Christian Malford CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and welcoming school where pupils are happy and feel safe. The school's 'grapes' values help pupils understand the importance of showing respect, working hard and how to be aware of the feelings of others. Parents speak highly about the positive start children make when they join the school.

Despite this, the quality of education that pupils receive is not yet good. In some subjects, pupils do not learn well. The implementation of the curriculum does not support pupils to know more and remember more over time.

The school promotes pupils' positive behaviour. Pupils follow the school rules and behave well. They are kind and caring to one another.

...>This starts in the early years where children display positive attitudes to their learning and work well together.

Relationships are positive across the school. Pupils trust adults to listen to them.

They talk about how the 'well-being check-in' enables staff to quickly spot and help pupils who have any worries or concerns.

Pupils are keen to take on roles of responsibility, such as becoming members of the worship or school council. They speak positively about the extra-curricular opportunities and trips on offer to them.

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

The school has experienced turbulence in staffing over the past two years. With the support of the trust, it has worked hard to manage these challenges and to begin to bring about the necessary improvements identified at the last inspection, particularly in reading and the early years.

The school has a clear vision for what it wants all pupils to achieve.

However, this vision is not yet fully realised. While an ambitious curriculum has been designed, which makes clear what pupils need to know and when, its implementation does not yet enable pupils to build their knowledge well enough as they move through the school.

The school places high importance on reading.

This begins from the start of pupils' time at school. Children in the nursery develop their love of reading by listening to and acting out stories, such as 'The Stick Man'. A consistent approach to the teaching of early reading is in place.

Pupils learn new sounds well. Staff check if pupils are keeping up with the reading programme. If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to help them to catch up quickly.

Older pupils read fluently and enjoy a wide range of books.

In some subjects, such as art, teachers teach the curriculum well. They explain new learning clearly.

This enables pupils to build their understanding well over time. Pupils talk confidently about the work of different artists and understand the effects of different materials, such as charcoal. However, this is not consistent across all subjects.

Some teaching does not make clear enough what pupils need to learn or teach the content that the school intends. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and do not progress well through the curriculum.

The school has effective systems to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

It works well with parents and a range of professionals. Despite this, some staff do not routinely adapt learning well enough to fully support these pupils. This hampers the progress that some pupils with SEND make.

Pupils talk eagerly about their favourite lessons. They are polite and well mannered. Pupils of all ages enjoy spending time with their friends during social times.

There are clear systems in place for checking attendance. The school works closely with families to ensure that pupils understand the importance of attending school regularly. As a result, most pupils attend school regularly.

The curriculum for pupils' wider development is designed well. Pupils learn about protected characteristics and fundamental British values, such as democracy. They understand the importance of treating everyone in a positive way.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in different situations, including when online.

The trust has a clear strategic oversight of the school's work and the challenges it faces. It has acted quickly to improve governance.

Members of the academy council, some of whom are new, are knowledgeable about some aspects of the school. However, they do not yet have an accurate view of the quality of education that the school provides. This makes it difficult for them to check on the impact of the school's actions and to hold the school to account.

Staff enjoy working at the school and value the opportunities they have to share training with the other schools in the cluster.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not implemented effectively in some subjects.

Teachers do not present new information clearly. As a result, some pupils do not build the depth of knowledge they should. The trust needs to ensure that the curriculum is implemented effectively across all subjects.

• The needs of some pupils with SEND are not yet met well enough. As a result, these pupils do not develop their knowledge well enough across the curriculum. The trust must ensure learning is adapted effectively for pupils with SEND so that they learn well in all subjects.

Those with responsibility for governance do not yet have sufficient oversight of the quality of education that pupils receive. This prevents them from providing a sufficient level of challenge to the school, particularly with regards to the wider curriculum. The trust needs to ensure that those responsible for governance gain an accurate view of the school's strengths and weaknesses, and then challenge the school to bring about improvements.