Setting

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

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Emma Tuffey Acting Headteacher Fosse Primary School Balfour Street Leicester Leicestershire LE3 5EA

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Ofsted visit to Fosse Primary School

Following my visit with Steve Varnam, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 8 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 Fosse 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 Fosse 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 Fosse Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the seconded executive headteacher currently supporting the school and the assistant headteacher. 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. 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, most pupils have had to learn from home at some point. The Year 1 class-group ‘bubble’ was self-isolating at the time of the visit.  Pupils are studying the school’s usual range of subjects. Teachers are dedicating more time than they would normally to the teaching of English and mathematics in all year groups. Singing and swimming are not currently being taught but leaders plan to restart these later in the school year.  Teachers’ checks in reading show that some younger pupils’ understanding of phonics is not as secure as it previously was. Some older pupils need support to develop their understanding of the books that they read. Leaders have employed additional staff to help pupils to catch up.  Teachers have assessed pupils’ knowledge and understanding in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Pupils who have fallen behind are receiving support.  Teachers have identified that pupils’ knowledge of place value and number is

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

not as strong as it previously was. Pupils are receiving support from teachers and national tutors to develop arithmetic skills.  Across the wider curriculum, leaders are prioritising pupils’ physical health and well-being. They recognise that some pupils’ fitness levels have dropped. Pupils have more opportunities to exercise and get fit throughout the school day, such as the ‘skipping Henry’ workshops at breaktimes.  Leaders have provided some remote education for pupils who are self- isolating. This includes video lessons in English and mathematics. They are developing plans to make sure that remote education closely matches the curriculum in school.

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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 Leicester City. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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