Setting

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

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Rachel Davidson Headteacher Holy Family Catholic Primary School Upper Essex Street Liverpool Merseyside L8 6QB

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Ofsted remote visit to Holy Family Catholic Primary School

Following my remote visit with John Tomlinson, 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 Holy Family 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 Holy Family 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 Holy Family Catholic Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the deputy headteacher, the attendance officer and the pastoral leader. 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 September 2020, approximately one third of pupils have spent some time working from home.  Pupils are studying their usual range of subjects.  In reading, teachers’ checks have identified that some pupils are not as confident with reading comprehension as they were before March 2020. You are providing additional time for these pupils to read and for teachers to check pupils’ understanding.  Teachers have also checked what pupils have remembered in phonics. Assessments show that some pupils, in every year group, have forgotten some of the letters and sounds that they learned in the spring term. Extra support is in place to help pupils to catch up.  In mathematics, assessments have shown that some pupils are less accurate with geometry and measure than they were before March 2020. You have put plans in place so these pupils can practise their skills to help them catch up.  In writing, you told us that some older pupils have forgotten some elements of

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

grammar and punctuation. Teachers are providing more time in lessons for pupils to practise these skills.  In subjects other than English and mathematics, teachers have found that some pupils need extra practice with certain skills. For example, in history, there is an increased focus on chronology.  You offer remote education online and in paper-based activity packs. You provide pupils who are self-isolating with daily activities, including in reading, writing, mathematics and a lesson from the wider curriculum. Teachers provide feedback to pupils once pupils’ work has been submitted.

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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 Liverpool. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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