Setting

Gareth Howells Head of School Kingsbridge Community Primary School Belle Cross Road Kingsbridge Devon TQ7 1NL

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Primary School

Following my remote inspection with Sue Costello, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 27 and 28 January 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to provide education to all pupils during the current circumstances.

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Primary School

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 (2) of the Education Act 2005 (as amended) and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for visiting schools while routine inspections remain temporarily suspended. It was additional to the usual monitoring process for schools that are judged to require improvement.

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Primary School

Following changes to government guidance and the imposition of COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions, this monitoring inspection was carried out remotely. As such, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would normally be the case during an on-site inspection. As a result, this letter provides a more limited level of assurance than our usual monitoring reports.

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Primary School

The inspection took place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in July 2019.

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Primary School

Having considered all the evidence and taking into account the impact of COVID-19 on the school, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to provide education in the current circumstances. Ofsted

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

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

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Context

 Since the previous inspection, the governing body has appointed a new executive headteacher for the federation of schools. Two new governors have joined the federation’s governing body in recent months.

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Context

 There have been changes to the structure of the senior leadership team following the secondment of the deputy headteacher to another school in the federation. You have recruited seven teachers.

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Context

 During the autumn term 2020, you provided remote education for a small number of pupils. All ‘bubbles’, classes and year groups attended school and received uninterrupted face-to-face education.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, approximately one quarter of pupils were attending school. Just under half of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) were attending school.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, no staff were absent due to COVID-19.

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Main findings

 When schools partially closed on 5 January 2021, you acted promptly to put in place remote and on-site education for pupils. You use familiar systems to provide remote education. As a result, parents, staff and pupils were confident to begin at short notice. You made sure that pupils had the technology and/or resources to access remote education at home.

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Main findings

 You are clear that pupils, wherever they access their education, should receive the school’s normal curriculum as much as possible. You are determined that there is equity for all pupils. In some year groups, teachers have changed the order of the curriculum so that they can teach more complicated content when face-to-face lessons resume. In addition, curriculum content in some subjects, such as physical education, have been changed.

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Main findings

 As a minimum entitlement, all pupils receive daily activities in literacy, mathematics and one other subject. You are determined that those in the Reception Year and key stage 1 receive daily phonics lessons. You are now turning your attention to check on the quality of activities to ensure that they build on what pupils know, can do and understand.

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Main findings

 You keep a close eye on pupils’ participation in remote education. You have identified a very small number of pupils who are not engaging with their learning. You maintain frequent contact with these families. Teachers regularly check on the quality of pupils’ work and provide feedback to help them improve. If pupils are struggling with an activity, teachers arrange ‘live support’ to help get them back on track. In school, teachers and support staff provide face-to-face learning for vulnerable pupils and children of keyworkers. These pupils are taught the same curriculum content as pupils working remotely.

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Main findings

 You lead a thoughtful and enthusiastic team. They are clear about your expectations and work well with one another to bring your ideas to fruition. Teachers feel trusted to improve remote and on-site education. Teachers value parents’ contributions to pupils’ learning and understand the need to make education as accessible as possible at this time.

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Main findings

 At the beginning of the academic year, you changed the school’s approach to phonics. You immediately checked all pupils’ understanding to identify any gaps in their knowledge. This helped you to identify the pupils who needed help. Pupils, in school and at home, receive activities that match their knowledge and skills. There is extra support for pupils who need it. Teachers provide phonetically decodable books for pupils to read, so they can practise their reading.

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Main findings

 There is a consistent approach to teaching mathematics across the school. In some classes, teachers are adapting plans to further motivate pupils who receive education remotely. However, some activities are not as closely linked to what teachers intend pupils to learn.

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Main findings

 The school is well supported at this time. The local authority has provided support for remote education. You have accepted this support. As a result, you are confident about the quality of the school’s offer of remote education.

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Main findings

 The governing body has a strong understanding of the school and its current priorities. They share your aims and high expectations. Governors and the executive headteacher are aware of the challenges of providing education at this time and are well placed to provide support and challenge.

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Main findings

 Approximately half of pupils with SEND access remote education. Pupils with SEND who are on-site benefit from access to adults, support and interventions. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) checks on how well pupils with SEND make progress when working remotely. The SENCo makes regular contact with families, and, where it is needed, provides extra help.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We held meetings with the head of school, the executive headteacher, other senior leaders, teaching staff, representatives of those responsible for governance and a representative of the local authority to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown. We considered information about the school’s remote education offer on the school website. Leaders presented examples of remote education that they provide for pupils. We also considered the findings from a recent local authority review of the school’s support for pupils with SEND.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Devon. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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