Setting

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

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Anand Patel Principal Eden Girls’ School Coventry Stoney Stanton Road Coventry West Midlands CV1 4FS

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Ofsted visit to Eden Girls’ School

Following my visit with Alun Williams, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 10 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 visit to Eden Girls’ 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.

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Ofsted visit to Eden Girls’ 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 visit to Eden Girls’ School

During the visit, we spoke to you and members of the senior and middle leadership teams. We did not speak to pupils because of the protective measures in place.

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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 (coronavirus) pandemic. 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:

 A small number of pupils were self-isolating and learning remotely at the time of the visit. Since the beginning of the autumn term, approximately one tenth of pupils have studied remotely at some point.  All pupils are studying their usual subjects. You told us that you have made sure pupils have access to specialist rooms, for subjects such as science and art, while ensuring that protective measures are in place.  All pupils in Year 10 and 11 are studying the same subjects as last year. You explained that teachers continue to assess what pupils know and remember in lessons. You highlighted the additional support available to pupils. For example, in mathematics, Year 11 pupils attend weekly Saturday morning sessions. Teachers are confident they will have taught all the required knowledge ahead of national assessments in the summer term.  You told us that leaders looked at curriculum plans before the summer term to

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

decide what pupils would learn remotely. Subsequently, leaders have made some changes to the curriculum within subjects for this academic year. You aim to return to the usual curriculum by summer 2021.  Staff carried out assessments in all subjects in the first half of the autumn term. You explained that teachers analysed these to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. You told us that teachers are reassured by pupils’ performance, as many could remember what they had learnt remotely during the summer term.  You explained that you focused on supporting pupils’ mental health and well- being within your personal, social, health and economic lessons at the beginning of the academic year.  You told us that you have systems in place to support pupils should they need to study remotely at home. Pupils log into lessons, listen to teachers’ explanations and are encouraged to ask questions. Teachers share resources

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

with pupils electronically. You provide paper resources for a small number of pupils who do not access learning 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 board of trustees, and the chief executive officer of the Star Academies multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Coventry. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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