Setting

Rebecca Lennon Headteacher Brighstone Church of England Aided Primary School New Road Newport Isle of Wight PO30 4BB

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Aided Primary School

Following my remote inspection with Dan Lambert, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 10 and 11 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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Aided 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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Aided 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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Aided Primary School

The inspection took place because the school was judged to require improvement at its previous section 5 inspection. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in April 2018.

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Aided 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 last inspection, there have been several changes in leadership and governance. A new headteacher, a special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and a designated safeguarding leader have been appointed. A new chair of governors took up the role in January 2021. Four new governors have also joined the governing body.

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Context

 During the autumn term 2020, two fifths of pupils experienced periods of remote education because of COVID-19. This included one period of self- isolation for all pupils in early years and key stage 1.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, just under three quarters of pupils were learning remotely. Four fifths of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and four fifths of vulnerable pupils were attending school on site.

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Main findings

 Leaders and governors are ensuring that all pupils are receiving an education in the current circumstances. Pupils who are working at home access the same work as those in school and continue to study all national curriculum subjects. Leaders have made sure that all pupils who need technology to help them learn at home have the resources they need.

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Main findings

 When schools closed on 23 March 2020, leaders were in the process of reviewing planning in the foundation subjects. Since the start of the academic year, leaders have continued working with teachers to organise planning in history, geography, music and art. This is helping staff to teach content in a logical and coherent way. Currently, teachers have changed the order of some activities in subjects such as music and science. Pupils will be taught the aspects that require them to use specialist equipment when they return to school.

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Main findings

 Leaders continually check that all pupils learn a carefully sequenced curriculum in mathematics and English. Teachers monitor pupils’ understanding before moving on to more difficult concepts. Teachers routinely check how well pupils learn and remember important knowledge in English and mathematics. However, leaders’ plans to improve assessment in the foundation subjects are further behind.

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Main findings

 Leaders are committed to doing all they can do to support the most vulnerable pupils. Vulnerable pupils and children of key workers who attend school on site initially access tasks online. They also have face-to-face teaching, with staff on hand to provide extra support when needed. Relationships between staff, pupils and their families have continued to flourish during this period of lockdown.  The teaching of phonics remains a high priority for the school. Teachers have continued to teach the well-structured and sequenced phonics programme. They give pupils and their parents carefully chosen resources to assist them with early reading when working remotely. Staff continually check how well pupils learn phonics knowledge. They use this information to provide support for those who need to catch up. All pupils can access reading books online that are well matched to their reading ability. Those who prefer paper copies

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Main findings

can collect books from school. Every week, staff listen to pupils in Reception and key stage 1 read. This happens on a daily basis for those pupils in school and several times a week for those working at home.

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Main findings

 Most pupils with SEND attend school. For those pupils working at home, the SENCo provides ‘learning packs’ which include personalised timetables, resources and bespoke tasks. Teachers adapt lessons and provide individual support to meet the needs of these pupils in order to help them continue to learn in all subjects. Leaders carefully monitor provision to ensure that, where required, pupils with SEND continue to access specialist services. This includes virtual access to a range of appropriate therapies.

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Main findings

 Governors hold leaders to account more effectively because of the useful training they have received. For example, they use remote technology to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of leaders’ actions in the current circumstances.

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Main findings

 Leaders have wisely drawn on the experience and expertise of Hampshire local authority advisers to improve the curriculum. This local authority plays a pivotal part in ensuring that the school continues to improve.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We held meetings with the headteacher, curriculum leaders, pupils, staff, the chair of the governing body and a governor, a representative from Hampshire local authority and the director of education for the Diocese of Portsmouth to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown.

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Evidence

We also listened to pupils read to a member of staff, looked at curriculum plans, lesson resources, pre-recorded lessons and pupils’ work. We took account of 20 responses by parents to Ofsted’s Parent View and 18 written responses, and 21 staff responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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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 the Isle of Wight. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely

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