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

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Claire Coy Principal Harrop Fold School Hilton Lane Worsley Manchester M28 0SY

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Ofsted remote visit to Harrop Fold School

Following my remote visit with Jonathan Smart, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 1 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 Harrop Fold 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.

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Ofsted remote visit to Harrop Fold 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 Harrop Fold School

During the visit, we spoke to you and other members of the senior leadership team, including the senior leader responsible for safeguarding. 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 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, two thirds of all pupils in the school have spent some time learning from home. Pupils in one Year 7 class ‘bubble’, and approximately one quarter of pupils in the Year 11 bubble, have had to learn from home on two separate occasions since September. In November, all pupils in Years 7 to 10 learned from home for one day per week. All of these pupils are now attending school for five days each week.  Pupils continue to study the usual timetable of curriculum subjects, including all examination subjects for pupils in Years 10 and 11. However, you explained that teachers have changed the order of the curriculum in most subjects. You aim to return to the usual curriculum content by the summer term 2021.  Across the school, pupils have reduced access to specialist resources and equipment. You explained that in science, teachers are prioritising the practical experiments that they feel are most beneficial for pupils to complete. In art,

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

teachers plan projects that require fewer specialist materials.  Teachers are using everyday lessons to check on pupils’ new starting points. Pupils in Years 7 and 11 have had formal assessments in English and mathematics. These tests have shown that pupils have forgotten some of their previous learning. Across all subjects, teachers are offering additional lessons to help pupils to catch up.  You have identified that pupils need additional support with their reading and literacy. You have introduced additional reading lessons for pupils in Years 7 to 10. Teachers are helping pupils to relearn key subject-specific vocabulary.  You have systems in place to deliver education remotely when pupils are self- isolating. This includes online and paper-based resources.  You explained that pupils in Years 10 and 11 have access to ‘live’ lessons when they are self-isolating. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 also have access to live lessons

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

where possible. You told us that you prioritise work in English, mathematics and science for those pupils learning at home.

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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 Salford. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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