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

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Simon Wood Executive Headteacher Copperfield Academy Dover Road East Northfleet Gravesend Kent DA11 0RB

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Ofsted remote visit to Copperfield Academy

Following my remote visit with Hanna Miller, 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 Copperfield Academy

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 lockdown restrictions, we made this visit remotely to reduce pressure on the school.

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Ofsted remote visit to Copperfield Academy

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 Copperfield Academy

During the visit, we spoke to you, two deputy headteachers, the interim deputy headteacher, the chief operating officer and the director of excellence and standards of REAch2 Academy Trust, the pastoral team leader and the attendance officer. 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 (coronavirus) 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:

 Since September, about one fifth of pupils have had to self-isolate and therefore continue with their learning from home.  Pupils are studying all subjects in the school’s usual curriculum, apart from design and technology, which has been paused. Teachers are focusing on improving pupils’ fitness and well-being through daily exercise and extra outdoor learning. Leaders intend for pupils to return to their full curriculum before the summer term 2021.  Teachers have checked pupils’ knowledge in English and mathematics. Assessments have identified that pupils need support with vocabulary, punctuation and handwriting. Teachers are providing opportunities for pupils to practise these aspects across a range of subjects.  Leaders have given reading a high priority. Teachers have adapted phonics teaching for pupils who have fallen behind. Across all year groups, teachers are providing additional reading opportunities.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 In mathematics, teachers are assisting pupils to revise their calculation skills, particularly in multiplication and division. They are also helping pupils to practise fractions and recall mathematical facts such as their times tables.  Teachers are identifying the learning that pupils have missed in other subjects. They plan to use this information to adapt lessons to include knowledge that pupils have missed or forgotten. Leaders have prioritised the teaching of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education.  Should pupils not be able to attend school, leaders provide them with printed materials for the first two weeks. Leaders are making arrangements for all pupils to be able to access online learning at home. Leaders are expanding the remote learning offer further with the addition of live and pre-recorded lessons.

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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 trustees and the chief executive officer of REAch2 Academy Trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Kent. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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