Setting

Dianne Holcroft Executive Headteacher Wargrave CofE Primary School Bradlegh Road Newton-le-Willows Merseyside WA12 8QL

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Wargrave CofE Primary School

Following my remote inspection with Mark Quinn, Her Majesty's Inspector (HMI), of your school on 3 and 4 February 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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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Wargrave CofE 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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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Wargrave CofE 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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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Wargrave CofE Primary School

The inspection took place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous section 5 inspections. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in December 2017.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Wargrave CofE 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

 A new chair and vice-chair of the governing body have been appointed since the school was last inspected in December 2017. An assistant headteacher has left and the deputy headteacher has returned from a secondment. Two senior leaders now work across this school and its partner school.

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Context

 In the autumn term of 2020, just over half of the pupils had a period of remote education. Pupils in Years 2 and 4 had to self-isolate at home on two separate occasions.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, approximately two thirds of the pupils were being educated at home. Nearly all vulnerable pupils were in school. Almost half of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) were also on site.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, one fifth of the staff were absent due to COVID-19. The school has sufficient staff for leaders to be able to manage this situation.

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Main findings

 Before March 2020, leaders had started to revise the curriculum so that plans in each subject included the knowledge pupils would learn and when they would learn it. Over recent months, leaders have prioritised adapting the curriculum so that pupils can learn either when in school or remotely. Leaders have worked closely with parents and carers to improve how remote education is delivered. For example, making it easier for pupils to upload their work. The steps that leaders have taken mean that all pupils are being provided with an appropriate education in the current circumstances.

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Main findings

 Since the school’s last inspection, curriculum leaders have brought about improvements to their subjects. For example, the mathematics leader has introduced refinements to the curriculum. These include a sharper focus on mathematical vocabulary. The mathematics curriculum has been appropriately adapted for remote learning. The order in which some mathematical content is taught has been adjusted so that pupils continue to learn what they need in a logical order. As a result, pupils learn well.

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Main findings

 The early years leader has introduced several new strategies effectively to give children a solid start in writing. These include linking writing to high- quality texts to spark children's interest. Due to these actions, children are becoming stronger writers. Leaders have also introduced a new approach in teaching older pupils to write well. This approach focuses on those aspects of writing most affected during the last national lockdown. Consequently, pupils are regaining their ability to structure sentences and to write at length.  In other subjects, such as art, geography, history and religious education, leaders have also adapted their curriculums so that pupils can build learning steadily. The content delivered in class is the same as that delivered online at home. Paper-based resources are provided to those pupils who need them. Pupils are given written feedback on their work. Feedback is also given orally

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Main findings

during live lessons. This helps pupils to understand what they need to do next in their learning.

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Main findings

 Teaching all pupils, including vulnerable pupils, to become fluent readers with a love of books is a priority. Live daily phonics lessons ensure that pupils who are learning at home keep up. These lessons also support parents in helping their children to say the sounds that they are learning correctly. Pupils have access to online books to help foster their love of reading. For younger pupils, these books match the sounds that they are learning.

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Main findings

 Leaders have ensured that all staff have the training and support they need to help pupils with SEND. Teachers have a secure grasp of how to adapt what they are teaching to meet the range of pupils’ needs, whether they are learning at home or in school. Pupils with SEND have access to a wide range of subjects and are able to learn at their own pace.

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Main findings

 Governors have a clear understanding of the actions that school leaders have taken to provide an education in the current circumstances. The executive headteacher keeps governors well informed through regular meetings. As a result, governors know what the school does well and what it needs to do to improve further. Governors are knowledgeable about provision for vulnerable pupils and pupils with SEND. They support leaders in prioritising the needs of these pupils.

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Main findings

 The local authority has provided a range of support, such as technical advice on delivering remote education online. The diocese provides regular pastoral support for staff through, for example, weekly prayer meetings. This support has enabled school leaders to do all they can to be effective in providing continuing education in the current circumstances.

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Main findings

 The school benefits from its partnership with another school which is also led by the executive headteacher. There have been many improvements in curriculum planning and the early years, to which this partnership makes a significant contribution.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We held meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school, other senior and middle leaders, representatives from the local authority and diocese, governors, pupils, staff and parents to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils at the present time. We also considered 58 responses from parents to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. We looked at a wide range of documentation, including curriculum plans, minutes from meetings of the governing body and a sample of pupils’ work. We also heard pupils from Year 1 and Year 2 read and viewed pre-recorded lessons.

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Evidence

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

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