Setting

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

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Sarah Barton Headteacher Penwortham Broad Oak Primary School Pope Lane Penwortham Preston Lancashire PR1 9DE

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Ofsted remote visit to Penwortham Broad Oak Primary

Following my remote visit with John Donald, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 2 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 Penwortham Broad Oak Primary

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 Penwortham Broad Oak Primary

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 Penwortham Broad Oak Primary

During the visit, we spoke to you, the key stage 2 leader and the family support worker. 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:

 At the time of the visit, all class ‘bubbles’ were learning from home except for the Reception year. Since the start of term, around nine out of ten pupils have spent some time learning remotely.  Pupils are studying their usual range of primary subjects, but leaders have made some changes to the curriculum timetable and content. For example, more time is being spent teaching English and mathematics, and pupils are taking part in yoga lessons. You told us that you expect pupils to return to their normal curriculum by summer 2021.  Teachers have identified the letters and sounds that some younger pupils have not learned due to time missed in school since March 2020. You are providing additional phonics lessons to help these pupils catch up. In all classes, teachers have increased the frequency of pupils’ reading.  In mathematics, teachers’ checks on pupils’ learning show that many pupils have forgotten some number facts since March 2020. Teachers are giving

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

pupils additional time each day to revisit this learning.  In subjects other than mathematics and English, leaders have identified parts of the curriculum that were not taught in the summer term. Teachers are developing plans to help pupils catch up this missed learning.  You explained that teachers provide online or paper-based activities for pupils who are learning remotely. A typical day for these pupils consists of English, mathematics and another curriculum subject. Pupils use photographs of their work to share with their teachers online.

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

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