Ofsted conducted a remote visit to Low Furness CofE Primary School on November 19, 2020, as part of their efforts to understand how schools are managing the return to full education following the COVID-19 pandemic. The visit was led by Her Majesty's Inspector, John Donald, and aimed to gather insights into the school's operations since the full reopening mandated by the government in September 2020. The visit was not an inspection and did not involve graded judgments or the usual range of inspection activities, such as classroom observations or reviewing pupils' work.
During the visit, discussions were held with the headteacher, Sue Little, and the senior teacher, focusing on the school's response to the challenges posed by the pandemic. The context of the visit was significant, as it was part of a broader initiative by Ofsted to assess how schools across England were adapting to the new educational landscape. Approximately 1,200 schools were included in this sample, representing a diverse range of educational settings.
The findings from the visit indicated that the school had successfully managed to keep most pupils engaged in their studies. It was noted that one in five pupils had worked from home for short periods since the start of the term, but all pupils were studying their usual subjects. The school was making adjustments to the curriculum to address gaps in knowledge identified by teachers, with plans to return to the standard curriculum by the spring term of 2021.
The headteacher reported that assessments were focused on what pupils could remember in key areas such as reading, writing, and mathematics. This approach was intended to establish new starting points for pupils in these subjects. Support mechanisms were in place for those needing to catch up, and teachers were using everyday lessons to assess pupils' retention of knowledge from before the pandemic. In subjects like geography, pupils demonstrated good recall of prior learning, while in others, such as French, additional practice was necessary.
Particular attention was given to reading, where Year 1 pupils were found to have significant gaps in their learning. To address this, the school implemented extra phonics teaching sessions each week. In mathematics, it was observed that pupils had forgotten certain calculation methods, such as division, but were improving through additional practice.
In the early years, the impact of COVID-19 was noted to have limited children's understanding of the wider world. Teachers adapted the curriculum to enhance children's knowledge in this area. The school also provided resources and activities for parents to support their children's learning at home, prioritizing mathematics, English, and at least one other subject each day.
The visit concluded with a positive assessment of the school's efforts to navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic. The insights gained from this visit would contribute to Ofsted's national reporting, helping to inform future educational policy. The letter summarizing the visit was shared with various stakeholders, including the chair of the governing body and the director of education for the Diocese of Carlisle, and it was intended to be published on the Ofsted website. Overall, the visit highlighted the school's commitment to maintaining educational standards and supporting pupils during a difficult period.
