Setting

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

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Ella Besharati and Christine Boxall Executive Co-Headteachers Cracoe and Rylstone Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School Cracoe Skipton North Yorkshire BD23 6LQ

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England Primary School

Following my remote visit with Michele Costello, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 5 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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England 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 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions, we made this visit remotely to reduce pressure on the school.

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England 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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England Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the base leader and the federation’s business manager. 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 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:

 The school opened to all pupils on 7 September 2020. All pupils are expected to attend full time.  Pupils’ attendance is higher than it was at the same time last year.  Leaders have planned for pupils to return to the school’s usual curriculum by summer 2021. You told us that, although pupils are studying all subjects, you have made changes to the content of some curriculum plans. For instance, you have adjusted your plans in physical education to focus on outdoor games, and plan to teach gymnastics and dance in the spring and summer terms.  Teachers have assessed pupils’ reading. Teachers have found that some pupils have gaps in their reading and comprehension skills. You told us that you are supporting pupils to further develop these skills.  In mathematics, you told us that teachers have assessed pupils’ new starting points and found there are gaps in some pupils’ basic mathematical knowledge

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

in class two. You have plans, to provide extra support for those pupils who need help to catch up.  You intend for teachers to check pupils’ knowledge and understanding in subjects such as history and geography in the future.  You have a plan in place to deliver the curriculum remotely, if required. You explained that subject leaders are considering some new learning resources to develop your remote education curriculum further.

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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.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the diocese of Leeds, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for North Yorkshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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