Setting

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

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Sue Stokoe Headteacher Boldon Nursery School Reginald Street Boldon Colliery Tyne and Wear NE35 9DG

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Ofsted visit to Boldon Nursery School

Following my visit with Gill Wild, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), 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.

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Ofsted visit to Boldon Nursery 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 Boldon Nursery 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 Boldon Nursery School

During the visit, we spoke to you, and members of your 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 had a phased opening at the start of term and opened to all children from 14 September 2020.  Attendance has been broadly in line with that normally seen at this time of year. The school offers families the opportunity for children to attend part time or full time.  The school has made minor changes to the normal curriculum. You explained that the school provides a predominantly outdoor education which is continuing as normal. You told us that your staff have focused more on developing children’s self-care skills, such as going to the toilet independently. This was because fewer children than normal developed these skills during the time when schools were closed to most children because of COVID-19 restrictions.  The staff have checked on the children’s starting points. You explained that some children have returned to the school less socially confident than normal. You also told us that some children have returned having not made the usual

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

progress in their speech and language. You have individual plans in place for each child which focus on developing these areas in the outdoor setting.  The school is providing remote learning for any child that is unable to come to school. You told us that you plan to provide activities for parents to do with their children at home, and to support parents through some online sessions should this be needed as a result of COVID-19.

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

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