Setting

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

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Madeleine Griffin Headteacher Hadley Learning Community Primary Phase Waterloo Road Hadley Telford Shropshire TF1 5NU

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Ofsted remote visit to Hadley Learning Community Primary Phase

Following my remote visit with Martin Pye, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 24 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 Hadley Learning Community Primary Phase

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 Hadley Learning Community Primary Phase

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 Hadley Learning Community Primary Phase

During the visit, we spoke to you, the executive principal, the senior leadership team and some other staff. 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 bubbles were self-isolating. Since September 2020, three class bubbles have had to self-isolate at some point. Throughout the school just under a half of all pupils have had to work from home at some point this term.  Leaders plan to return to the school’s usual curriculum by summer 2021, including educational visits and clubs. All usual subjects are being taught but with some adjustments. In physical education, for example, pupils are doing fewer activities involving equipment and are taking part in virtual sports competitions.  Teachers have been making checks in lessons to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge this term. In reading, teachers have noticed that pupils’ knowledge of vocabulary and inference has declined. Teachers have also noted that pupils have lost stamina for writing. You have made lessons shorter with more frequent breaks to get pupils back into the habit of classroom learning.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 You told us that in mathematics the younger children have retained their number knowledge but are having difficulties applying this. At the upper end of the school you are focusing on fractions because this topic was missed in the summer. When necessary, you are putting on extra mathematics lessons in the afternoons.  In other subjects, you are looking at ways to combine topics to cover key knowledge, for example in history. You told us that you are undertaking some virtual trips as the school’s usual programme of trips and visits has been temporarily halted.  Staff are providing digital learning to support pupils who may need to work at home. Where possible, this learning is in line with the work that pupils would normally be taught in class. Teachers are also sending home reading books and equipment. You are looking at ways to encourage independence through the activities you send 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 governing body, the chair of the board of trustees, and the chief executive officer of the learning community trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Telford and Wrekin. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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