Setting

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

p.1

George Trafford Executive Headteacher Ruskington Chestnut Street Church of England Academy Chestnut Street Ruskington Sleaford Lincolnshire NG34 9DL

p.1

Ofsted visit to Ruskington Chestnut Street Church of England Academy

Following my visit with Shaheen Hussain, seconded inspector of schools, 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.

p.1

Ofsted visit to Ruskington Chestnut Street Church of England Academy

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

Ofsted visit to Ruskington Chestnut Street Church of England Academy

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

Ofsted visit to Ruskington Chestnut Street Church of England Academy

During the visit, we spoke to you, the head of school, and the learning mentor. 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, Her Majesty’s Inspectors (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 full time to all pupils on 3 September 2020.  Attendance is similar to what leaders would expect for this time of the school year.  The school is running its usual curriculum. There has been some pressure on the time afforded to each subject. Some learning time has been lost due to enhanced hygiene procedures, and new routines during the school day.  Teachers are finding out what pupils can remember in the different subjects. Before beginning new subject content, teachers check for gaps in knowledge.  In reading, some pupils have needed more support to recall phonics sounds. Pupils are being encouraged to read a wide range of books to help develop their vocabulary.  In mathematics, because of lost learning time, pupils have not spent as much time problem-solving and reasoning. Teachers are giving pupils more time to practise this in lessons.  Leaders have given physical education a high priority. They have made sure

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

pupils do not lose any opportunities to be active.  Leaders have set up procedures for remote learning, should pupils need to self-isolate. Pupils will experience a combination of virtual lessons and linked tasks. The work pupils complete at home will follow the school’s usual curriculum. Thank you again for contributing to this important national work. The views and experiences you have shared will help to inform future policy.

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

I am copying this letter to the chair of the local board, and the chief executive officer of the Lincoln Anglican Academy Trust, the director of education for the Diocese of Lincoln, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Lincolnshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3