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

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Geoff Staniforth Headteacher Ashby School Nottingham Road Ashby-de-la-Zouch Leicestershire LE65 1DT

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Ofsted visit to Ashby School

Following my visit with Jayne Ashman, Her Majesty's Inspector (HMI), to your school on 27 October, 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 Ashby 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 Ashby 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 Ashby School

During the visit, we spoke to you, and members of the senior leadership team. 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 reopened on 1 September 2020 to all pupils. This followed a phased return for pupils.  Pupils’ attendance is broadly the same as it was this time last year. Boys’ attendance is slightly higher than it was last year.  All pupils in years 10 and 11 are following the school’s full range of core and optional subjects. Leaders have made some changes to the content of subjects. They have prioritised some areas of learning. For example, there has been a greater focus on emotional well-being and online safety in the personal development curriculum.  Pupils in years 10 to 13 are studying all of their examination courses. Leaders have plans in place to return to the school’s usual curriculum by summer 2021.  Teachers have checked the learning of all pupils to see if there are any gaps. They are using this information to adapt their curriculum plans. They are providing support for those pupils who need it in English and mathematics.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

They intend to provide further support in other subjects, for example history and geography.  Leaders are continuing to develop resources and ways of delivering the curriculum through the ‘virtual school platform’, to any pupil who is absent because of COVID-19. They are planning to provide equipment for some pupils who do not have electronic devices, and remote learning for all pupils if there is a need. 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 board of trustees, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Leicestershire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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