Setting

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

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Jane Bamber Headteacher Osmotherley Primary School School Lane Osmotherley Northallerton North Yorkshire DL6 3BW

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Ofsted remote visit to Osmotherley Primary School

Following my remote visit with Michael Wardle, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 12 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 Osmotherley 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 Osmotherley 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 Osmotherley Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and two of your subject leaders. 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:

 Pupils are studying most of the school’s usual range of subjects. Leaders have chosen to pause the teaching of languages but have plans to reintroduce this in the summer term. You told us that pupils will be studying the normal curriculum in all subjects fully by summer 2021.  At the beginning of term, assessments were completed in reading, phonics and mathematics. These were to check what pupils know and remember from the period when school was partially closed due to COVID-19.  Assessment has informed you that phonics is a priority for pupils in Year 1 to Year 3, and writing is a priority throughout the school. Extra support is being provided for small groups and individuals throughout the school day to address any gaps in knowledge.  In mathematics, you have given additional time at the beginning of the school day to revisit and consolidate basic skills, with a particular focus on number and place value.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 Leaders said that some adaptions have been made to the wider curriculum. In science, teachers are increasing practical opportunities through ‘forest school’ lessons to support pupils in developing their scientific enquiry skills. In history, a unit of work on the Romans has been moved to later in the year to allow additional time to focus on mathematics and English priorities during the autumn term.  You are developing a new approach to remote education, with the aim that there will be a range of remote learning options on offer if pupils are unable to attend school. These will include access to online learning for most pupils, in addition to printed workbooks and support phone calls. This learning will match the learning taking place in school.

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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 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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