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

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Tracy Foy Principal West Craven High School Kelbrook Road Barnoldswick Lancashire BB18 5TB

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Ofsted remote visit to West Craven High School

Following my remote visit with Emma Gregory, 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 West Craven High 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 West Craven High 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 West Craven High School

During the visit, we spoke to you and other members of the senior leadership team, including the senior leader responsible for safeguarding. 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:

 You explained to us that since the start of term, approximately one in 20 pupils have spent some time working from home.  Pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 have returned to studying all of their curriculum subjects, apart from drama. You informed us that this was to allow more time for pupils to study English and mathematics. This is so that pupils can catch up with learning they have missed or forgotten in these subjects since March 2020.  Pupils in Years 10 and 11 continue to study all of their examination subjects. You have also increased the amount of time that older pupils spend on English and mathematics, to cover any missed learning.  Teachers have made changes to the way that they teach subjects with practical elements. For example, you explained to us that science teachers currently demonstrate practical experiments. You aim to return to the school’s usual curriculum by the summer term 2021.  You told us that, across subjects, teachers are checking pupils’ new starting

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

points during lessons. Teachers use this information to identify gaps in important learning from the spring and summer terms. You have also prioritised the checking of younger pupils’ new starting points in reading.  You have systems in place for pupils to access activities and resources remotely when needed. This includes procedures for teachers to check on pupils’ work and provide them with feedback.  Where possible, those pupils who are working at home follow their usual timetable. In subjects with practical elements, teachers sometimes give pupils alternative activities to complete. For example, in physical education, teachers give pupils exercises that they can do at home.

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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 board of trustees, the chief executive officer of the Pendle Education Trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Lancashire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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