Setting

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

p.1

Claire Gurden Headteacher Christ the King Catholic and Church of England Primary School Fir Grove Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 7SF

p.1

School

Following my visit with Jackie Stillings, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 22 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.

p.1

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.

p.1

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.

p.1

School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the assistant headteacher, subject leaders, the designated safeguarding lead and an external consultant. We did not speak to pupils because of the protective measures in place.

p.1

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.

p.1

Context

In undertaking this focused work, HMI are visiting a broad range of schools. HMI will visit a sample of:

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 The school opened to all pupils, except those in the Nursery class, on 2 September 2020. Nursery-age children started on 7 September 2020. You expect all pupils from the Reception Year to Year 6 to attend full time. Nursery-age children are expected to attend all their allocated sessions.  Pupils’ attendance is broadly in line with what it usually is at this time of year.  You explained that pupils are studying their usual range of curriculum subjects. Teachers continue to adapt the content of their subject curriculums to cover any missed learning. You intend to get back to your usual curriculum content by the summer term 2021.  You described how teachers are checking pupils’ new starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. You told us how this information is helping teachers to identify those pupils who need extra support.  You said that in the Reception Year, Year 1 and Year 2, pupils are catching up

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

with missed learning in phonics. You explained that in Years 3 to 6, as a result of gaps in pupils’ learning, teachers are developing pupils’ reading fluency and their comprehension skills.  Teachers have found that pupils have developed gaps in some of their mathematical knowledge. In particular, you said that your current Year 3 pupils have missed or forgotten some learning, such as place value, from the Year 2 curriculum.  You told us that pupils need to catch up in subjects other than English and mathematics. For example, pupils in geography are carrying out fieldwork that they would have usually studied during the summer term.  You explained how pupils can study the planned curriculum remotely, where needed. You provide pupils with both paper-based study packs and online learning resources.

p.2

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.

p.3

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

I am copying this letter to the chair of the interim executive board, the director of education for the diocese of Chester, the director of education for the diocese of Shrewsbury, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Cheshire East. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3