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

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Vicky Corbett Headteacher Broad Square Community Primary School Broad Square Liverpool Merseyside L11 1BS

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Ofsted visit to Broad Square Community Primary School

Following my visit with Pippa Jackson Maitland, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 10 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 visit to Broad Square Community 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.

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Ofsted visit to Broad Square Community 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 visit to Broad Square Community Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and members of the senior leadership team, including those responsible for safeguarding. We also spoke with the pastoral lead, the school business manager and the attendance officer. We did not speak to pupils because of the protective measures in place.

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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.

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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:

 Since the start of the autumn term, approximately three quarters of the pupils in the school have had to learn from home for a period of time. Pupils in the Year 5 class ‘bubble’ have had two periods of self-isolation.  You explained that teachers have placed more emphasis on English and mathematics this term. You have also prioritised the teaching of physical education and personal, social, health and economic education to support pupils as they returned to school. You intend to return to the usual curriculum by the summer term 2021.  You told us that teachers are identifying the content in subjects other than English and mathematics that was not taught in the 2020 summer term. They are also reviewing what pupils can remember of the learning that took place prior to March 2020. Teachers are altering curriculum plans for this year to ensure that all necessary curriculum content is covered.  In mathematics, teachers are checking on pupils’ understanding of important

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

content before pupils move on to new learning. You told us that pupils in different year groups have forgotten some of the mathematical knowledge that they had learned before March 2020. Teachers are providing additional mathematics sessions to consolidate pupils’ prior learning and to refresh their grasp of mathematical vocabulary.  You told us that teachers’ checks in reading showed that many younger pupils have forgotten some of the sounds and letters that they had been taught previously. Some older pupils are unable to read or write for sustained periods. Pupils in all year groups are having extended reading and writing lessons to help them make up the learning they have lost.  You told us that pupils who are self-isolating are provided with remote education via the school website. You also provide paper-based resources for those families who require them. A typical day of home learning is aligned,

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

where possible, to the normal school day.  Staff have received training to help them to deliver remote education. You explained that pupils and parents can contact the school if they face difficulties with remote education.

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

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