Setting

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

p.1

Zowie Norris Headteacher West Melton Primary School Stokewell Road West Melton Rotherham S63 6NF

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to West Melton Primary School

Following my remote visit with Chris Cook, 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to West Melton 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to West Melton 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to West Melton Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to senior leaders, including those responsible for safeguarding. We did not speak to pupils.

p.1

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.

p.1

Context

In undertaking this focused work, HMI are visiting a broad range of schools. HMI will visit a sample of:

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 The school opened fully to all pupils on 3 September 2020. The school temporarily closed to all pupils earlier in the autumn term, as a result of a number of COVID-19 cases in the school community. As such, all pupils have had to work from home for part of this term.  Pupils are studying all of the subjects that you would normally be covering at this time of year, although some subject content has been reduced to provide more time for reading. You told us that teachers have supported pupils’ well-being through subjects such as art and music. You have planned for pupils to return to their usual curriculum by summer term 2021.  In reading, you have checked pupils’ new starting points. The assessments showed you that many pupils have gaps in their knowledge that have occurred as a result of the time that school was not fully open during the spring and summer terms 2020. To support this, teachers are supporting

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

more pupils than usual with their phonics knowledge, and have allocated additional time to reading across all year groups.  Assessments of pupils’ knowledge in mathematics have also been done. Your checks showed you that many pupils have retained their knowledge of the basic number facts, such as times tables, but they were less able to remember how to fully apply these skills to solve problems. Teachers are now dedicating additional teaching time to support pupils with this.  All the subjects within the wider curriculum are being taught. Pupils have not been formally assessed in the wider curriculum, but you have plans for this later this term and throughout the school year.  You are providing remote education for pupils who are having to isolate from school. You are directing pupils to various online resources and are also providing paper packs of work when these are required. You are working with parents and carers to help pupils who are not physically present in

p.2

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.

p.3

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

p.3