarding and attendance. We did not speak to pupils.

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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 reopened the school to all pupils on 2 September 2020. All pupils are expected to attend full time. A very small number of pupils are currently on part-time timetables. The expectation is that they will attend full time soon.  Pupils’ attendance is slightly lower than their usual attendance for this time of the year. You and the staff team are working with families to support their children’s return to school.  Pupils in all year groups are studying their usual range of subjects. You told us that you have changed the order in which some topics are delivered in science. This is to ensure pupils can access practical equipment.  Teachers have assessed pupils’ new starting points in every subject. Teachers are using this information to make decisions about which topics should be taught next. Leaders have adapted the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum to prioritise pupils’ mental health and well-being.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 You explained that teachers’ checks on pupils’ reading skills showed that some pupils in Year 7 are not reading as well as they usually do by the time they leave their primary school. Staff are providing additional support to help these pupils get back on track.  In Years 7, 8 and 9, teachers have altered the curriculum in some subjects, such as history and geography. You believe this is helping pupils to catch up on the learning that they missed during the spring and summer terms. You expect that pupils will study their usual curriculum by the start of summer term 2021.  Pupils in Years 10 and 11 are continuing with all of the examination subjects that they chose for their options.  You have enhanced your remote education provision. You explained that your online resources align as closely as possible with subject curriculums. Pupils who are absent are using these to keep up with their work. You informed us

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

that staff make paper-based resources available for pupils who do not have access to technology.

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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 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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