Setting

Lee Ferriday Consultant headteacher Queenswood Primary School and Nursery Yates Way Telford Shropshire TF2 0AZ

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and Nursery

Following my remote inspection 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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and Nursery

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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and Nursery

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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and Nursery

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 January 2020.

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and Nursery

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

 identify and sequence the small building blocks of knowledge that pupils need to achieve the high-level outcomes set out in curriculum plans

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 continue to improve the knowledge and skills of subject leaders, to support with curriculum planning and implementation

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 adapt the phonics curriculum so that all pupils, including the weakest readers, catch up quickly when the school reopens fully.

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Context

 Since the previous inspection, one teacher has left the school and one teacher has joined. A family support worker has been appointed. There are two new governors.

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Context

 During the autumn term 2020, approximately one third of pupils experienced at least one period of remote education because of COVID-19.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, the school was only open to vulnerable pupils and the children of key workers. Approximately one quarter of pupils were being educated on site. Three quarters of pupils were learning remotely. Approximately three quarters of vulnerable pupils and one third of pupils with education, health and care plans were attending school.

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Main findings

 You are ensuring that all pupils can receive education in the current circumstances. Before January 2021, the school’s online learning platform was well established. This stood you in good stead to move to online learning. Where necessary, you have provided pupils with laptops so that they can take part in lessons at home. As a result, most pupils are engaging in education.

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Main findings

 Since March 2020, you have focused on refining your approach to remote education. Teachers have adapted the curriculum so that pupils can continue to learn at school and at home. In most subjects, pupils working remotely study the same content as pupils in school. Occasionally, teachers have changed the order of topics. In some practical subjects, pupils at school learn different things from those learning at home, for example physical education. In the early years, parents choose the activities their children complete. As a result, there is some missed teaching to make up when all pupils return to school.

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Main findings

 Pupils working remotely access lessons through online presentations and recorded videos. There is a suitable variety of activities. Staff are on hand if pupils need help. They respond to pupils’ messages swiftly, meaning that pupils can get on with their work. Pupils attending school continue to receive direct teaching. There has been minimal disruption to their learning. Pupils receive effective support for their social and emotional well-being. Pupils and parents value ‘Well-being Wednesday’ and the virtual class ‘get togethers’.

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Main findings

 The special educational needs coordinator works closely with teachers to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the support they need. Teachers adapt their planning so that pupils with SEND receive work that is right for them. Teachers have given pupils resources to help them learn at home, for example, ear defenders and mathematics equipment.

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Main findings

 You have continued to improve the teaching of reading. Staff have received training to develop their skills. They know the sounds to teach, and the order in which to teach them. Teachers make regular checks on the sounds that pupils know. They group pupils so that teaching matches their needs. This approach has continued during the period when schools were only open to some children due to COVID-19. In addition, teachers still expect pupils to read at home. Pupils in school read aloud regularly. Books match the sounds pupils know. Despite this, too many pupils are not keeping pace with the phonics curriculum. The weakest readers are at risk of falling further behind. This is because extra support in school has reduced. It has stopped for pupils working at home.

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Main findings

 Curriculum plans set out the high-level outcomes you want pupils to achieve by the end of Years 2, 4 and 6. These are suitably ambitious and align with the national curriculum. However, subject leaders do not provide teachers with enough guidance about curriculum content. In the early years, curriculum plans focus on the activities that children will complete rather than on the content they will learn. In key stages 1 and 2, plans do not break down high-level outcomes into the smaller chunks of knowledge that pupils need to learn. This hampers pupils’ ability to build a secure knowledge of important concepts over time.

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Main findings

 Governors are knowledgeable about the education pupils are receiving. They have made their own checks on remote learning, including speaking with teachers. Governors understand the progress the school is making. This is because you provide regular updates on your and other leaders’ actions. Governors also attend monitoring meetings led by the local authority.

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Main findings

 The local authority and teaching school alliance provide the school with a coherent package of support. Their actions focus on the right things. Your secondment as consultant headteacher is providing leadership stability. The local authority meets regularly with you and other leaders to check on the school’s progress. Support from the teaching school alliance has rightly prioritised reading and remote education. COVID-19 has disrupted work on curriculum development. Nonetheless, plans are in place to continue with this once the school reopens fully.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. I spoke to you, the deputy headteacher, the early years leader, the reading leader, the special educational needs coordinator and teachers to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown. I held discussions with the chair and vice chair of the governing body and one governor. I met with a representative of the local authority and an adviser from the Severn Teaching School Alliance.

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Evidence

I also spoke with a group of pupils and listened to a small number of pupils read to a familiar adult. I examined some of the school’s curriculum plans and reviewed some examples of remote education. I looked at responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including the 10 free-text responses. I reviewed the 16 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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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 Telford and Wrekin local authority. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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