Setting

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

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Erin Wheeler Headteacher Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre Stamford Road Southport Merseyside PR8 4EX

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Centre

Following my remote visit with Ahmed Marikar, 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.

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Centre

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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Centre

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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Centre

During the visit, we spoke to you and members of the middle and senior leadership teams, 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:

 You told us that, since September, approximately half of all pupils and students in the school have spent some time working from home.  All pupils, including students in the sixth form, continue to study their usual timetable of curriculum subjects. You explained that all pupils and students can access specialist classrooms in science and information technology. You told us that in some practical subjects, teachers have reordered the curriculum content.  You explained to us that teachers are checking on pupils’ and students’ new starting points. Teachers are using this information to help pupils to catch up with important learning that they have missed or forgotten since March 2020. You plan for pupils and students to return to the school’s usual curriculum before the summer term 2021.  Pupils in Years 10 and 11, and students in the sixth form, continue to study all of their examination subjects. Teachers are delivering additional lessons to

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

help older pupils and students catch up with missed learning across all subjects.  Teachers have changed the order of the curriculum in some subjects to help pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 to catch up with learning that they have missed. For example, in English, teachers have changed the texts that younger pupils are studying. In mathematics, pupils are revisiting previous learning in number, shape and space.  You have systems in place for pupils and students to access education remotely when needed. You informed us that, where possible, pupils and students follow their usual timetables when working remotely. In physical education, pupils complete activities that they can do at home, such as circuit training or dance.

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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 director of education for the Archdiocese of Liverpool, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Sefton. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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