Setting

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

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Hayley Potter & Kirsty Shaw Headteachers Bengeworth CE Academy Kings Road Bengeworth Evesham Worcestershire WR11 3EU

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Ofsted remote visit to Bengeworth CE Academy

Following my remote visit with Ann Pritchard, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 19 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 Bengeworth CE 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 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions, we made this visit remotely to reduce pressure on the school.

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Ofsted remote visit to Bengeworth CE 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 Bengeworth CE Academy

During the visit, we spoke to you, the executive headteacher, the members of the senior leadership team, the senior leaders responsible for safeguarding and the curriculum, the subject leaders for English, mathematics, geography and modern foreign languages and the special educational needs coordinator. 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 the autumn term 2020, a small number of pupils have had to work from home.  Pupils are currently being taught their normal curriculum. Leaders told us that some teaching now includes the learning that pupils missed during the period of national restrictions. You also explained that teachers are planning many opportunities to include cross-curricular learning for pupils with the aim of recapping skills and knowledge.  You have checked what pupils remembered from the spring and summer terms 2020. Subject leaders explained that the curriculum they have in place is designed to close gaps in learning that they have identified. Some pupils receive extra support, when needed. For example, in English, you have identified that some pupils have had to revisit phonics (letters and the sounds they make) previously taught to help improve their reading and some pupils find writing at length more challenging. You say that there has been a clear

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

focus on literacy and you are providing extra phonics lessons and that pupils have opportunities to read and practise extended writing in subjects other than English.  During the first weeks of school in September 2020, you focused on pupils’ mental health and well-being. You explained that this decision was made because you wanted to make sure that pupils feel safe and confident in school.  You have a system in place for delivering remote learning. You use this system that you call ‘carry on our learning’ in everyday school life. For example, pupils use it to complete their homework. Leaders explained that this helps parents and pupils to be familiar with the remote-learning system and know how to use it if they have to self-isolate.

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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 executive headteacher, the director of education for the diocese of Worcester, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Worcestershire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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