Setting

Laura Martin Acting Headteacher Francis Askew Primary School North Road Hull HU4 6LQ

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Francis Askew Primary School

Following my remote inspection with Mark Phillips, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 4 March 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 Francis Askew 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 Francis Askew 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 Francis Askew 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 June 2019.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Francis Askew 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 Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 ensure that all subject leaders establish clear curriculum plans, which support teachers to develop pupils’ understanding of essential knowledge and ideas.

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Context

 The previous headteacher left at the end of the autumn term 2020. Currently, the deputy headteacher is acting headteacher. The executive primary lead from the multi-academy trust is providing additional leadership support until substantive leadership is appointed.

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Context

 During the autumn term 2020, a quarter of pupils had to work at home due to COVID-19. Following advice from Public Health England, the whole school closed for eight days at the end of October 2020. This was because there was a local outbreak of COVID-19. No year groups were affected more than others.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, two fifths of pupils were being educated on site. Around two thirds of vulnerable pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are attending school on site. Nearly all pupils with education, health and care plans are in school every day.

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Main findings

 Leaders’ actions mean that all pupils are continuing to receive an education during this national lockdown. Pupils learning from home take part in lessons delivered by their teacher via an online portal. These lessons include English, mathematics and another area of the curriculum each day. Children in the Nursery, Reception and Year 1 classes also receive daily phonics sessions and story time. Those learning in school are taught the same curriculum as pupils learning from home.

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Main findings

 Reading has been the focus of leaders’ improvement work since September 2020. This focus has continued throughout the current national lockdown. In September 2020, a well-structured approach to phonics was put in place, complemented by fully decodable reading books. Beginning in the early years, teachers now have step-by-step guidance on how to develop pupils’ reading. Pupils have benefited from these changes. For example, pupils are now able to practise reading with books that match the sounds they know. Leaders are rightly pleased with the way they are developing ambitious goals for pupils’ reading. Leaders now need to replicate this ambition across all curriculum subjects.

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Main findings

 Prior to the pandemic, leaders decided on overarching objectives for pupils’ progression in each subject. These objectives provide a broad framework for the concepts pupils should study. Despite the pandemic, leaders have moved on to the next stage of curriculum development in some subjects. For instance, in mathematics and personal, social, health and economic education, leaders have designed detailed sequences of learning linked to their goals for these subjects. This work has not started in art and geography. In these subjects, leaders need to develop curriculum planning further.

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Main findings

 All subjects are currently being taught, albeit with some changes to support the provision of remote education. For example, in physical education, subject content involving competitive games will be taught when the school reopens to all pupils. Leaders have looked ahead to identify key learning that pupils need to cover or revisit before new concepts are introduced. For instance, in science, Year 5 pupils will recap their learning on ‘materials’ before moving on to ‘states of matter’.

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Main findings

 A high proportion of vulnerable pupils attend on site and benefit from personalised programmes of support. For example, staff with expertise in promoting well-being provide extra help to selected pupils. This in turn supports these pupils with their learning. Where vulnerable pupils do not attend in person, leaders seek to remove potential barriers to learning. For instance, they support parents with technology and provide pupils who need it with one-to-one support.

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Main findings

 Leaders have prioritised support for pupils with SEND. A high proportion of these pupils are attending on site. The school nurse and speech and language therapist are providing therapeutic provision as normal. Where pupils with SEND are working from home, the special educational needs coordinator checks that the work set is adjusted to meet pupils’ needs. Staff make sure that pupils understand tasks and the right resources are available at home.

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Main findings

 Governors challenge leaders over the education they are providing to pupils. They ask questions in meetings and look at pupils’ work. They check that the most vulnerable and pupils with SEND are receiving appropriate support, particularly in the current circumstances. The governing body has introduced ‘link governors’ who work closely with some subject leaders to check the development of their subject. However, in some subjects, such as geography and art, this work is at an early stage. Governors need to hold subject leaders to account regarding their work to develop and improve curriculum planning in these subjects.

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Main findings

 Leaders receive most of their support from the multi-academy trust. The executive headteacher supports the new leadership and curriculum development. Subject experts meet regularly with leaders to share effective practice. This has helped subject leaders to establish broad objectives for the knowledge pupils should learn. However, some subject leaders need further support with their work to develop curriculum planning.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We spoke to you, the executive primary lead from the trust, other senior leaders, staff, governors and the chief executive officer of the trust to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown.

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Evidence

We listened to pupils read. We looked at the school’s online learning platforms and curriculum documents and reviewed pupils’ work. We looked at responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including 14 free-text responses and 45 staff questionnaires.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the chief executive officer of The Constellation Trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Kingston Upon Hull City Council. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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