Setting

Rachel Rice Headteacher Deanshanger Primary School The Green Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK19 6HJ

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Deanshanger Primary School

Following my remote inspection with Philip Garnham, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 2 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 Deanshanger 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 Deanshanger Primary 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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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Deanshanger 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 Deanshanger Primary 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

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Context

 Since the last inspection, one member of the senior leadership team has stepped down and a new senior leader has been appointed. You appointed a new special educational needs coordinator in December 2020. The governing body has a new chair and three new governors have been appointed.

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Context

 Throughout the autumn term 2020, very few pupils had to be educated remotely. You did not need to ask any whole classes to learn from home.

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Context

 About one quarter of pupils are currently being educated on site. One quarter of pupils with education, health and care plans are attending and about half of all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are learning at school.

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Context

 A very small number of staff remain absent due to COVID-19, though this is not posing a significant staffing issue for you at the moment.

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Main findings

 Following the previous inspection, you changed the content and organisation of the curriculum. You are continuing to put these changes into practice. This means that pupils are continuing to receive an education. You have developed further the expertise of and partnership between leaders of subjects. Teachers now understand, more clearly than they did previously, precisely what you intend pupils to learn.

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Main findings

 Pupils at home and at school are being taught all subjects. You are finding ways to overcome barriers posed by remote education. For example, parents can pick up equipment and materials for practical lessons from school. Teachers have a consistent and regular system for telling pupils who are learning at home how well they are doing.

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Main findings

 Teachers adapt remote education to meet the needs of more vulnerable pupils. When some of these pupils find it hard to take part in the live online lessons on offer, teachers think of alternative ways to make sure they receive an education. Some pupils receive work as printed packs. You know precisely who these pupils are and keep in touch with families to offer help and support.

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Main findings

 Pupils at home and at school continue to take part in reading lessons. You have continued to develop the reading curriculum and provide staff training on phonics, despite the current circumstances. Parents of children in the early years who are being educated at home can post videos of their children reading with them. This enables teachers to talk with parents about how they can further help their children with reading. Teachers use their checks on pupils’ phonics skills to make sure that books match pupils’ reading ability. You have provided electronic versions of the wide range of books available in school so that pupils can enjoy these books remotely.

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Main findings

 You are making sure that pupils with SEND continue to receive support from specialist professionals, which is helping to meet their needs. Teachers know how to adapt learning for pupils with specific needs such as autism spectrum disorder. This means that these pupils can continue to receive an education when they are learning remotely.

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Main findings

 Governors have continued to review their own work and follow this up with training. New governors feel welcome and well supported. Governors have found ways to continue to find out about the way you are teaching the curriculum. They continue to meet with you and offer challenge for how you are providing an education at the moment.

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Main findings

 Representatives from the local authority are supporting you to further develop leadership and the curriculum. You are also working with leaders in a local school from a multi-academy trust. This is helping you to develop the skills of leaders in your own school.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We spoke to you, other senior leaders, 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 spoke to staff responsible for leading the subjects of reading, mathematics and history, looking at curriculum plans and samples of pupils’ work. We also heard some pupils read. We discussed provision for pupils with SEND with those responsible and spoke to a representative of a local multi-academy trust you are currently working with. We looked at responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 65 free-text responses, and 33 staff questionnaires.

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

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