Setting

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

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Anna Spyropoulos Headteacher Ravensden Church of England VA Primary School Vicarage Close Ravensden Bedfordshire MK44 2RW

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Ofsted remote visit to Ravensden Church of England VA Primary School

Following my remote visit with Katherine Douglas, 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 Ravensden Church of England VA 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 Ravensden Church of England VA 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 Ravensden Church of England VA Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and the deputy headteacher. 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 ‘bubbles’ were isolating at the time of the visit. Approximately a quarter of pupils have had to isolate at home for short periods of time.  Pupils are studying their usual range of subjects. Teachers are spending time revisiting subject content that pupils have forgotten.  Teachers have checked what pupils remember in English, mathematics and science. Teachers have used this information to teach pupils the knowledge they missed to help them catch up.  Younger pupils have had additional support to help them recall their phonics knowledge. Teachers are giving older pupils more opportunities to discuss what they read, to help them understand the texts in more detail.  From their checks, teachers found that pupils need extra help to remember how to use punctuation, grammar and paragraphs in their writing. Teachers are planning additional activities for pupils to be able to write more frequently.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 In mathematics, older pupils have forgotten some of what they have previously learned about shape and measure. Teachers in Years 3 and 4 are revisiting the vocabulary and knowledge to help pupils with fractions and when discussing shapes.  Reception children have taken longer to settle into school than is typical for this time of year. Class teachers are spending more time on planning activities to support children’s personal, social and emotional development.  In other subjects, teachers are revisiting some knowledge before moving on to new learning. Pupils are being supported to help them remember what they learned while they were not in school.  Leaders are developing their plans for remote education. Pupils who have not been in school access online learning. There are paper-based packs available for pupils who require them.

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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 Diocese of St. Albans, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Bedford Borough. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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