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

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Alison Dolan Headteacher Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School Kingsthorpe St Davids Road Northampton Northamptonshire NN2 7QL

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Ofsted remote visit to Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School

Following my remote visit with Damien Turrell, 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 Kingsthorpe Grove 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 Kingsthorpe Grove 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 Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the senior leadership team and the leaders responsible for safeguarding and science. 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:

 At the time of the visit, no classes or year groups were isolating. Since September, three year-group ‘bubbles’ have worked from home.  Pupils are studying most of their usual subjects. However, some aspects of the curriculum for physical education and music have been moved to later in the year. Leaders plan to resume these activities by summer term 2021.  Teachers have carried out checks in most subjects. Pupils are having extra lessons to help them catch up on learning they may have missed. Teachers are helping children to remember key words for different subjects.  Teachers have prioritised the teaching of reading. Some pupils need extra help to develop their understanding of phonics. Teachers are providing additional opportunities for pupils to talk about books they have read.  In mathematics, some pupils need extra help to remember their times tables. Pupils are completing additional problems to help them use these facts to

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

solve mathematical problems.  Staff working in Nursery and Reception years are providing increased opportunities for pupils to practise their social and physical skills, such as cutting and taking turns.  Leaders have plans in place to deliver a programme of remote learning. This learning is based on the existing curriculum. Leaders are checking that all pupils have access to appropriate technology at home so that teachers can deliver lessons online.

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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 Northamptonshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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