Setting

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

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David Littlemore Headteacher Prospect School Cockney Hill Tilehurst Reading RG30 4EX

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Ofsted remote visit to Prospect School

Following my remote visit with Catherine Old, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 19 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 Prospect 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 Prospect 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 Prospect School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the senior leadership team and subject leaders for English, mathematics, geography and languages. 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 term, Year 9 pupils and sixth formers have had to study from home for a time while self-isolating.  All pupils are studying their usual range of subjects. Teachers in practical subjects have altered their lessons because ‘bubble’ arrangements initially limited some pupils’ access to specialist rooms this term. Many extra-curricular activities and enrichment activities have been paused. Leaders hope to return to the school’s full curriculum by the summer term 2021.  Teachers have used various assessments to find out what pupils know and remember from last year and what learning they may need to revisit. This information is used to modify activities within lessons to help pupils make up any gaps.  Leaders are focused on developing pupils’ reading skills to help them read more accurately and gain a greater understanding of texts. Extra support for reading is being delivered during tutor-time activities.

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 Pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11 are continuing to study all of their examination subjects. Teachers have adjusted their plans and leaders have adapted the timetable where necessary, for example to offer additional mathematics sessions for some Year 11 pupils.  Leaders note that sixth formers have gaps in their knowledge because of what was missed last year, including GCSE examinations. Students in Years 12 and 13 are being given mentor support and more independent study time to help them to catch up.  Teachers put lesson resources online so that individual pupils who are self- isolating can follow their usual timetable of subjects and complete work in line with their peers. When whole bubbles have needed to self-isolate then teachers have offered live online lessons. Leaders have checked that pupils have access to the technology they need to access this work. Where parents request it, teachers set some pupils paper-based work.

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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 board of trustees, and the chief executive officer of the King’s Group Academies multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Reading. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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