School of Christ The King Catholic Primary

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The School of Christ The King Catholic Primary is a welcoming and inclusive school. Pupils feel safe.

Relationships are strong between adults and pupils. The school's values of 'friendship, kindness, forgiveness and love' are evident in pupils' conduct and how they treat one another. The school has an important role to play in the heart of the community.

Pupils enjoy coming to school.

The school's vision runs through the curriculum and aims for pupils to 'be the best they can be'. Pupils have opportunities to learn through experience and develop their independence.

This helps to prepare them well for the next stage of their education.

Pupils... are polite and respectful. They understand the school's rules and follow them well.

They listen carefully and are eager to learn. There is a calm and purposeful environment in classrooms and around the school. Children in early years settle well.

They learn the daily routines quickly and follow instructions.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips and external visitors which enrich the curriculum. They contribute to their local community.

For example, pupils produced designs for the new community library and shared these with local architects. Pupils recognise the impact their work can have on others beyond their school.

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

The school has designed and implemented an ambitious curriculum.

For each subject, the school has identified the important knowledge that pupils will learn. The curriculum takes account of the area that the school serves. It starts in the early years.

Here, children get off to a strong start. They enjoy carefully thought-out learning and positive interactions with adults. Children play cooperatively together and develop their independence.

They listen attentively and with enthusiasm during adult-led sessions. Adults use appropriate questions and model vocabulary to extend children's learning.

Published outcomes in key stage 2 were low last year.

However, this does not reflect the current quality of education in the school. Pupils can recall their current learning well. For example, when learning about history, pupils compare the consequences of crime in the past with today.

In science, pupils make predictions, carry out investigations and evaluate results. However, pupils do not always gain the depth of understanding they need to make links with previous learning. Assessment is not always used with enough precision to check what pupils know and remember to inform future learning.

This makes it difficult to adapt learning to ensure pupils build their knowledge well.

The school is aspirational for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils' needs are identified early on in their education.

This means pupils with SEND are supported from the time they start school. Where appropriate, learning is adapted for pupils so they study the curriculum alongside their peers. As a result, pupils progress well through the curriculum.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. The reading curriculum is well organised and sets out what pupils should know and by when.

Staff have the expertise to ensure that there is a consistent and effective approach to the teaching of phonics. The school regularly checks pupils' phonics knowledge and identifies those who need extra support. These pupils receive the help they need.

Reading books match pupils' phonics knowledge accurately. This supports pupils to read with fluency. As pupils move through the school, they develop their reading and comprehension skills.

Teachers read and discuss high-quality texts with their classes. These are selected to develop pupils' understanding of diversity and wider aspects such as protected characteristics.

The school's personal development curriculum helps pupils to develop an age-appropriate understanding of relationships.

Pupils show respect for difference and are respectful of others. They state, 'It's ok for everyone to make their own choices.' Pupils know how to stay safe online.

For example, the police help Year 6 pupils learn ways to stay safe in the community. Leadership opportunities for pupils are meaningful. Members of the school council regularly meet with the leadership team to make suggestions on how to improve the school.

Parents are very positive about the school. They value the school's position in the community. Parents appreciate how nurturing and inclusive the school is.

They value the wide range of extra-curricular activities available to their children.

Governors know the school's strengths and areas for improvement well. They provide appropriate support and challenge to the school.

The school makes it a priority to support staff with their workload and well-being. Staff appreciate this and feel very well supported. As a result, staff morale is high.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment is not used with enough precision to check what pupils know and remember. Pupils are not consistently able to recall their prior learning.

As a result, learning is not adapted as necessary to build pupils' knowledge. The school needs to further develop its approach to assessment across the curriculum. This will help teachers to adapt learning when necessary so that pupils deepen their understanding.