Lancaster Christ Church Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

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

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending school. They arrive each day ready to begin their learning. Pupils get along with one another.

In lessons, they respect each other's views and live up to the high expectations that leaders have of them. Pupils are polite and courteous. Children in the early years are inquisitive and demonstrate a positive attitude to learning.

Pupils said that they are safe in school. They explained that adults treat them fairly. Pupils said that adults make time to sit down and listen to their worries.

As a result, relationships between staff ...and pupils are strong.

Pupils understand the consequences of their behaviour. They enjoy earning rewards for good behaviour.

Pupils enjoy competing against other house teams to see which team can accrue the most points. Sometimes, pupils fall out and there is poor behaviour. However, leaders work with pupils and families to make sure that any poor behaviour or bullying is dealt with swiftly so that it is not repeated.

Around the school, pupils behave well. Older pupils take on a wide range of additional responsibilities. For example, pupils can become school council members, eco warriors, reading buddies or young leaders.

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

Leaders have developed an exciting and ambitious curriculum at Christ Church Primary School. Governors know the school well. They ensure that staff receive appropriate training to lead different subject areas.

Staff feel well supported by leaders. They said that they have the time and training necessary to do their job well.

Pupils behave well during lessons and while moving around school.

They listen to the views of others. Teachers can get on with delivering lessons without having to deal with any disruptive behaviour.

Leaders have systems in place to identify any additional needs that pupils may have.

They make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the support that they need. Teachers know how to support all groups of pupils so that they access the same curriculum as their classmates. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, achieve well.

Pupils who leave at the end of Year 6 are well prepared for the challenges of high school.

In many subject areas, leaders have organised new curriculum content carefully. They have identified what they want pupils to learn in each year group.

These curriculums carefully build on the skills and knowledge that children acquire in the early years. In some other curriculums, the important knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn is not always as clearly defined. As a result, teachers are unable to use reliable assessment checks to plan new learning.

Sometimes, new learning does not build on what pupils have already learned. This hinders pupils from deepening their knowledge in some subjects and achieving to a higher standard.

Staff receive regular training so that they have a secure knowledge of how to deliver the phonics curriculum.

Teachers make sure that children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 learn new sounds in a logical order. Any pupil who falls behind in their reading and phonics receives support to help them catch up with their classmates quickly. Most pupils, including children in the early years, develop their reading fluency during their time in school.

That said, sometimes the books that pupils take home to read do not match the sounds they have been learning in school. This slows down the rate at which these pupils develop their reading skills.

Pupils have wide-ranging opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills beyond the taught curriculum.

Many pupils take part in a variety of clubs on offer after school. Pupils enjoy developing their sporting and creative skills in clubs such as football, dance and drama. Leaders ensure that pupils learn about a wide range of faiths and cultures.

This supports pupils to have a deep understanding of the need to respect views and opinions that differ from their own.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are vigilant in their safeguarding duties.

They know the pupils and their families very well. All staff, including those new to the school, receive appropriate and up-to-date safeguarding training. Staff have the necessary skills and training needed to spot signs of potential harm or abuse.

Leaders keep detailed records of their work to keep pupils safe. Leaders work with several external agencies to support families in a timely manner.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe.

This includes when they are online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. This means that, sometimes, teachers do not use accurate assessment checks to organise new learning.

In these subjects, leaders should identify the important knowledge that pupils should know in each year group. They should support teachers to devise new learning that builds on what pupils already know. ? Occasionally, staff do not ensure that the books that children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 take home to read allow pupils to practise the sounds that they already know.

This hampers these pupils in becoming assured readers. Teachers should ensure that the books pupils take home to read match the sounds that they are learning so they can become confident and fluent readers.

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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 4 and 5 December 2012.

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