On 14 November 2020, Ofsted conducted a remote visit to Gulworthy Primary School, led by Her Majesty’s Inspector Lydia Pride, alongside Tracey Reynolds. This visit was part of Ofsted's initiative to assess how schools are managing the return to full education following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 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 students' work. Instead, it focused on discussions with the headteacher and senior staff to understand the school's current situation and actions taken since the full reopening of schools in September 2020.
During the visit, the inspectors noted that a small number of pupils were still working from home. However, the majority of students were engaged in their usual curriculum subjects. The headteacher, Melody Sterry, explained that some adaptations had been made to the curriculum, particularly in music and physical education, to better suit the current circumstances. Teachers had conducted assessments in reading, identifying students who needed additional support in phonics and comprehension skills. For those requiring extra help, targeted interventions were arranged to ensure they could catch up effectively.
In mathematics, assessments revealed that students' reasoning skills were not as developed as expected. To address this, teachers implemented whole-class teaching strategies and provided additional weekly lessons for Year 6 pupils who had specific gaps in their knowledge. Furthermore, it was noted that Year 5 students had missed a crucial unit on electricity during the previous term, prompting the school to prioritize this topic in the current curriculum to ensure students acquire the necessary knowledge for future learning.
The school has also reviewed its remote education arrangements based on experiences from the term. Teachers prepared printed materials for students to take home, complemented by online instruction and feedback through a virtual classroom. Guidance was provided to both students and parents to facilitate access to these resources.
The visit aimed to gather insights that would contribute to Ofsted's national reporting, which would inform the government and the education sector about the challenges and successes schools are facing during this unprecedented time. The inspectors did not identify any significant concerns during their discussions, indicating that the school was managing the situation effectively.
The letter concluded by thanking the headteacher and staff for their contributions to this important national work, emphasizing that their experiences would help shape future educational policies. The findings from this visit will be shared with relevant stakeholders, including the chair of the governing body and the regional schools commissioner, and will be published on the Ofsted website for public access. Overall, the visit highlighted the proactive measures taken by Gulworthy Primary School to support its pupils during a challenging period, ensuring that educational standards are maintained and that students receive the necessary support to thrive academically.
