Setting

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

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Peter Naudi Headteacher Cheam High School Chatsworth Road Sutton Surrey SM3 8PW

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Ofsted visit to Cheam High School

Following my visit with Lisa Strong, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), to your school on 9 December, 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 Cheam High 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 Cheam High 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 Cheam High School

During the visit, we spoke to you, members of your senior leadership team and a range of middle leaders. 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:

 No year group ‘bubbles‘ were self-isolating at the time of the visit. Since September 2020, a small number of pupils have needed to work from home while isolating.  Pupils are studying the usual range of subjects offered by the school. Some pupils have reduced access to specialist rooms, such as for science practical lessons. Leaders intend to return to the school’s usual access to these practical facilities in January 2021.  In September 2020, teachers assessed pupils’ new starting points in a range of subjects. Leaders in English and mathematics introduced new assessments for Year 7 pupils. The number of Year 7 and 8 pupils accessing literacy interventions was also increased, and the school is employing an extra literacy coordinator.  Pupils in Year 10 and 11 are accessing subject-specific intervention support earlier than normal. In English, interventions are being provided in Years 9 and 10, as well as for Year 11 pupils. Teachers are giving Year 10 pupils more

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From this visit, inspectors noted that:

support than usual with their extended writing. In design and technology, pupils will now complete their examined unit at the end of Year 11 rather than at the end of Year 10.  Year 12 and 13 students are completing all their exam subjects. Year 13 mathematics students are participating in small group catch-up classes during their free periods.  Digital access to remote education is provided for all pupils who are self- isolating at home. Teachers upload work for individual pupils. Students have access to all their timetabled lessons except for personal, social and health education. Pupils who are sent home in bubbles have live lessons and follow their normal school timetable.

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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, chair of the board of trustees, and the chief executive officer of the Cheam Academies Network multi- academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Sutton. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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