Setting

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

p.1

Rachel Stephenson Headteacher Holme Valley Primary School Timberland Bottesford Scunthorpe Lincolnshire DN16 3SL

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Holme Valley Primary School

Following my remote visit with Alison Aitchison, 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Holme Valley 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Holme Valley 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Holme Valley Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and members of the senior leadership team, including the senior leader responsible for safeguarding. We did not speak to pupils.

p.1

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.

p.1

Context

In undertaking this focused work, HMI are visiting a broad range of schools. HMI will visit a sample of:

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 Approximately half of all pupils have had to self-isolate and work from home at some point since the start of the academic year. At the time of the visit, ‘bubbles’ in Years 3 and 5 were self-isolating and being provided with remote education.  Pupils are studying all the subjects that make up the school’s usual curriculum.  Teachers have checked what pupils know and can remember in reading. You explained that most pupils in Years 1 and 2 have retained their phonics knowledge. You told us that teachers of Years 3 to 6 are focusing on inference in reading lessons because some pupils are not as confident with this aspect of their reading as they previously were.  In mathematics, checks of pupils’ new starting points have shown some pupils need help to rebuild their knowledge of shape and measure. You explained that teachers have adapted their curriculum plans to include the content in these areas that was not taught in summer term 2020, before moving on to

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

more complex content. Some pupils who need help to catch up are receiving additional mathematics teaching.  Teachers have considered the learning that pupils missed in summer term 2020 in subjects such as history and physical education. You have made some changes to the current curriculum plans so that pupils cover the missed subject content that you feel is essential. For example, pupils in Year 5 who did not receive swimming lessons in the summer term of Year 4 have taken part in swimming lessons this term instead.  Pupils who are self-isolating due to COVID-19 are provided with remote education. You explained that these pupils are set tasks each day that cover similar content to the curriculum they would have followed in school. You told us that staff have had training to help them deliver education remotely.

p.2

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.

p.3

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 North Lincolnshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3