Setting

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

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Melody Sterry Headteacher Gulworthy Primary School Gulworthy Tavistock Devon PL19 8JA

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Ofsted remote visit to Gulworthy Primary School

Following my remote visit with Tracey Reynolds, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 14 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 Gulworthy 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 Gulworthy 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 Gulworthy Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and your senior teachers. 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:

 A small number of pupils have had to work from home since the start of term.  Pupils are studying their usual range of curriculum subjects. You have made some adaptations to the order in which pupils learn the curriculum in music and physical education.  Teachers have carried out checks on pupils’ reading. They have identified those pupils who need to secure their phonics knowledge and others who need to work on inference. You have arranged for these pupils to have extra support in these areas.  Your assessments in mathematics have shown that pupils’ mathematical reasoning is not as developed as it usually would be. Teachers are addressing this through whole-class teaching. You have provided an extra weekly lesson for pupils in Year 6 who have particular gaps in their knowledge.  Teachers have identified that pupils in Year 5 missed a science unit on electricity in the summer term. You have prioritised this unit for teaching now,

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

so that pupils gain the knowledge they need in order to understand the concepts they will encounter later.  You have reviewed the arrangements for providing remote education in the light of your experience so far. Teachers have printed materials ready for pupils to take home. Alongside this, teachers will provide instruction and feedback through an online classroom. You have taught pupils how to access this, and have prepared guidance for parents. 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 Devon. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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