Christ Church Charnock Richard CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Christ Church Charnock Richard C of E Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live out the school's mission statement. They 'learn, grow and flourish' throughout their time at this school. Leaders have high expectations for all pupils.

Pupils take great pride in their work and achieve well. They said that it is a privilege to belong to the school community. Their parents and carers, staff and governors agree.

The school's Christian values underpin the behaviour system. Pupils learn in a calm and respectful environment. They behave extremely well.

Pupils play harmoniously together at playtimes. They enjoy jogging ...around the running track and climbing on the trim trail. This keeps them physically healthy.

Pupils feel safe. They also understand what bullying is. They know that it is 'several times on purpose' (STOP).

On the very rare occasions that bullying happens, pupils know exactly how to deal with it. They understand that there is always a trusted adult to turn to.

Pupils are exceptionally well cared for.

Their mental health and well-being are prioritised. Staff are expertly trained. They know how to build pupils' resilience.

Pupils try new things and face challenges with confidence. This helps all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to embrace all that school has to offer.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that carefully balances the requirements of the national curriculum with the needs and interests of the pupils.

Curriculum plans consider the impact of COVID-19 on pupils' learning as well as their mental health and well-being. The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils. In some subjects, such as mathematics, curriculum ambition goes beyond the national curriculum.

Pupils are challenged to apply their mathematical knowledge to a range of problems. Pupils, including the very youngest children, become confident mathematicians.Subject leaders are knowledgeable about their subjects.

In most subjects, leaders provide teachers with carefully sequenced curriculum plans and additional guidance and support. They ensure that teachers are well equipped to deliver these plans. Before the pandemic, leaders regularly checked that their curriculum plans were being implemented as intended.

The pandemic has meant that leaders have not been able to carry out these checks in all subjects. Their understanding of what pupils know and can do is not as strong as it was.

Teachers understand the importance of finding out what pupils already know and can do.

This helps them to plan pupils' next steps of learning. Teachers accurately identify the learning needs of pupils with SEND. They provide these pupils with appropriate support.

This helps pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as their classmates.

Leaders immerse pupils in a culture that inspires a love of reading. Children start to learn phonics as soon as they join the Reception Year.

Phonics is taught systematically by expert staff. Teachers work with parents so that they know how to support their children at home. They make sure that pupils take home books which match the sounds that they learn in class.

Children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 take part enthusiastically in phonics sessions. Those who struggle receive tailored support to help them catch up quickly. Older pupils are avid readers.

They read widely and discuss their reading habits confidently.

Pupils are highly attentive in lessons. They are genuinely interested in what others have to say.

Pupils do not disrupt the learning of others. They are too busy learning.

Leaders' work to promote pupils' wider development is exemplary.

All staff share a common desire to help pupils to thrive, both in and out of the classroom. Pupils become 'mentally wealthy' as a result. Pupils learn what it means to grow up in modern Britain.

They are aware of different types of families. Pupils talk sensitively about issues such as gender and sexuality.

Pupils enjoy helping others.

They eagerly take on positions of responsibility, such as ethos leaders and school councillors. Pupils readily take part in fundraising activities. They are proud to have their artwork exhibited in the local community.

Before the pandemic, pupils enjoyed a wide range of trips, visits and visitors. Leaders have been determined to reintroduce these. They were tenacious in ensuring that Year 6 pupils experienced their annual residential.

Staff enjoy working at the school and morale is high. Leaders think carefully about staff workload before introducing new initiatives.

Leaders at all levels understand their roles and responsibilities, including those relating to school governance.

Governors are well informed. They provide confident, strategic leadership.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained to identify when a pupil may be at risk of harm. They quickly follow up any concerns using agreed procedures.

Leaders know their school community well.

Strong relationships with families and external agencies ensure that support is provided for pupils when they need it. This includes support for pupils' mental and physical health.

Leaders have carefully planned their approach to teaching pupils about safety.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe when using technology. They learn about healthy relationships. Pupils recognise acceptable behaviours.

They understand about appropriate touch and consent.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The disruption caused by COVID-19 has meant that some subject leaders have not been able to check how well their curriculums are being implemented with the same rigour as they did previously. Their understanding of what pupils are learning in their subjects is not as well developed as it was.

Leaders need to recommence the regular and robust checks that were in place prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will help to ensure that pupils learn the intended curriculum as planned.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2016.

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