Christ Church Church of England Primary School, Shooters Hill

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong and supportive community at the heart of this small school. The values of Ubuntu ('I am because we are') are lived out by staff and pupils. Pupils are happy and safe here because they know that adults take care of them.

Pupils are considerate of each other, and new pupils are made to feel welcome.

The school is ambitious for all pupils' learning. There is a strong reading curriculum.

Pupils achieve well in most subjects. Leaders and staff are working hard to develop the curriculum in some other subjects so that pupils achieve the same high outcomes.

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop their learning further....

It makes excellent use of the local woods, where younger pupils enjoy regular outdoor learning activities. Pupils of all ages benefit from a wide range of trips and clubs, including the popular chess, cookery and taekwondo clubs. Pupils are encouraged to develop their musical talents, with many learning to play musical instruments.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Older pupils are excellent role models for younger ones. Pupils take pride in their school and show great dedication in their roles of responsibility.

Pupils make many positive contributions to their community, including volunteering and raising money for charitable causes.

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

The school has a carefully sequenced and ambitious curriculum in place for most subjects. For example, in art, leaders have carefully considered which techniques pupils will learn and which artists pupils will study.

The curriculum has been designed to ensure that pupils have the building blocks they need to get better at art, for example in how pupils will develop their skills in painting so they can progress from poster paint to watercolour to mixed-media projects. Leaders have a clear plan in place to continue to develop some subjects further so that all subjects reflect leaders' high ambitions.

Pupils are typically engaged in lessons and talk with enthusiasm about their learning.

In physical education, pupils work well in small groups and are confident when demonstrating movements to their peers. Pupils learn how to work as a team and know that losing at sport is an opportunity for learning. They are taught the skills of cooperation.

This allows younger pupils to help set up the equipment for lessons, and older pupils to encourage and support each other to do their best.

Staff know their pupils and families well. They are quick to identify pupils who may need additional support.

Some staff receive additional training to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well and participate in wider activities along with their peers.

Behaviour in lessons and around the school is calm and orderly.

Pupils know the behaviour system well and respond quickly to instructions. On occasion, teachers do not ensure that all pupils are ready for learning. Sometimes, teachers do not systematically check the understanding of a broad range of pupils.

This means that some pupils are not as focused on their work as they could be.

The school has an ambitious reading curriculum, and pupils experience a wide range of texts. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading and enjoy talking about the books they have read.

The school has recently introduced a new scheme for teaching phonics. Teachers and staff have been trained to deliver the programme effectively. Teachers skilfully model new sounds for pupils.

Regular assessment ensures that pupils who struggle with their reading are identified quickly and provided with the support they need in order to catch up. Pupils with SEND make good progress in learning to read, including those who are learning to read Braille.

The school is highly ambitious for pupils' personal development.

Leaders have clear aims to develop confident, independent, global citizens. This is supported by a carefully sequenced curriculum for personal, social and health education that builds pupils' knowledge of their physical and mental health in age-appropriate ways. Pupils have a strong understanding of equality issues and recognise the value of a diverse society.

Pupils show empathy and compassion for others and have a mature understanding of the issues facing their community.

Staff say that they feel part of a family here and that leaders take their well-being into account when planning changes. Staff have developed good channels of communication with parents and carers so that they understand what their child is learning and how they can support them at home.

Pupils attend well at this school, and staff are quick to identify any absence. Appropriate support is put in place for families to help improve their child's attendance at school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, curriculum end-points are not sufficiently clear or well defined. This means that sometimes, teachers are unclear about exactly what the crucial knowledge is that all pupils need to know at each stage in their learning. The school should ensure that all subjects are designed to build pupils' knowledge sequentially over time towards clear and ambitious end-points.

• Sometimes, teachers' checks on pupils' understanding are not as precise or targeted as they could be. This means that some pupils lack focus during lessons, and opportunities to identify misconceptions for some pupils are missed. The school should ensure that teachers are systematically checking pupils' understanding with precision.

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