Setting

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

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Jan Washer Headteacher Wood Street Infant School Wood Street Guildford Surrey GU3 3DA

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Ofsted remote visit to Wood Street Infant School

Following my visit with Lucy English, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 3 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 Wood Street Infant 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 Wood Street Infant 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 Wood Street Infant 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 (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 September 2020, a very small number of pupils have had to study from home for short periods of time.  Pupils are studying their usual subjects apart from some aspects of music and physical education. For example, teachers are not currently delivering singing and swimming lessons. Leaders aim to return to the full curriculum before summer 2021.  Teachers have assessed pupils’ knowledge in English and mathematics. They are giving pupils additional support to help them develop their ideas and write at length in a range of subjects.  Leaders have prioritised the teaching of phonics. Teachers are providing additional phonics lessons to help pupils catch up on any missed learning. Teachers are focusing on pupils’ fluency and understanding in reading.  In mathematics, teachers have identified that pupils need to revise their knowledge of number bonds and place value. Teachers have adapted their planning, so pupils can practise these aspects.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 Teachers have reviewed the knowledge and skills that pupils need in subjects such as history, geography and computing. They ensure that pupils revisit this learning before moving on to new concepts.  Pupils who are unable to attend school are provided with work that links to the learning that is taking place in lessons. Teachers set work that pupils can access electronically or on paper. Leaders plan to add virtual teaching to the range of resources, should this be required. 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 governors and the director of children’s services for Surrey. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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