Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Christ Church Church of England Primary School (Purley) continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly and inclusive school with high expectations of pupils. Leaders and staff work together to achieve the best for pupils. The school's ethos and values of love, courage, honesty, faith and forgiveness are at the centre of school life.

These values mean a lot to pupils and have a positive impact on them. The school provides an environment in which pupils can thrive.

Pupils are safe.

They behave well and adults deal with any behaviour or bullying incidents. Bullying is rare and pupils trust adults to respond to any concerns th...ey have.Pupils across year groups can develop their leadership skills and contribute to the school community in a variety of ways, such as through the pupil council and as eco-warriors.

Some Year 6 pupils act as play leaders for younger pupils at break- and lunchtime.

Pupils grow into confident and respectful young people with a strong sense of community.They learn how to study independently and work well with others.

They are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for pupils that includes the full range of subjects. This is based on the national curriculum, but extends further.

For example, Reception children and Year 1 pupils use the spinney, an outdoor wooded area on site, to learn at forest school and to take part in other outdoor activities. Early years leaders make sure that Reception Year gives children a good foundation for learning in all subjects.

Leaders have ensured that the phonics scheme is well planned and delivered.

Staff throughout the school are trained and leaders check the phonics sessions regularly.Although the phonics programme is new this year, it is thoroughly embedded and ensures that pupils get a strong start in learning to read.

Adults sound out sounds accurately for pupils and check pupils' understanding and recall.

Leaders take action if pupils fall behind. Weaker readers grow in confidence because adults prepare them well for reading sessions. Adults make sure that pupils revisit and practise sounds and words before re-reading a book.

All year groups read together every day or listen to a story. Older pupils can talk about the books they read for pleasure.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

They use a wide range of well-chosen resources to support pupils' learning. Adults show pupils how to use subject vocabulary correctly. Pupils have opportunities to discuss and justify the methods they have chosen in mathematics.

Teachers check that pupils understand the work and address pupils' misconceptions systematically.

However, there is some variation across subjects in the wider curriculum. Sometimes, teachers focus too much on pupils practising general skills such as research or communication.

There is not enough focus on pupils learning subject-specific knowledge and key concepts for a subject. This means that the purpose of the work is not clear. This is because subject leaders lack confidence and expertise in some aspects of their work.

The inclusion team works effectively with class teachers and external agencies to provide strong support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The new 'Willows' provision has enabled leaders to extend and target that support, including for vulnerable pupils who need help as a result of the pandemic.

Beyond learning in subjects, leaders provide many opportunities for pupils' wider development.

There are clubs for sports, choir and other interests. These are popular and so are run on a rotational basis throughout the year, so that all pupils have opportunities to join in. Adults have high expectations of pupils' behaviour, which have been reset after the pandemic.

Pupils behave well and learning is not disrupted.

Leaders are reflective and work well as a team to improve the school. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the school.

They consider the impact of workload on staff. Governors are knowledgeable and decisive and provide support and challenge to leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The safeguarding leaders work as an effective team. They ensure that staff are well trained, understand their responsibilities and know how to report concerns. Pupils learn about how to stay safe, including online safety.

Pupils are well cared for, and leaders ensure that they and their families can get help when they need it. Leaders have expanded the in-school support for pupils. Leaders challenge external agencies to do better if the response is too slow.

Leaders ensure that all the required checks on staff are completed and recorded. Governors oversee safeguarding well.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subjects in the wider curriculum focus too much on generic skills.

Sometimes, the purpose of activities is unclear. This hinders pupils' progress in learning the subject. Leaders should ensure that the subject content and disciplinary knowledge they want pupils to learn are clearly identified and sequenced.

However, it is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. ? There is some inconsistency in subject leaders' leadership skills, experience and confidence.

Therefore, in some subjects, curriculum thinking lacks purpose and pupils do not always learn and remember subject content as well as they should. School leaders should continue to develop the role and skills of subject leaders so that they can drive and improve their subject effectively.

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 a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2011.