Christ Church CofE (C) Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 22–23 February 2012 Inspection number 380846 Christ Church CofE (C) Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 124257 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 380846 Inspection dates 22–23 February 2012 Lead inspector Gerald Griffin

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 396 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jane Mackenzie Headteacher Sheila Gaffiney Date of previous school inspection 15 January 2009 School address Christ Church Lane Lichfield WS13 8AY Telephone number 01543 510661 Fax number 01543 510663 Email address office@christchurch-lichfield.staffs.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed the teaching in 14 lessons, as well as visiting a further 7 lessons for shorter periods to further evaluate pupils’ progress and the quality of marking. A total of 15 teachers were observed teaching, as well as a small number of teaching assistants. Inspectors held meetings with groups of pupils, a member of the governing body and staff. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, they observed the school’s work, and looked at records of pupils’ progress, safeguarding documentation, records of exclusions and poor behaviour, and results of the school’s checks on the quality of teaching. Inspectors took account of the views of the 175 parents and carers who responded to the inspection questionnaire.

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Information about the school

Christ Church is larger than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average. Virtually all of the pupils are White British. The rest of the school population is made up of small numbers from a wide range of different minority ethnic groups. In 2011 the school met the government’s floor standards, (the government’s expected minimum standard for pupils’ attainment). The school holds a number of awards including Silver Artsmark.

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Information about the school

The before school club, which is managed by the school, was included in the inspection. The after school ‘Beacon Badgers’ club is privately managed and is inspected separately. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a good school in which pupils achieve well. It is not outstanding because the progress of higher attaining pupils in Years 1 and 2 is not as rapid in mathematics as it is in reading and writing, the initial quick pace of learning is not always sustained in lessons when work does not sufficiently stretch all pupils.

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Key findings

 Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This good progress continues in Years 1 and 2. More able pupils do not spend enough time practising their problem solving skills in mathematics. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 make good progress too and their attainment when they leave school at the end of Year 6 is above average. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs also make good progress.

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Key findings

 Teachers provide pupils with a wide range of rich and engaging experiences. Relationships in lessons are very positive and pupils enjoy their learning. Teachers’ marking and feedback is outstanding in some classes, for example in Year 6. However this is inconsistent across the school and pupils in other years are not always clear about how they can improve their work.

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Key findings

 Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding and they make an excellent contribution to the very well-ordered school and the smooth flow of lessons. They feel extremely safe in school and have a very good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Attendance last year was above average and has risen this year.

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Key findings

 The headteacher’s unrelenting drive to improve the school is enthusiastically shared by staff. Leaders’ robust checks on teaching and the quality of learning are used well to plan successful actions to overcome weaknesses. This means that the school is quickly improving.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teachers consistently secure a rapid pace of learning throughout lessons by providing work that challenges all pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that teachers’ marking provides all pupils with clear information about how they can make their work better.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate progress in mathematics for more able younger pupils by providing more time for them to practise solving mathematical problems.

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Achievement of pupils

Parents and carers are correct in their view that pupils achieve well at the school. Children join Reception with knowledge, skills and understanding that are at the levels expected for their age in all areas except reading and writing, where they are below expectations. They make good progress in all areas of learning and start Year 1 with above-average attainment. Progress is especially good in reading and writing because children rapidly develop strong phonics skills (linking letters to the sounds they make). Leaders check carefully that their assessments of children’s levels and progress are accurate.

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Achievement of pupils

This good start is built upon in Years 1 and 2, and pupils continue to make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. More able pupils’ skills at using and applying their calculation skills to solve mathematical problems are a relative weakness. Attainment in reading at the end of Year 2 is above average. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their starting points. Attainment in Year 6 is above average, including in reading, as it has been in the previous three years. This means they are two terms ahead of what is expected nationally. Good achievement and highly positive attitudes means that pupils are well prepared for secondary school.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs concentrate well in lessons. Their good progress is secured as they meet their small but challenging next steps and gain both satisfaction and confidence.

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Achievement of pupils

The school has successfully closed the recent gap between the attainment of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and their peers. This is because this group has been provided with effective additional teaching, which has successfully tackled weaknesses in their knowledge and understanding. Additionally, the school has worked successfully to help parents and carers support their education at home.

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Achievement of pupils

Much good and some outstanding learning was seen in lessons during the inspection. In the Reception class, children are curious and enthusiastically use the good resources in this setting to investigate and experiment. As a result, they gain a good level of independence in managing their own learning. Their knowledge and Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Achievement of pupils

understanding of the world is developed well; they are keen to work indoors and out. In one Reception lesson seen, children were making good progress learning about healthy foods and improving their manual dexterity to make a healthy sandwich. In a Year 6 English lesson, pupils made speedy gains in their reasoning skills when writing arguments for and against changes to the school curriculum. They discussed and checked their work in small groups, which helped to develop their ideas and improve their writing. Pupils worked with a good level of independence; they were able to plan their well-structured accounts with minimal help from adults. Pupils are developing their basic skills of reading, writing, communication and mathematics well in all subjects. For example, pupils talked enthusiastically about how they had used their mathematics skills to help design and later make a model car in design and technology. Nearly all pupils listen well, speak confidently and articulate their ideas

