Setting

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

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Haydn Boyle Headteacher Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School Ward Street Prescot Liverpool L34 6JJ

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Ofsted remote visit to Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School

Following my remote visit with Joanne Olsson, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 17 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 Our Lady’s Catholic 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 Our Lady’s Catholic 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 Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School

During the visit, we spoke with you and the senior leadership team. We spoke with the leaders responsible for safeguarding. We also spoke with two members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. 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 six out of every 10 pupils in the school have had to work from home for short periods of time.  Pupils are studying the usual range of curriculum subjects. Teachers’ assessments have identified pupils’ learning that was forgotten or not taught since March 2020. You informed us that teachers have adapted their plans for this academic year to ensure that relevant curriculum content in all subjects is covered.  You have prioritised the teaching of physical education and personal, social, health and economic education to aid pupils’ return to school. You have given modern foreign languages a higher focus this term because this subject was not taught during the summer term 2020.  Teachers’ checks in mathematics show that some pupils have forgotten their prior learning. This has led to teachers focusing on time, angles and mathematical language for pupils in Years 3 to 6. All year groups are having

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

more frequent mathematics sessions to consolidate and revise important number facts.  Teachers have found that some pupils in Years 1 and 2 have forgotten some of the sounds and letters that they have learned previously. You told us that by spending more time on reading and phonics you are helping pupils develop their reading skills and stamina.  You explained that pupils who are self-isolating are provided with a range of online learning or paper-based work. The daily timetable for work is aligned to the work that pupils would receive in school. Pupils typically study English, mathematics and one other curriculum subject each day.  Teachers provide feedback to pupils as their work is submitted. Staff have received a variety of training to help them to provide remote education. Staff continue to provide advice to those parents who face challenges supporting their children with remote education.

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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 director of education for the Archdiocese of Liverpool, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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