Harrow Way school recently hosted Ofsted who was gaining insight into the impact the extended schools’ closure has had on students across England. The fact-finding visit will feed into a national report for the government and the education sector with Harrow Way’s views and experiences helping to inform future policy.
Harrow Way was one of approximately 1200 school across all Ofsted grades selected for the visit. Although not an official inspection, the inspectors provided the school with some positive feedback acknowledging their swift return to full teaching.
Commenting on the visit Headteacher Michael Serridge said: “Establishing how schools across England have bounced back from the extended closure is an important piece of work being conducted by Ofsted. We, like Ofsted, want to see students fully caught up with their studies and a full curriculum being taught. We were very pleased to be able to contribute to this important national work and that the measures we have introduced to ensure our students experience a full and meaningful education have been noted by the inspectors.”
With regard to their specific observations on how Harrow Way was helping students catch up, the inspectors commented: “In all subjects, teachers have checked what pupils remember. Teachers are supporting pupils both individually and as class groups to catch up with any learning they have missed. Year 7 pupils are getting extra help with their reading.”
The delivery of a full curriculum was also explored with the inspectors noting: “Pupils are studying the range of subjects they normally would and the vast majority of Year 11 pupils are continuing to study all of their planned examination courses.”
Harrow Way has also introduced effective measures to ensure they can deliver a full curriculum remotely with the inspectors commenting: “Pupils who are off school are supplied with remote education which mirrors what is being taught in school. Leaders have combined publicly available resources with material which the school’s teachers have produced. Plans are in place to deliver the full curriculum remotely if, in the future, the school is fully or partially closed because of COVID-19.”