Setting

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

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Lisa Telling Executive Headteacher Katesgrove Primary School Dorothy Street Reading Berkshire RG1 2NL

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Ofsted remote visit to Katesgrove Primary School

Following my remote visit with Matthew Newberry, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 12 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 remote visit to Katesgrove 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. Following changes to government guidance and the imposition of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, we made this visit remotely to reduce pressure on the school.

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Ofsted remote visit to Katesgrove 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 remote visit to Katesgrove Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the head of school, two deputy headteachers, two assistant headteachers, the attendance officer and the head of inclusion. 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:

 Since the start of term in September 2020, approximately one fifth of pupils have had to self-isolate. During this time, they continued with their learning from home.  Pupils are studying their usual subjects apart from some aspects of music. For example, pupils are not currently studying singing, and in some year groups pupils are not learning to play musical instruments. Leaders aim to return to the full curriculum by summer 2021.  Teachers have assessed pupils’ knowledge in English and mathematics. They are providing increased support for spelling, grammar and handwriting. Teachers are also focusing on developing pupils’ stamina to write at length.  More time and resources are being allocated to the teaching of phonics and reading. Staff are providing additional teaching to make sure that pupils catch up with any missed learning. Leaders have purchased extra reading books to encourage pupils to practise the sounds they learn and read more often.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 Teachers have adapted the mathematics curriculum so that pupils can revise number, place value and calculation skills. Teachers are making sure that pupils’ knowledge is secure in these areas before they move on to new learning.  Teachers have noticed that in history, science and geography, pupils have fallen behind in their understanding and use of subject-specific vocabulary. They are assisting pupils to apply specialist language to discuss and explain their ideas.  Leaders make sure that remote education matches what pupils learn in school. Teachers upload learning resources to the school’s website on a weekly basis so that any individual or groups of pupils who need to self-isolate can access learning from home. Leaders plan to add pre-recorded lessons to the remote education offer should the school have to close.  Leaders provide equipment and training to help parents to support their children while learning remotely.

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

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