Setting

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

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Rachel Ray Acting Headteacher Weaverthorpe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Weaverthorpe Malton North Yorkshire YO17 8ES

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Controlled Primary School

Following my remote visit with Zoe Lightfoot, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 10 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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Controlled 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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Controlled 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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Controlled Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you as both headteacher and leader with responsibility for safeguarding. 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:

 No class or year group ‘bubbles’ have been sent home since the start of term.  Pupils are studying the full range of subjects. The content of the school’s curriculum has remained the same as usual.  At the beginning of term, teachers prioritised checking pupils’ starting points in reading and mathematics. Teachers are using this information to provide extra support for small groups and individuals throughout the school day.  Additional support is being provided to address missed learning in phonics.  In mathematics, additional time at the beginning of each lesson is used to revisit and consolidate any necessary prior learning, such as number bonds and times tables.  In the wider curriculum, beyond English and mathematics, teachers are using existing plans and are checking as they go along to see if any necessary prior learning is not secure.  You are developing a new approach to remote education. It is already being

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

used for homework and is starting to be used to set work for pupils who need to work remotely. Work is accessed and completed online and aims to reflect the taught curriculum which pupils would receive in school. 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 Diocese of York, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for North Yorkshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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