Ilford pupils forgetting 'basic facts' despite home learning

Despite “systems in place to deliver remote education”, Ofsted heard some children at Downshall Primary School in Seven Kings had forgotten things they learned before the pandemic.

Ofsted carried out a routine visit at the school, which it currently rates as “good”, on December 9 last year to speak to teachers and other staff.

Inspectors were told around 100 pupils have had to learn from home at some point since the start of last year’s autumn term and that teachers had noticed the effect and were trying to counteract it.

Downshall Primary School has almost 650 students

In a letter to the head teacher, Ofsted inspector Phil Garnham wrote: “Teachers have identified that younger pupils have not remembered some of the sounds and letters that they knew before March 2020.

“Older pupils have forgotten some of their reading comprehension skills. Teachers have also noticed that pupils are not as well equipped to write for sustained periods of time.

“Checks in mathematics have shown that pupils have forgotten some basic facts, such as times tables.

"Teachers are providing extra support to help pupils remember their previous learning.”

Read more: Redbridge primary schools have unused spaces as families leave borough

Ofsted notes the school offers both online resources and weekly learning packs for children without internet access at home and has prioritised English, maths, Personal, Social, Health and Economic education and physical fitness.

Children are asked to do daily reading, writing and maths tasks, “as well as activities that encompass all subjects of the wider curriculum”.

The school told Ofsted it was “hopeful” it would be able to resume normal teaching by the summer.

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