The St Christopher School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending this school and do so regularly. They receive a high level of care from staff. Pupils build incredibly positive relationships with staff and with each other.

They show kindness and consideration throughout the school day. This helps to build the strong sense of community that flows through the school.

Pupils have exceptional attitudes towards their learning.

They work hard in their lessons to reach the very high expectations the school sets for them. They understand how to use their 'learning powers' and do this throughout the day. They use these 'powers' to help them to achieve well.

For example, they develop their independence... when accessing the range of clubs on offer to them. These also help to spark interests and talents in areas such as gymnastics, drumming or rugby that pupils never realised they had. Pupils then develop these interests further outside of school.

Pupils are very well prepared for their future. They benefit from the extensive wider opportunities the school provides for them. A vast range of activities in the community help pupils to develop important life skills.

Pupils enjoy visiting shops to purchase ingredients for cooking or resources for art and design, for example. Students in the sixth form value greatly their residential trip to Portugal.

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has refined and developed the curriculum.

This is to reflect the increased number of pupils joining the school with complex learning needs. The school has identified three curriculum routes for pupils. Each route identifies the important knowledge pupils will learn.

This knowledge has mostly been broken down into smaller steps and placed into a logical order. For many pupils this is on a more individualised basis due to their level of need. While the school has made great strides in improving the curriculum, this is an ongoing piece of work in a small number of subjects.

The school provides well considered, precise training for staff. This has a demonstrable impact on the school. Many staff take the lead with improving the curriculum.

Training helps staff to support the changing needs of pupils entering the school. In a short space of time, this work has moved forward considerably. In some instances, staff are still getting to grips with the improved curriculum areas and the changing context of the school.

This can mean there are occasions where learning time focuses more on the completion of activities and not securing the important knowledge which pupils need.

Supporting pupils to communicate effectively has been a key focus for the school. The school does this incredibly well.

Staff are experts at understanding the needs of children as soon as they join in the Reception Year. Many children arrive at school unable to communicate their wants and their needs. Consistent approaches to supporting communication help children to do this.

The well-designed curriculum in the Reception Year helps children to secure other important life skills such as how to maintain their concentration. This sets them up very well for future learning.

As pupils learn to communicate, many begin to learn how to read through phonics.

The school identifies pupils who are ready for this. Staff share different books with pupils to develop their passion for reading. Older pupils enjoy studying novels in their English lessons, for example.

The school is changing some of its approaches towards reading. This includes introducing a new phonics scheme and new strategies to support pupils with specific needs such as dyslexia. While this work is well underway, some of it is in its infancy and is not yet embedded.

Students in the sixth form benefit from an exceptional offer. The rich curriculum and high-quality careers advice help pupils to find new talents and interests. Many then go on to further their studies in these areas when they leave the school.

Communication continues to be a high priority. Students learn to communicate in a variety of different situations. For example, students learn to work collaboratively when preparing a two-course meal during food technology lessons.

The school uses its caravan in Mersea Island to further develop important life skills. Students relish the opportunity to visit here as a part of their day.

Pupils of all ages learn the importance of keeping healthy and safe through the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum.

They learn what healthy relationships are. They understand the importance of showing respect towards those who are different to them. Team captains value the chance to be leaders and role models to others.

Trustees and local governors know the school very well. They are highly effective at holding school and trust leaders to account for the quality of provision. They understand why the school has prioritised areas for development in the way it has.

Leaders have addressed improvements to the school in a coherent way, for example through ensuring they train staff in the new approaches to behaviour. Leaders have a thorough understanding of how to embed the changes they have made, and are making, to the curriculum. The school engages incredibly well with parents.

Parents value the way the school has a positive impact on the lives of their children and their families.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has introduced new approaches to the curriculum in some areas.

These approaches are not securely understood or embedded across all areas of the school. This can lead to times where lessons focus more on activities than specific learning. The school should ensure that staff fully understand and implement the curriculum as leaders intend, so pupils secure their understanding of the important knowledge leaders want them to.