An Ofsted additional remote monitoring inspection in February 2021 has confirmed that Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action to provide education in the current circumstances.
The remote inspection was carried out on 24th February 2021 by HMIs Janet Pearce and Aimee Floyd who made the overall judgement that “Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action to provide education in the current circumstances.”
In the context of the Coronavirus pandemic, they also stated that “Leaders and governors were well-prepared for the partial school closure in January 2021” and that “pupils have benefitted from a relatively smooth continuation of their education.”
Governors receive praise in the report for their knowledge of the school’s priorities, their communication with leaders, the searching questions they have asked about remote education and their close monitoring of the school’s provision throughout the pandemic.
Support for students in Year 11 and Year 13 in particular was praised by the inspectors who commented that “Staff have kept these pupils on track through maintaining study and assessment routines, nurturing their mental health and focusing on career plans.”
In terms of the ongoing improvements being made at Medina College, the inspectors noted that “Senior and faculty leaders have made a positive start to developing a broader and more ambitious curriculum. Leaders have continued to review their plans, while responding swiftly to what assessment of pupils is telling them. Leaders and teachers are now at a stage of thinking more deeply about what they teach, when they teach it and how to ensure that pupils learn and remember more.”
It was noted during the inspection that the pandemic has caused Leaders’ plans to raise the profile of reading to slow. Leaders and the inspectors were in mutual agreement that, with the return to face-to-face learning, promoting reading and improving literacy should remain the school’s priority.
Executive Headteacher and Head of School for Medina College, Matthew Parr-Burman, said “I am pleased that the remote monitoring inspection acknowledges the hard work of staff and governors in continuing to provide education throughout the coronavirus pandemic and that our strengths were recognised.
We are delighted that students have now been able to return to school for face-to-face learning. We are already in the process of implementing our plans to promote reading and look forward to sharing more information with parents about our library staffing and provision and the actions we are taking to encourage reading and provide targeted support where necessary.”