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Quality of teaching

Across the school, teachers have high expectations of their classes. Teachers’ questions are probing and make pupils think deeply. Teachers use the many exciting and relevant learning opportunities provided by the curriculum effectively to interest and engage pupils. Good use is made of resources such as games and computers to engage pupils and develop their learning. In the Reception classes, teachers plan an appropriate balance of adult-led and child-chosen activities. Occasionally, tasks that children choose do not challenge them as well as the work led by adults. Homework is set regularly in Years 1 to 6, and extends their class work well. Teachers’ regular checks on pupils’ knowledge and understanding during lessons are used skilfully to plan the next steps in learning. Occasionally, the pace of work slows when a task is too easy for some of the class. Teachers plan many opportunities to promote pupils’

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Quality of teaching

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, for example by getting them to think about how they can overcome barriers to learning so that they can meet goals that they set for themselves. Parents’ and carers’ views that teaching is good are correct.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching assistants provide valuable support for pupils, especially for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. For example, they keep notes on pupils’ progress which are shared with the teacher to help with future planning. Marking and feedback provide older pupils with a very clear understanding of how they can improve their work. This is not the case in all other years.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Parents and carers, pupils and staff have a highly positive view of behaviour and safety. School records confirm that outstanding behaviour is the norm. Pupils have excellent attitudes towards school and learning in all their lessons. They are very enthusiastic and make every effort to ensure that the learning of others thrives in a supportive atmosphere. For example, in a Year 4 dance lesson seen, pupils watched attentively and spontaneously applauded the work of peers who clearly found the work hard. Pupils show very high levels of courtesy to their peers and to adults. They Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

cooperate and collaborate very well in groups. They manage their own behaviour very well, which ensures lessons proceed without interruptions.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils have a very good understanding of what constitutes bullying, including cyber and prejudice-based bullying, how to avoid it and what to do if they meet it. They say that bullying is unheard of and school records confirm that cases are very rare. Pupils are highly confident that any case of bullying would be quickly resolved by the school. They know precisely how to keep themselves safe, for example, when crossing the road or using the internet. Pupils take great care to keep those around them safe. Inspectors saw older pupils ensuring that Reception children could move safely and comfortably along the school’s narrow corridors.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Attendance was above average last year and is high so far this year. Pupils are punctual to school and to lessons.

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Leadership and management

Key leaders, including the governing body, set challenging targets for the school. Their drive has successfully raised attainment and strongly improved progress and achievement over the past three years. This record shows the school has the capacity for sustained improvement. Leaders are successful at sharpening teachers’ skills. For example, improvements in the teaching of phonics have accelerated pupils’ progress in reading. Leaders have strengthened the quality of teachers’ marking for older pupils. They are working to improve marking for other pupils but it is too early to judge the success of their efforts.

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Leadership and management

Leaders regularly check the progress of each pupil. They provide effective interventions to help pupils catch up on missed work. The needs of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are accurately assessed and used to provide them with appropriate learning programmes. The success of these programmes and interventions is regularly checked and revised to ensure they are effective. The targeted support for pupils whose circumstances have the potential to make them vulnerable is very effective. The governing body uses its good understanding of data to challenge the school robustly over its performance.

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Leadership and management

Parents and carers’ questionnaires show that they are very happy with the way the school advises them on helping their children to learn at home. The school provides good opportunities for parents and carers to work alongside their children in school. Parents and carers say that the school is well led and managed.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is good and meets pupils’ needs, widens their horizons and raises ambition. It strongly promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, it provides many opportunities for pupils to reflect on their actions and those of others. Pupils’ good knowledge and understanding of a balanced diet and the dangers of drug abuse are two examples of how it supports healthy lifestyles. There are many displays of good quality art work around the school and pupils reflect positively on their school’s national arts award. They talk Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

enthusiastically about their music and drama lessons. Pupils enjoy the before-school club which provides them with a healthy breakfast and a good range of educational activities.

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Leadership and management

The school has effective policies in place; they show clear commitment to combating discrimination and to equal opportunities and to improving the progress of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Christ Church CofE (C) Primary School, Lichfield, WS13 8AY

Thank you for being so polite and friendly when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed our visit and the opportunity to talk with some of you, and to see you in lessons and at play. I especially enjoyed joining older pupils for an assembly. You are rightly proud of your school’s happy atmosphere and the way you all get on so well together. Christ Church is a good school.

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Inspection of Christ Church CofE (C) Primary School, Lichfield, WS13 8AY

You told us that you enjoy school and feel extremely safe and secure. You try hard in lessons and your progress is good. Your behaviour is excellent in class and around the school. You have very good relationships with your teachers. Older pupils told us that you valued the feedback from them about the quality of your work and how you can make it better. You attend school regularly and are very punctual. The curriculum provides plenty of exciting clubs and visits, which you enjoy. It also provides you with plenty of opportunities to think about your feelings, right and wrong, to work together and appreciate different cultures. The headteacher and staff are working together to make the school even better, and we have asked them to do three things to help you increase your rate of learning. These are to:

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Inspection of Christ Church CofE (C) Primary School, Lichfield, WS13 8AY

 help you to always make rapid progress by making sure work is not too easy  provide all of you with high quality marking  improve the progress of younger pupils who find mathematics easy by giving them more opportunities to solve mathematical problems.

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Inspection of Christ Church CofE (C) Primary School, Lichfield, WS13 8AY

All of you can help the school by continuing to try your best in lessons and behaving and attending so well. We wish you all the best in the future.

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Inspection of Christ Church CofE (C) Primary School, Lichfield, WS13 8AY

Gerald Griffin Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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