Setting

Craig Pickering-Mills Headteacher South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant School Carlton Road South Elmsall Wakefield West Yorkshire WF9 2QQ

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and Infant School

Following my remote inspection with Fiona Manuel, 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. 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. Following changes to government guidance and the imposition of COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions, this monitoring inspection was carried out

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and Infant School

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. The inspection took place because the school has received three successive judgements of requires improvement. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in February 2019. 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 in February 2019, you have restructured your leadership team and appointed an additional assistant headteacher and a key stage 2 leader. There have been several changes to staffing, including eight new appointments and an equivalent number leaving.

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Context

 Approximately a quarter of all pupils accessed education remotely for a period of time in the Autumn term 2020.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, a quarter of all pupils were attending school, with the remaining pupils accessing education remotely. More than three quarters of vulnerable pupils and just under a half of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) were attending school on site.

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Main findings

 You and your leadership team have ensured that pupils can access education throughout this period of national restrictions. This includes pupils who are working from home. You have provided devices and internet connections for pupils who needed these to be able to access education remotely.

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Main findings

 Pupils’ engagement with the school’s remote education offer is increasing. Staff check daily that pupils working from home have accessed remote education. Parents and carers who completed the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire during the inspection were overwhelmingly positive about the school’s curriculum and remote education offer.

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Main findings

 Over time, leaders have widened the school’s remote education offer. Pupils in school, and those working at home, can access the full range of subjects that are part of the school’s usual curriculum. You have changed some aspects of the way you are delivering the curriculum, due to your risk assessments. For example, in religious education, pupils are undertaking virtual visits to places of religious worship instead of on-site visits.

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Main findings

 Since March 2020, leaders have prioritised pupils’ welfare and safety. Because of the impact of COVID-19 restrictions, leaders’ work to develop the curriculum has been delayed. Leaders have detailed curriculum plans in place in some subjects, for example English, mathematics and science. These include carefully selected content which is well sequenced. However, this is not the case in some subjects, such as design and technology and languages. Leaders have correctly identified this as a priority for action.

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Main findings

 Pupils with SEND, including those who are accessing education remotely, are receiving the support they need. For example, pupils continue to receive input from speech and language therapists and educational psychologists where necessary. Pupils with SEND who are working remotely receive regular phone calls from staff to check if they need additional help with their work.  Leaders have prioritised reading. They have focused on developing pupils’ love of reading and early reading. Pupils attending school have daily phonics teaching. You have plans to extend the current remote phonics provision so that teachers provide ‘live’ phonics lessons for pupils working at home. Children in the early years who are working remotely do not have access to reading materials that match their phonics knowledge. Leaders recognise that this is an area which needs attention.

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Main findings

 Governors provide effective support and challenge to school leaders. They have introduced additional, informal, remote meetings to support leaders’ well-being. Governors are knowledgeable about the areas of the school’s work that need further improvement. They check on the impact of the school’s work, including the curriculum and remote education.

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Main findings

 The local authority has provided extensive support for school leaders and governors. Leaders have made effective use of the support, including phonics and curriculum training, to bring about improvements in these areas.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We held meetings with the headteacher and senior leadership team, subject leaders, teachers and support staff, governors and a local authority representative to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown.

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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 Wakefield. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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