Christ Church CofE School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Christ Church CofE School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Christ Church CofE School are polite, friendly and inquisitive. They show respect and kindness to each other.

This is a true community school. Staff build positive relationships with pupils and their families. They know and understand pupils well and do their very best to give pupils every chance of success.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. From the early years, pupils meet these expectations. They work hard in class and achieve well.

Staff praise and reward pupils for doing the right thing. Pupils value this, it motivates them to achieve more. Staff ...prepare pupils well for the next stage of their education.

Pupils behave very well. This is a calm and orderly school. Bullying is rare.

When it does happen, leaders deal with it immediately. It does not persist. Pupils enjoy school and play with each other happily at breaktimes and lunchtimes.

Pupils are safe here.Leaders provide a rich and diverse range of opportunities for pupils. Pupils experience frequent visits to the cinema, theatre and museums.

They also go to a local farm and the beach. Pupils develop important skills for life and give back to others, both locally and globally, through charity work.

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

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum.

This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is well ordered so that pupils build up their knowledge and skills in increasing depth and complexity. In the early years, children learn the key knowledge they need to prepare them for Year 1.

From Year 1 to Year 6, leaders have chosen curriculum topics that are relevant to pupils' lives. These topics engage pupils' interest. However, in some subjects, leaders have not precisely identified what they want pupils to learn.

This includes both essential subject knowledge and subject-specific skills.

Leaders give high priority to reading. Pupils learn to read using phonics from the start of Reception.

Teachers teach phonics well and pupils learn to read with fluency quickly. Those pupils who need extra help with reading receive it. Teachers check pupils' progress in learning to read regularly.

This helps pupils to catch up with their peers. A high proportion of pupils meet age-related expectations in reading at the end of Year 1. Pupils also develop a love of reading.

From the early years, they take home a 'reading for pleasure' book. As pupils move through the school, they read a wide range of texts and poetry.

Teachers present new information to pupils with clarity.

They revisit what pupils have learned before and only move on to new learning when pupils are ready. Also, teachers give pupils time to apply their learning. For example, in mathematics, pupils practise answering questions about number and fractions.

Teachers ask pupils questions and check pupils' work. This helps to secure pupils' knowledge and understanding. Pupils have very positive attitudes toward their learning.

They listen to their teachers and focus on their work. Pupils learn without disruption.

Leaders identify pupils' needs well.

Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as other pupils. They get the help they need to achieve. Teaching assistants work with teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

They use extra resources to help pupils with SEND complete the same work as their peers.

Pupils experience a rich and diverse programme of personal development. Pupils learn about issues such as relationships and physical and mental health in an age-appropriate way.

Leaders have established partnerships with several organisations. These include local schools and churches, charities and businesses. Leaders plan memorable activities for pupils with these organisations.

Pupils learn how to become active citizens. They develop their understanding of the arts, music and different cultures. Indeed, pupils begin to see the vast range of opportunities that life has to offer.

Leaders show a commitment to developing pupils' talents and interests. There are several school clubs that pupils can join, from sports to film and computing.

Leaders provide pupils with a high-quality education, founded on a clear set of values.

Members of the school community share the school's values, from governors to children in the early years. Staff enjoy working at the school. They describe themselves as one big family.

They work together in the interests of pupils and their families. Leaders value all staff, whatever their role. They listen to staff's views.

They ensure that the workload is manageable and promote staff's well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding.

Staff receive regular training and updates. This ensures that they maintain an alertness to the signs of potential risk in pupils. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

They report any concerns about pupils swiftly. Leaders work well with external agencies to secure the help pupils need. They also engage with parents and carers.

Leaders organise parent workshops on safeguarding issues. They provide essential information to help parents understand the risks their children face.Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe.

They learn practical strategies to use should they find themselves at risk.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, leaders have not precisely identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to learn. Also, they have not ensured that the curriculum in these subjects provides pupils with a systematic progression of subject-specific skills.

This means that sometimes pupils are not secure in their knowledge and understanding of these subjects. Leaders should ensure that foundation subject leaders are provided with the training they need to become subject experts who are able to design and adapt subject curriculums which provide pupils with both a depth of knowledge and an increasingly developed understanding of subject disciplines.

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

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

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2012.