Setting

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

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Mark Brumwell Headteacher Middleton Primary and Nursery School Harrow Road Wollaton Park Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG8 1FG

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Ofsted remote visit to Middleton Primary and Nursery School

Following my remote visit with Stephanie Innes-Taylor, 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 Middleton Primary and Nursery 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 Middleton Primary and Nursery 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 Middleton Primary and Nursery School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the deputy headteacher and the curriculum development 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 the start of term, a very small number of pupils have had to learn from home.  Pupils are studying their usual range of subjects. They are currently unable to experience cookery in design and technology. Specialist teachers are being used to support pupils’ learning in music, French and physical education.  Leaders plan for pupils to return to their usual full curriculum as soon as it is appropriate and safe to do so.  Recent writing assessments have identified writing as a high priority. Teachers have checked pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar skills. Extra help is provided for those pupils who need it.  Teachers checked pupils’ phonic knowledge at the end of the summer term. Pupils are receiving extra phonics and support with their reading should they require it. Pupils can watch online videos of their teachers reading class books.  Teachers have checked pupils’ mathematical knowledge and understanding.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

Teachers are providing pupils with more reasoning and problem-solving lessons. These lessons are helping pupils to practise their calculation skills.  In the wider curriculum, some subject content has been re-visited. In history, pupils have completed extra research tasks to help fill any gaps in their knowledge.  Teachers have provided a mixture of online and paper-based learning for pupils learning from home. This remote education closely matches pupils’ existing curriculum. Pupils can access online phonics videos and mathematical content to support their learning.

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

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