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

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Jon Crone Headteacher Netherfield Primary School Chandos Street Netherfield Nottingham NG4 2LR

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Ofsted remote visit to Netherfield Primary School

Following my remote visit with Helen Williams, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 10 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 Netherfield 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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Ofsted remote visit to Netherfield 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 Netherfield Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and the school’s deputy headteacher. 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:

 Typically, a small number of pupils are working from home at any one time because they are self-isolating. The school was closed to all pupils for seven days during October due to a risk of COVID-19.  Leaders have prioritised the teaching of English and mathematics. Some other subjects have been put on hold so that pupils can catch up in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teachers have checked how pupils are getting on in reading. Checks have shown that pupils have fallen behind in phonics. Leaders have dedicated more time to teaching phonics and have increased the amount of help adults give to pupils.  Checks in mathematics show that pupils’ mental calculation skills are not as strong as they should be. Leaders have increased the amount of time given to teaching mathematics. They have introduced a daily mathematics lesson to help pupils practise their calculation skills.  The teaching of computing, music and modern foreign languages has been put

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

on hold. Pupils are studying a reduced curriculum in religious education. Leaders expect to deliver the usual curriculum from January 2021.  For pupils who need to self-isolate, teachers set online work which reflects what pupils would be studying in school. Leaders have identified that some families do not have the right kind of equipment to be able to support their children in their learning. Leaders are exploring ways to help parents.

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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, and the chief executive officer of the Greater Nottingham Education Trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Nottinghamshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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