Learning from Ofsted’s reading deep dive shared at St John Fisher
Thirteen head teachers and English subject leads from nine Bexley primary schools gathered on 29th January 2020 at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School to learn about its recent experience of Ofsted’s deep dive into reading. The visit was the fourth one arranged by the Education Performance and Achievement sub-group as part of its Skills Directory, the Strategic Education Partnership’s offering of school-to-school support.
Sarah Griffin, Head Teacher and Anna Bennett, English Subject Leader, led the visit, supported by Assistant Head Teachers Gadina Jackson and Laura Mclaughlin.
Delegates said that they found it useful to explore the extent to which English subject leaders need to be fully aware of intent, implementation and impact of the teaching of phonics and reading throughout the school. This includes knowledge of intervention plans for each individual year 2 child who did not pass the phonics-screening test in year 1 and details of all the ways in which the school promotes and celebrates a love of reading.
The morning consisted of an initial briefing, observations of phonics sessions in EYFS and KS1, observations of guided reading sessions in KS2 and a group discussion about what delegates had learnt to inform preparations in their own schools.
The Partnership is planning more visits this term and next.
