Setting

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

p.1

Katherine Milk Executive Head Bungay Primary School Wingfield Street Bungay Suffolk NR35 1HA

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Bungay Primary School

Following my remote visit with Fyfe Johnston, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 24 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Bungay 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. 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Bungay 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.

p.1

Ofsted remote visit to Bungay Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you and members of the senior leadership team. We did not speak to pupils.

p.1

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.

p.2

Context

In undertaking this focused work, HMI are visiting a broad range of schools. HMI will visit a sample of:

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

 At the time of the visit, the school was fully open to all pupils, with none working from home. Approximately one tenth of pupils have had to isolate at home for a time so far this academic year.  Pupils are accessing the full range of subjects. Some units of work, for example dance and gymnastics in physical education (PE), have been moved to later in the year. Currently, all PE lessons take place outdoors.  The first two weeks in September 2020 were an ‘induction fortnight’, focusing on pupils’ well-being and readiness to learn. The whole school studied themes related to a book about ‘making your mark on the world’.  After the induction fortnight, teachers used a range of assessments to check where pupils were in their learning. In phonics, pupils were not as far back as leaders thought they might be. Pupils have had extra sessions in school to work towards the stage they ought to be at.  In English, assessments showed that pupils were lacking independence and

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

stamina for writing. The systems for teaching English will prioritise these skills.  Teachers have identified gaps in pupils’ arithmetic skills. Teachers focus on these gaps in lessons.  In subjects such as history and science, a new curriculum is in place. Leaders are aware that pupils have gaps in their knowledge from before. The new planning system shows what pupils should already know before starting a new topic. Teachers will use this information to teach pupils any knowledge needed.  The school has put additional emphasis on pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) as a result of COVID-19. Staff are teaching pupils structured and sociable games to play in the playground. Teachers are timetabling extra PSHE sessions for groups and classes as needed.  Where there has been a need for individual pupils to work away from school, teachers have put the same activities online for pupils to access. If there is a

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

need for whole-year-group bubbles to work remotely, teachers intend to deliver some lessons by video. The school has obtained additional devices to support those who do not have appropriate devices and/or internet access. The daily timetable aims to match what would have been delivered in school.

p.3

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.

p.3

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 Asset multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Suffolk. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3