Setting

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

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James Lane Executive headteacher St Francis de Sales Junior School Church Rd London N17 8AZ

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Ofsted remote visit to St Francis de Sales Junior School

Following my remote visit with Andrea Bedeau, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 18 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 St Francis de Sales 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. 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 St Francis de Sales 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 St Francis de Sales Junior School

During the visit, we spoke to you and the senior leadership team, including the leader 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:

 At the time of the visit, Year 4 pupils were learning at home. Half of the classes at the school have had to learn at home since the start of term.  Teachers began the school year with a focus on personal and social education, English and mathematics. Now, pupils are learning the usual subjects except languages. Leaders told us this is because they want to make sure pupils catch up in English and mathematics. Leaders are planning for pupils to be learning all curriculum subjects by the summer term 2021.  Teachers have checked pupils’ new starting points in reading and phonic knowledge. They found that pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 are finding it difficult to read longer texts and work out the meaning of unknown words. A few pupils in Year 3 have difficulty sounding out some words. Teachers have adapted daily reading lessons to put more emphasis on these weaker areas and are giving some Year 3 pupils extra phonics sessions.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 In mathematics, teachers have checked where pupils have gaps in their learning. They found that pupils have fallen behind in their understanding of number, the speed they carry out calculations and in fractions. Teachers are delivering extra daily sessions to pupils who need more practice in these areas.  Teachers have checked learning in subjects missed during the spring and summer terms. They are revising plans for the next two school years to help pupils catch up with missed content.  Pupils learning at home have access to online or paper-based resources. Teachers provide work in English, mathematics and one other subject, together with a physical activity each day. Printed work packs are provided for families who cannot access online learning.  Some families cannot access online learning because of a lack of internet devices. Leaders have been able to provide equipment to some pupils learning at home and teachers have supported parents to help with home

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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 Westminster, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Haringey. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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