Setting

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

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Paul Johnson Headteacher Churchill Community College Churchill Street Wallsend Tyne and Wear NE28 7TN

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Ofsted visit to Churchill Community College

Following my visit with Belita Scott, 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 visit to Churchill Community College

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 Churchill Community College

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 Churchill Community College

During the visit, we spoke to you and the senior leadership team. 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 in Years 7 and 11 were self-isolating at the time of the visit. Since September 2020, almost all pupils have studied from home for a period of time. Pupils in all of the year group ‘bubbles’ have studied from home on more than one occasion.  While all pupils are studying the full range of subjects that make up the school’s usual curriculum, you have made some changes to the time spent on subjects. For example, in Years 7 to 9, you have allocated additional time to mathematics, English and science to help pupils to rebuild their confidence in these subjects. You told us that you are still considering when you will return to the previous timetabling arrangements for subjects within the curriculum.  Teachers are using assessments to check what pupils can remember. In mathematics, for example, teachers have identified gaps in Year 9 pupils’ knowledge of algebra, area and perimeter. Teachers are spending time

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

revisiting the knowledge pupils have forgotten.  Following work with feeder primary schools, you identified that pupils currently in Year 7 missed out on aspects of English teaching in the summer term. As a result, English teachers are spending additional time teaching grammar and sentence construction.  In Year 11, teachers are using ongoing assessment in all subjects to identify those pupils who may need some additional support. You are providing some small group tutoring for pupils and an after-school revision club to help them catch up.  The curriculum is delivered remotely to pupils when needed. You are currently providing a combination of recorded lessons, live lessons and written materials for pupils who are self-isolating. The work that pupils complete at home is similar to the curriculum offered in school.

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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 North Tyneside. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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