Setting

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

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Marion Lloyd Headteacher Longlevens Junior School Church Road Gloucester Gloucestershire GL2 0AL

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Ofsted remote visit to Longlevens Junior School

Following my remote visit with Julie Carrington, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 1 December 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 Longlevens Junior 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.

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Ofsted remote visit to Longlevens Junior 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 Longlevens Junior School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator. 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 (coronavirus) pandemic. 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 returning in September 2020, approximately 50% of pupils have had to self-isolate and learn from home. Pupils in the Year 6 ‘bubble’ have needed to self-isolate twice and learn from home for longer periods.  Pupils are studying their usual subjects. You have temporarily adjusted the timetable in languages to give more time to the teaching of English. You plan to return to your usual French curriculum in January 2021.  You are prioritising pupils’ writing, including spelling, punctuation and grammar. Teachers are providing pupils with daily lessons to practise their spelling. You told us that since September 2020, you have been focusing on building up pupils’ ability to write more.  You have checked pupils’ starting points in reading. You have put extra support in place to help pupils who have fallen behind with phonics.  In mathematics, teachers have identified the key gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

Pupils have more opportunities to practise and revisit important number facts.  You told us that pupils’ mental health and well-being are priorities. You explained that trained ‘mentors’ are providing emotional support for pupils who need it.  You have refined your approach to remote learning. Leaders have trained staff and pupils on the new online system. You explained how pupils upload their work and receive feedback from their teachers.

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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. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Gloucestershire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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