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

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Danielle Warren Headteacher Millbrook Junior School Churchill Way Kettering Northamptonshire NN155DP

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Ofsted remote visit to Millbrook Junior School

Following my remote visit with Helen Williams, 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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Ofsted remote visit to Millbrook Junior 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 Millbrook Junior 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 Millbrook Junior School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the senior leadership team and the family support worker. 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 3 September 2020. Pupils are expected to attend full time.  Attendance is above that seen during the same period last year.  All pupils are studying most of the school’s usual curriculum. Teachers have checked what pupils can remember in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils are having extra lessons to help them catch up with forgotten or missed learning.  In reading, some pupils have not remembered some phonics. Some pupils have had limited access to a wide range of books. Leaders have provided pupils with a greater choice of reading material, including online books.  In mathematics, some pupils need extra support to remember times tables. Some pupils need more help to use their knowledge of calculations to solve problems.  When possible, science and physical education lessons take place outside. Leaders and staff have adapted the curriculum to make personal, health, social

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

and economic (PHSE) education a priority for all year groups.  Leaders are developing their plans for delivering remote education. Pupils learning at home complete similar activities to those who are in school. If leaders need to send a ‘bubble’ home, staff will teach some lessons virtually. 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 Northamptonshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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