Setting

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

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Jan Fellows Headteacher Meare Village Primary School St Mary’s Road Meare Glastonbury Somerset BA6 9SP

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Ofsted remote visit to Meare Village Primary School

Following my remote visit with Matthew Barnes, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 26 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 Meare Village 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 Meare Village 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 Meare Village Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and members of the leadership team. 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, no pupils have had to work from home due to COVID- 19.  Pupils study the full complement of national curriculum subjects. You have amended the order in which some subject content is taught so that gaps in pupils’ knowledge can be remedied.  You have identified that some pupils require support for their emotional and mental well-being. Therefore, pupils’ ‘learning quests’ have factored in time to allow pupils to discuss any issues that are worrying them.  Your checks on pupils’ reading have identified that their skills of comprehension and inference have diminished during the partial closure of the school. You have therefore prioritised reading and increased pupils’ choice of texts so that they can practise these skills.  Your assessments have shown that pupils lack proficiency in formulating sentences and using punctuation correctly. You have support available to help pupils to craft their writing with greater accuracy.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 In mathematics, you have noticed that younger pupils struggle more than they normally would with number recognition. Older pupils are less adept than they were at explaining how they have arrived at mathematical solutions. Consequently, you have sought ways to improve pupils’ fluency in recalling number facts and increase their confidence in mathematical reasoning.  You have adapted the wider curriculum to help pupils to increase their physical stamina and improve their dexterity when using equipment. You are exploring ways that pupils can celebrate their achievements as a school community.  You have reflected on the plans that you had in place for remote learning during the partial closure of the school. You are exploring ways that you can extend your online platform so that pupils can follow the school’s curriculum as far as possible from home should this be needed in the future.

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

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