Christ Church CofE (C) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Christ Church CofE (C) Primary School continues to be a good school.

There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if the inspector was to carry out a section 5 inspection now. The school's next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who attend Christ Church School flourish both academically and socially.

Staff teach pupils the Christian values of respect, care and responsibility from when children start in Reception. As a result, the school is calm. Pupils say they are happy at school and love their learning.

When asked what they like about the school, they... say, 'Everything!'

The school has a family feel. It is warm and caring. This care starts in the morning when staff greet pupils with a warm smile.

Pupils are not worried about bullying. On the odd occasion that pupils are unkind to each other, pupils say that staff sort it out quickly.

Leaders want pupils to do the best they can.

This means in their schoolwork and their personal development. Pupils achieve these high expectations. Leaders give pupils various roles and responsibilities.

This includes being a member of the school council, the junior leadership team or a learning ambassador. Pupils raise money for charity. These special responsibilities help pupils develop into respectful, active citizens.

Pupils speak with enthusiasm about the extra experiences the school offers them. This includes trips to the theatre, a local farm, the cathedral and residential visits.

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

Pupils study a full range of subjects.

All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), access all subjects. Learning is well planned and sequenced. Subject leaders from different key stages plan together.

This means that pupils build on what they know year on year. In history, for example, pupils in Year 3 can remember what they learned in Years 1 and 2 about the impact that thinkers in the past had on the world today. They use this knowledge well to link this previous learning with their current topic about Ancient Greek thinkers.

However, leaders recognise that more time is needed in a few subjects for plans to be fully embedded so that pupils achieve the same depth of understanding across all subjects.

Staff have excellent subject knowledge. They use a wide range of resources and activities in lessons.

The learning environment is purposeful. Consequently, pupils find learning fun, and they learn a lot in lessons.

Children get off to a strong start in Reception.

Staff have a secure understanding of how to meet their needs and interests. Children are highly engaged in their learning. They have daily phonics lessons.

There is a sharp focus on developing their understanding of number. This continues into Year 1.

Leaders ensure that reading is a high priority.

Displays in the school corridors encourage pupils to read books from different authors. Every classroom has a dedicated reading area. Authors visit the school, and staff reward pupils for reading.

This includes pupils being able to choose a book from the school's book-vending machine. Pupils value these opportunities and are enthusiastic about reading.

There is an effective reading programme in place.

This starts in Reception class. All staff receive regular training in reading. Leaders regularly check how well pupils are doing and are quick to put the necessary help into place for those who need it.

This includes extra help from a specialist teaching assistant for reading. As a result, pupils develop the skills needed to become confident, fluent readers.

Staff know pupils well.

They provide effective support to pupils with SEND. Leaders make sure staff have detailed information about pupils' needs and how they can meet these needs in class. Staff use this information effectively.

Pupils with SEND achieve well.

Pupils' behaviour and attitudes are exemplary. They have high levels of respect for each other and their environment.

Pupils attend school regularly. They are highly committed to their learning and take pride in their work.

Leaders promote pupils' personal development well.

For example, pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy. Year 1 pupils can explain why 'eating too much chocolate is bad for you!' At breaktime and lunchtime, pupils keep themselves physically active by playing games, using the outdoor gym equipment or climbing on the monkey bars.

All staff speak highly of the support they get from leaders.

This includes extra training in areas of interest. Staff also shared many examples of how leaders have supported them with both professional and personal issues. Staff's morale is high.

Governors are ambitious for what the school and its pupils can achieve. They provide leaders with an appropriate balance of challenge and support. For example, they asked leaders how they make sure that children in Reception are being challenged in their work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. Staff take pupils' welfare seriously.

Leaders provide all staff with regular training. Staff report concerns confident in the knowledge that leaders will deal with them effectively. Leaders make sure that the appropriate recruitment checks are completed on all adults who work at, or visit, the school.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe through lessons and worship. This includes e-safety. Leaders help parents and carers to keep their children safe by giving them information and advice.

For example, they share guidance about how to apply parental controls on electronic devices. Pupils say they feel safe. Parents agree.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils remember long term the content they have been taught and apply this to new learning more effectively in some foundation subjects than others. Leaders should embed curriculum planning across all foundation subjects to ensure that pupils remember, long term, the content they have been taught so they can integrate new knowledge into larger ideas.

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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2017.