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

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Claire Keay Headteacher Dosthill Primary School High Street Dosthill Tamworth B77 1LQ

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Ofsted visit to Dosthill Primary School

Following my visit with Nicola Harwood, 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 Dosthill 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 Dosthill 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 Dosthill Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, members of the senior leadership team and the leader responsible for 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. 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 3 September 2020, and they were expected to attend full time. Children joining Reception attended school part time for the first two weeks of term. This arrangement is different to previous years.  Pupils’ current attendance is in line with what it normally is at this time of year.  All pupils, including children in the early years, are studying their usual range of subjects. School clubs and visits have not yet resumed. You plan to review this situation later in the term. You hope to return to your usual curriculum before summer 2021.  Teachers check what pupils know and can remember. Staff noticed that some pupils have taken a step back in their phonics and spelling knowledge. You are building in more opportunities for pupils to practise these skills throughout the day.  Staff say that children starting in the early years have gaps in their speaking and listening skills. Teachers adapt the timetable to provide lots of small group

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

sessions where children talk and listen to each other.  Teachers have identified that some pupils need more practise with some mathematical concepts, such as geometry. Teachers are including regular opportunities to practise these in lessons.  You have developed a programme of remote learning. You currently provide remote learning to all pupils who are not in school due to COVID-19 restrictions. 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 board and the chief executive officer of the Fierté Multi-Academy Trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Staffordshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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