St Chrysostom’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Chrysostom's Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who spoke with the inspector said that they are proud to be members of the school community.

They enjoy learning and finding out new things with their friends. Pupils feel cared for and safe. They know that they can speak to any member of staff if they are worried or concerned.

Everyone celebrates the different backgrounds and characteristics of pupils at the school and people in wider society. Pupils have a strong understanding of equality issues. They learn about different forms of discrimination, such as racism and homophobic bullying.

P...upils said that if bullying happens, they know that staff will deal with it immediately.

Pupils respond positively to the high expectations that staff have of their learning and behaviour. This helps to ensure that the school is a calm and purposeful place.

Pupils' learning is rarely disrupted by poor behaviour, and most pupils achieve well.

Pupils find out how to make a positive contribution to British society. Leaders expect them to be responsible, active citizens.

Pupils rise to these expectations as members of the school council and eco-council. Pupils bake cakes and organise coffee mornings to raise funds for different children's charities. They relish visits to places of interest, such as local museums.

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

Leaders have worked with staff to develop and deliver an ambitious, well-structured curriculum. It meets the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children in early years. Leaders carefully organise pupils' learning in a logical order to help them to know and remember more.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on how well pupils have retained some of their learning. Leaders have adapted the curriculum to help pupils to catch up on forgotten or missed learning. However, in some subjects, leaders' strategies to help pupils to know and remember more of their learning are not as effective as they could be.

This limits pupils' ability to deepen their understanding in these subjects.

Teachers use a range of effective ways in most subjects to keep a check on what pupils know and remember. The information that is gathered from these checks is used well to ensure that pupils get the right support when it is needed.

Most pupils achieve well in a wide range of subjects.

Reading is a priority in the curriculum. Pupils are familiar with the work of different poets.

Pupils in key stage 2 read fluently and confidently. They like classic plays, such as 'Anthony and Cleopatra', as well as books by children's authors. Children in early years, and pupils in key stage 1, enjoy reading every day.

There is a well-organised phonics programme in place. This helps most pupils to read accurately and with confidence. The one-to-one support available for those in the early stages of reading enables pupils to catch up if they fall behind in their learning.

Efficient systems are in place that help teachers to identify pupils with SEND early. Support for pupils with SEND is wide ranging and closely matched to their individual learning needs. This helps to ensure that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum and learn effectively.

Children in early years and pupils across the rest of the school are respectful and courteous. Low-level disruption in class is rare. This contributes positively to pupils being able to learn the curriculum effectively.

There is a wide range of activities for children and pupils to enjoy outside the classroom. For example, leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to develop their leadership skills and to engage in charitable activities. Pupils pursue their interests at different clubs.

They are especially keen on honing their sporting skills at the multi-skills club. Year 6 pupils engage in outdoor activities, such as canoeing, during their annual residential retreat in Wales.

Staff are appreciative of the mentoring and coaching that they receive from senior leaders, which they feel helps to improve their teaching.

Leaders do all that they can to support staff to manage their workload.

Governors know where the school's strengths lie. They have a strong overview of the quality of education that pupils receive.

Governors provide effective challenge for school leaders and hold them to account for their work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are vigilant about the safety and welfare of pupils.

Leaders ensure that staff and governors are trained well and know how to keep pupils safe.

Staff follow the school's thorough safeguarding policies and procedures closely. For example, they know how to spot potential signs of neglect or abuse.

They act immediately to record and report any concerns that they have about pupils. Leaders take prompt action to provide the help pupils need.

Leaders ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe.

As a result, pupils know exactly what to do and where to go if they need help.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, pupils do not remember some of their prior learning. They do not have the knowledge and skills they need to deepen their understanding.

This is because staff's strategies to help pupils to know and remember more of their learning are not as effective as they could be. Leaders should continue to find out where pupils have gaps in their learning and ensure that staff are well equipped to enable pupils to know more and remember more in all subjects.

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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2016.

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