Setting

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

p.1

Rowena Thompson Executive Headteacher Stickney Church of England Primary School Main Road Stickney Boston Lincolnshire PE22 8AX

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Stickney Church of England Primary School

Following my remote visit with Steve Varnam, 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Stickney Church of England 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Stickney Church of England 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Stickney Church of England Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the deputy headteacher and the early years teacher. 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:

 Since the beginning of term, leaders have sent home one class-group ‘bubble’ of pupils for five days. A small number of pupils across the school have needed to self-isolate for short periods of time.  As far as possible, pupils are learning all the subjects of the school’s usual curriculum. Teachers are not covering some parts of the music and the physical education curriculums. Leaders hope to resume this content before the summer term.  Teachers have checked what pupils can remember in English and mathematics. Teachers make sure that pupils have the knowledge they need before they move on with new learning.  Some pupils have forgotten some of the phonics sounds they once knew. To catch up, pupils are having extra phonics lessons. All children have dedicated time every day to develop their reading and to enjoy books together.  In mathematics, where it fits with this term’s curriculum, teachers are covering

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

the content that pupils missed in the summer term. Some pupils are not as fluent in recalling mathematical knowledge. Teachers are using opportunities to recap number facts and times tables during the school day.  Teachers are not taking pupils on school trips. Instead, they are using online resources, such as looking at artefacts from museums. Pupils are having theme days, such as an Egyptian day.  In the early years, children’s starting points in language and communication are lower than usual. Teachers have changed the curriculum to address these gaps. Some children have needed more support with toileting.  When pupils are learning from home, teachers give them daily tasks in English, mathematics and one other subject. These are aligned with what pupils learn in school. If a class-group bubble normally has daily phonics teaching, this will continue virtually.

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 governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Lincoln, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Lincolnshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3