Setting

Carmella Reece Headteacher St Peter’s Church of England Aided Junior School Church Avenue Farnborough Hampshire GU14 7AP

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Aided Junior School

Following my remote inspection with Alice Roberts, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 3 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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Aided Junior 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 Junior School

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 Junior 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 April 2019.

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Aided Junior School

Having considered all the evidence and taking into account the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) 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 staff have the knowledge and skills required to provide pupils with effective, targeted reading support.

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Context

 Since the last section 5 inspection, you have joined the school as headteacher. There have also been 12 other staff members and 5 governors who have left the school. All staff have been replaced and there is currently only one governor vacancy.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, almost half of all pupils were being educated remotely. Approximately 85% of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those identified as vulnerable were being educated on site.

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Main findings

 Leaders have worked quickly and efficiently throughout the pandemic to ensure that pupils could be educated remotely. In line with their school ethos of ‘life in all its fullness’, they have strived to ensure that the full curriculum has been provided for pupils throughout the lockdowns. Leaders were also proactive in making sure that pupils had access to appropriate digital devices on which to learn at home.

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Main findings

 Leaders have been thoughtful and reflective about how they can adapt the curriculum effectively for remote education. Teachers have creatively adapted activities and use a wide variety of digital resources very well. They have carefully planned interesting activities, for example, virtual tours of places of interest and interviews with visitors. As a result, pupils are highly engaged in their remote learning and parents appreciate the hard work of staff.

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Main findings

 Leaders’ work to develop the curriculum picked up pace when you joined the school as headteacher in February 2020. This development work has continued throughout the pandemic. Since the start of the summer term 2020, leaders have been working on ensuring the curriculum is well sequenced. This has progressed well, but there is still work to be completed to ensure all subjects are coherently planned so that pupils build their knowledge successfully. Leaders have continued to develop staff knowledge through remote training and meetings during the pandemic.

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Main findings

 Leaders have ensured that the vast majority of pupils identified as vulnerable are in school as they believe this is best. Pupils attending school are taught in year-group ‘bubbles’ and are supported by teaching assistants in the classroom. While targeted phonics sessions for younger pupils stopped during the lockdowns, staff are rightly prioritising hearing pupils read. Staff also deliver daily reading sessions, using the school’s own programme, which focus on speaking skills. Struggling readers, both at school and at home, benefit from additional one-to-one reading sessions. However, only a small number of staff are appropriately trained to teach early reading effectively.

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Main findings

 Leaders know how important it is that pupils with SEND receive effective support to help them learn. Most pupils with SEND are attending school and enjoying learning in smaller classes with additional support. For those pupils with SEND learning at home, staff communicate with families to ensure that they have the right resources to support their children fully.

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Main findings

 Governors are well informed about recent improvements in curriculum developments and about current adaptations for remote learning. They are rightly proud of the growing sense of community in the school that has resulted from leaders’ actions during the pandemic. Governors have made excellent use of the virtual additional training opportunities available to them during this time, increasing their knowledge and skill set. As a result, they are confident in being able to support and challenge leaders regarding the improvements that still need to be made in the school.

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Main findings

 Support from the local authority has continued throughout the pandemic. In particular, subject leaders continue to benefit from this support in improving the quality of education in the school. Leaders’ close work with leaders from another school has led to visible improvements in pupils’ work in English.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We spoke to you, other leaders, pupils, 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.

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Evidence

We also looked at examples of pupils’ work online. We looked at responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 63 free-text responses, and 14 staff questionnaires.

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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 Guildford, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Hampshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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