Setting

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

p.1

Valerie Rose Principal Ravens Academy Nayland Drive Clacton-on-Sea Essex CO16 8TZ

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Ravens Academy

Following my remote visit with Cindy Impey, 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Ravens Academy

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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Ravens Academy

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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Ravens Academy

During the visit, we spoke to you, the executive principal, the senior leadership team, the attendance officer and the safeguarding support worker. We did not speak to pupils.

p.1

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.

p.1

Context

In undertaking this focused work, HMI are visiting a broad range of schools. HMI will visit a sample of:

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 At the time of the visit, there were no ‘bubbles’ learning from home. Since the beginning of the autumn term, the school closed to all pupils for two weeks and the Year 4 bubble has had to isolate on two separate occasions.  Pupils are not currently studying the full range of subjects they usually would. Religious education and languages are not currently being taught. Leaders are planning to return to teaching all the usual subjects during the spring term 2021.  Teachers have checked what pupils know and can do in English and mathematics. Teachers are spending additional teaching time revisiting knowledge previously taught and practising the skills that pupils have forgotten.  Younger pupils are having extra phonics and handwriting sessions. Older pupils are being given extra support with handwriting. Teachers are helping pupils to remember how to use their knowledge accurately when writing for longer periods of time.

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 Teachers found that some pupils have not remembered number facts, especially their multiplication tables. More time is being given for pupils to practise what they know, to help them be more accurate when calculating and solving problems.  Teachers have looked at which learning pupils have not been taught in other subjects. Teachers are planning to revisit the knowledge that pupils have missed.  Pupils who must study at home are provided with a combination of online and paper-based learning. Pupils receive the same subject content at home as they would receive if they were in school.

p.2

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.

p.3

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of trustees, the chief executive officer of the Transformation multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Essex. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3