Setting

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

p.1

Stacey Griffiths Headteacher John Fletcher of Madeley Primary School Upper Road Madeley Telford TF7 5DL

p.1

Ofsted visit to John Fletcher of Madeley Primary School

Following my visit with Christopher Stevens, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 9 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.

p.1

Ofsted visit to John Fletcher of Madeley 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.

p.1

Ofsted visit to John Fletcher of Madeley 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 visit to John Fletcher of Madeley Primary School

During the visit, we spoke to you, the senior leadership team, a curriculum leader and members of the pastoral team. We did not speak to pupils because of the protective measures in place.

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 (coronavirus) pandemic.

p.1

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:

 Almost one third of pupils have had to self-isolate at some point since the start of term. This includes two year-group ‘bubbles’ and a small number of individual pupils.  Leaders told us that pupils are studying the subjects in their usual curriculum, except for design and technology and music. Leaders are confident that they will return to the full curriculum by the summer term 2021.  Pupils were asked to complete a questionnaire about how they felt about coming back to school in September 2020. Leaders have prioritised personal, social and health education to support pupils’ mental health and well-being. They have also increased the opportunities pupils have to learn outdoors.  Leaders explained that assessments have shown that some pupils have fallen behind in word reading and how well they understand what they have read. Extra support for pupils who need it is provided by teachers and teaching

p.2

From this visit, inspectors noted that:

assistants.  You told us that assessments in mathematics have shown that some pupils in Years 1 and 2 needed extra practice with basic number work at the start of the term. You have noticed that pupils in Years 3 to 6 needed more practice in applying their mathematical knowledge to solving problems and reasoning about their work. You have asked teachers to provide more opportunities for this.  Remote education is delivered online. Teachers upload pre-recorded information for pupils and provide a range of online and paper-based tasks. Pupils follow a timetable that is similar to the one they would follow in school.  Leaders told us that they use a similar approach to remote education for bubbles and individual pupils who are isolating. The main difference is that pupils in a bubble will have more frequent access to their teacher if they need any help. Teachers provide paper packs for any pupils who are unable to

p.2

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 governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Lichfield, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Telford and Wrekin. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3