Setting

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

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Andy Landers Principal Pegasus Academy Scotts Green Close Dudley West Midlands DY1 2DU

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Ofsted remote visit to Pegasus Academy

Following my remote visit with Alun Williams, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 26 November, 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 Pegasus 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 Pegasus 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 Pegasus Academy

During the visit, we spoke to you, the directors of English and mathematics, the vice and assistant principals and the chief executive officer of the trust. 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, approximately half of your pupils have been absent from school at some point, as a result of COVID-19.  Pupils are studying their usual range of subjects. You told us that adjustments to the delivery of some subjects have been necessary. This is especially so in the practical subjects of art and design, music and physical education (PE). The art, design and technology block has been organised to enable pupils in Years 10 and 11 to continue with the practical elements of art and design, information and communication technology and food technology.  You described how you have checked pupils’ knowledge and skills in all year groups. You have used the results to identify pupils who need additional support, with the aim of helping them to catch up with missed learning. You are using the COVID-19 catch-up premium to provide extra teaching for these pupils.  You told us that your assessments have shown that pupils in Year 7 need to

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

develop their reading comprehension skills, and that they have gaps in their mathematics knowledge in algebra. Pupils in Year 8 have missed some history topics. Your plan is for them to cover this knowledge later this year and in Year 9.  Pupils in Years 10 and 11 have dropped one of their GCSE options. You explained that this was to enable them to have more time to focus on their other subjects. Since the start of term, pupils in Years 10 and 11 have been able to attend additional English, mathematics and science lessons after school. The aim of these lessons is to help pupils catch up with learning missed during the first lockdown.  You are using a range of ways to provide pupils with remote learning. You use your online homework system and websites, but also provide paper-based learning packs when needed. Pupils who need additional technology to access online learning at home can borrow school equipment. You are giving staff

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

additional training and time to develop remote learning further.

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

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