Setting

Claire Simon Headteacher Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School Parr Lane Bury Lancashire BL9 8JT

p.1

Primary School

Following my remote inspection with Julie Barlow, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 18 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.

p.1

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.

p.1

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.

p.1

Primary School

The inspection took place because the school has received a judgement of requires improvement at its previous section 5 inspection. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in March 2018.

p.1

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:

p.1

Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to provide education in the current circumstances. Ofsted

p.1

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:

p.1

Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 ensure that leaders identify curriculum content that pupils may have missed or forgotten due to the pandemic and that teachers use the findings to adapt the curriculum as necessary.

p.2

Context

 Since the previous inspection, governors have appointed a new early years teacher, a new key stage 1 teacher and a new key stage 2 teacher. Three new governors have been appointed to the governing body.

p.2

Context

 When the school was closed to most pupils at the start of the spring term, approximately two thirds of all pupils were being educated at home. Almost all vulnerable pupils were being educated on site. All pupils with education, health and care plans were also attending school.

p.2

Context

 At the time of this inspection, almost all pupils were attending on site.

p.2

Main findings

 At the start of the third national lockdown, you ensured that pupils continued to learn their usual curriculum, including those working remotely. Teachers made regular checks to make sure that pupils were keeping up. Staff worked closely with families to identify which pupils would most benefit from being educated in school. These arrangements ensured that pupils made a smooth transition when the school opened fully in March 2021.

p.2

Main findings

 Before the pandemic, you improved the curriculum. Across all subjects, subject leaders have developed plans which identify the important knowledge that they intend pupils to learn. The plans reflect how pupils will build on their learning across year groups. Through recent training, subject leaders are becoming more effective in monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of these improvements.

p.2

Main findings

 You and staff have improved the checks that you make on pupils’ learning. The assessment systems that leaders have developed are beginning to help teachers identify the essential knowledge that pupils have remembered. Leaders intend to undertake further detailed checks on pupils’ learning this term. This is to enable teachers to adapt the curriculum once they know precisely what pupils have missed or forgotten in their learning due to the pandemic.

p.2

Main findings

 Teachers made some necessary changes to the curriculum plans when most pupils were working remotely. You decided that practical lessons in science and design technology would be better taught when all pupils returned to school. You are aware that pupils may have missed or forgotten other learning since the start of the pandemic. Subject leaders are in the process of adapting curriculum plans to ensure that pupils can recap on prior learning and cover any missed subject content.

p.2

Main findings

 You keep the development of pupils’ reading skills at the heart of the curriculum. Skilled reading lead teachers have taken a range of effective steps to ensure that pupils read a variety of quality texts. Pupils benefit from their daily phonics lessons. Through regular reading with adults, early readers secure their phonics knowledge. Teachers carefully match reading books to pupils’ ability. Staff make precise checks to see how well pupils are learning. They are quick to put in place extra and regular support where needed. This range of support helps pupils to develop their fluency and love of reading.

p.3

Main findings

 The small proportion of pupils that are currently working remotely follow their usual timetable. They access online lessons. Teachers share useful resources such as video clips and paper resources to support pupils with their learning. Staff give helpful one-to-one support for pupils where needed. You intend for these arrangements to continue should pupils need to work remotely in the future.

p.3

Main findings

 You place a high priority on supporting vulnerable pupils. These pupils receive academic support and a range of help for their well-being. For example, you have commissioned the support of a ‘mindfulness’ specialist who is helping pupils develop their resilience.

p.3

Main findings

 The experienced special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has kept a careful check on the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She provides regular training for staff so that they develop their knowledge and expertise in supporting pupils with SEND. Teachers make careful adaptions to the curriculum plans to ensure that pupils are able to access the full curriculum. Pupils with SEND benefit both academically and emotionally from the support that teachers give them.

p.3

Main findings

 Governors work closely with you. They have a clear understanding of the steps that you and other senior leaders have taken to improve the curriculum. Governors provide the right balance of challenge and support to you. They ensure that you and other leaders consider staff well-being when making decisions about change at the school. Governors make careful checks on the provision for vulnerable pupils to make sure that these pupils receive the support that they need.

p.3

Main findings

 You and other leaders have benefited from a range of support from the local authority and from national leaders of education. This support has enhanced the confidence and expertise of subject leaders. It is enabling them to identify how well pupils are learning in different subjects.

p.3

Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We spoke to you, the deputy headteacher, pupils, and subject leaders for reading, mathematics, history and science. We also spoke with the SENCo and safeguarding leads. We met with four representatives of those responsible for governance, a representative of the local authority, and one of the national leaders of education working with subject leaders. These meetings were to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown.

p.4

Evidence

We also observed pupils when they read with an adult. We checked the curriculum plans and samples of pupils’ work. We looked at plans for pupils with SEND. We considered 71 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 65 free-text responses. We looked at 18 staff questionnaires.

p.4

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

p.4