Setting

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

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Sally Henshall Headteacher Hemsworth Grove Lea Primary School Grove Terrace Hemsworth Pontefract West Yorkshire WF9 4BQ

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Ofsted remote visit to Hemsworth Grove Lea Primary School

Following my remote visit with Christopher Pearce, 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 Hemsworth Grove Lea Primary 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 Hemsworth Grove Lea Primary 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 Hemsworth Grove Lea Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the deputy headteacher and staff with responsibility for safeguarding and attendance. 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 our visit, the Year 4 ‘bubble’ was self-isolating. The Year 4 bubble contains 30 pupils. Prior to this, a small number of pupils have had to work from home since the start of term.  Pupils are studying nearly all of their usual subjects. Pupils do not currently learn a modern foreign language. Staff are due to attend training relating to the teaching of Spanish in January 2021, with a view to reinstating modern foreign languages at the beginning of the new academic year.  Teachers checked pupils’ new starting points in English and mathematics in September. The results from pupils’ assessments in English demonstrate that pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding linked to poetry, inference and language structure are not as strong as they used to be, prior to March 2020. You told us that teachers have reviewed and made amendments to the literature pupils read, providing more examples of contrasting cultures within

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

the United Kingdom.  In mathematics, teachers’ checks have highlighted that missed learning, during the period when schools were only open to some pupils due to COVID- 19 restrictions, has resulted in gaps in pupils’ understanding in topics such as reasoning, problem-solving, time, and interpretation of graphs and pictorial representations. You told us that leaders have used non-statutory guidance documents published by the government to inform the school’s intervention and teaching strategies.  You told us that local restrictions have prevented pupils from participating in swimming lessons. Teachers have adapted the curriculum to include more opportunities for pupils to learn about water safety. Furthermore, while extra- curricular events and sporting competitions have been postponed, staff have organised school cross-country events and pupils are currently rehearsing for the annual Christmas Concert, which will be recorded and shared remotely

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

with parents and carers.  Pupils who are absent access learning that follows the school’s usual curriculum. Pupils ‘check-in’ each morning and afternoon using the school’s digital software. Here, pupils are greeted by their teacher who outlines the work and what is expected of them. Pupils without access to digital technology are provided with written work packs to complete.

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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 regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Wakefield. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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