Setting

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

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Matthew Quinn Executive Headteacher Christ the King College Wellington Road Newport Isle of Wight PO30 5QT

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Ofsted remote visit to Christ the King College

Following my remote visit with Kathryn Moles, 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 Christ the King College

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 Christ the King College

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 Christ the King College

During the visit, we spoke to you, the interim head of school, the senior leadership team, curriculum leaders for English and performing arts and the family liaison 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 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 the start of term, Year 9 pupils and a smaller group of Year 10 pupils had to work at home for a time while self-isolating.  All pupils are studying the full range of subjects, including option subjects for older pupils and A-level programmes for students in the sixth form.  Leaders have identified that pupils need to build up their stamina and concentration to get the most out of their lessons and the college day.  Year 7 pupils have been assessed in literacy and numeracy earlier than usual this term. Staff are focusing on extending pupils’ vocabulary and confidence with language.  Pupils in Years 10 and 11 are revisiting specific skills, for example practical activities in science and performing arts, because they were not able to practise these during the lockdown.  Leaders note that older students are not as well prepared for sixth-form study as they have been previously because of what they missed during Year

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

11, including the experience of GCSE examinations.  For class or year group ‘bubbles’ who are isolating, leaders draw up a set timetable of lessons, some of which are delivered ‘live’ by their teachers. Pupils complete some work digitally and some on paper. The work set matches where pupils have got to in their subjects.  When individual pupils self-isolate, they follow their usual timetable with a blend of digital and paper-based work to complete. Some parents have not been able to support their children with remote education because internet access has been difficult.

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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 directors of education for the Catholic and Church of England dioceses of Portsmouth, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for the Isle of Wight. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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