Bournemouth Christian School

Switched-on Christian School 25b Elliot Road, East Howe, BH11 8LQ

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Overall effectiveness Good 2

Pupils’ achievement Good 2 Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Quality of curriculum Good 2 Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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This school is good because

 It is well led and managed with the leaders continually improving the quality of education, teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Teaching provides sufficient challenge and guidance to help the pupils achieve well both in their individual studies and through class activities.  Work in pupils’ books, on display in classrooms, and observed during lessons, demonstrates that pupils have made good, sustainable progress since the school opened.  Arrangements for pupils’ welfare, health and safety are good.  Pupils’ behaviour is good, they are self- motivated, take responsibility for their own learning and make good progress. Relationships are warm and friendly.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 School leaders have not yet implemented their plans for more formal monitoring of the quality of teaching and staff appraisal to extend the existing effective informal arrangements.  The school does not yet analyse achievement data rigorously enough.  The afternoon lessons do not include a sufficient range of creative experiences.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school meets schedule 1 of the Education (Independent school Standards)(England) Regulations 2010, as amended by the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out with a half-day’s day’s notice.  The inspector observed the morning sessions and afternoon lessons taught by three teachers, of which two lessons were joint observations with the headteacher. She listened to some younger pupils reading and spoke to all the pupils about their work. Discussions were held with the school’s proprietors, groups of pupils, and with members of staff.  The inspector checked the school’s compliance with the regulations for independent schools. A wide range of school documentation was viewed, including the curriculum and planning, records of pupils’ progress, examples of their work and policy documents.  The inspector took account of the views expressed in questionnaires from members of staff. There were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) to evaluate. The inspector spoke with parents and carers at the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Consideration was given to a material change request to allow the school to accept pupils up to the age of 18 years.

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Inspection team

Jill Bainton, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Switched-On Christian School was registered as an independent day school for 50 pupils aged three to 11 years of age in June 2012 and opened in September 2012. It is located in Bournemouth.  There are currently 12 pupils on roll aged six to 15 years. There are currently no children attending in the age range of the Early Years Foundation Stage. There are no pupils with statements of special educational needs. The school does not use any alternative or additional provision for its pupils.  The school has a Christian ethos and aims to ‘provide a welcoming, caring, supportive and secure environment in which Christian values are central to the ethos of the school and its community.’ It uses a curriculum specifically devised for use in Christian schools.  The headteacher is also a proprietor of the school.  This is the school’s first full Ofsted inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership, management and teaching further by:  ensuring the headteacher implements more formal procedures for appraising teachers’ performance so they can bring about additional improvements in teaching  ensuring that the headteacher formally monitors observations of lessons and teaching and provides written feedback to the staff.  Analyse the data relating to pupils’ progress rigorously to identify any areas of weakness and use the information to further help accelerate pupils’ progress.  Introduce more creative studies into the afternoon curriculum such as music, media studies and food technology.

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Pupils’ achievement Good

Pupils’ achievement is good. The style of learning and the individual supervision of each pupil, lead to good achievement. This rate of progress increases as the pupils get older and they adapt well to the private-study approach required for the online curriculum in use in the morning. Some pupils have attended previous schools where they have used a similar, but not online, curriculum. The youngest pupils have settled well into this type of learning and make good progress in line with their age, in mathematics, reading and writing. Most pupils are achieving the required standards in their studies, which they check themselves through the computer program. The staff ensure that pupils are working at a rate suitable for their age and capabilities and they compare them wherever possible to national standards. Pupils are given a set amount of work to do each day. The pupils’ work, the displays in the classrooms and observed during lessons, demonstrates that

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Pupils’ achievement Good

they have made good, sustainable progress compared to their starting points. The older pupils are accomplished readers with good speaking and listening skills. They are articulate and use a wide vocabulary in class discussions. For example, analysing in detail, sentence structure and vocabulary in the current text they are studying. Staff use questioning skilfully during these sessions to encourage the pupils to develop and extend their thinking and make contributions to discussion. The standard of writing is good and pupils have the opportunity for some extended creative writing apart from their online studies. The school has not been open long enough to demonstrate success in formal accreditation, but older students are preparing for this. The school does not yet analyse pupil achievement data rigorously enough to identify and tackle areas of weakness and accelerate progress still further. Pupils’ achievement during the afternoon sessions is good, they are

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Pupils’ achievement Good

developing physical skills in physical education (PE) and games, and the school is decorated with colourful examples of their art and craft work.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

The behaviour and personal development of the pupils are good. There is a friendly, welcoming atmosphere in this small school where the pupils are very well known and cared for. Pupils say they enjoy their school life, making remarks such as ‘it’s great… I really enjoy it…the staff really help me.’ This is reflected in their high attendance and good behaviour. The older pupils are developing into mature young people, ready for the next stage of their education. They are given opportunities to take responsibility for tasks around the school. Pupils are adamant that there is no bullying and they understand what constitutes bullying. Their understanding of the possible risks of using new technologies and the internet is clear.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is good. They have frequent opportunities for spiritual reflection through the Christian ethos and teaching at the school, which is embedded in school life. Pupils learn Biblical quotes and their meaning in everyday life as part of the curriculum. Relationships both between the pupils and with the staff are very good and staff are positive role models. Pupils are given an introduction to public services and institutions, including the values of democracy, through the curriculum, especially in English and history, and through planned visits. Pupils’ awareness of different cultures and racial harmony are promoted well. Strong emphasis is placed on promoting pupils’ self confidence and this is demonstrated through pupils confidently engaging with staff in discussions and challenging opinions. The school does not promote any particular political views and scrutiny of the school’s plans indicates that

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

these will ensure that balanced views are presented.

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Quality of teaching Good

The quality of teaching is good and this promotes pupils’ good achievement over time, as evidenced in their work. The pupils are taught in two classes, grouped according to their age. These small groups enable the staff to get to know the pupils very well and build up strong and supportive relationships. During the morning sessions staff act as supervisors, aiding the pupils in their curriculum either online or in workbooks. They also give much effective direct advice and support, providing guidance when needed. Staff are also skilled at posing further questions to help the pupils to think further or to undertake additional research. Staff create a positive learning climate and pupils respond by engaging eagerly in their planned activities and behave well. There is a purposeful learning atmosphere in the classrooms, pupils concentrate and are motivated to learn. This positive partnership between the teaching and pupils’ self-learning contributes to the

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Quality of teaching Good

pupils’ good progress. Staff use the afternoon sessions to plan a variety of practical lessons which take account of the range of pupils’ ability. Pupils enjoy this opportunity to learn together in a more relaxed manner.

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Quality of teaching Good

The school uses the initial diagnostic assessment procedures, which are built into the curriculum. This helps them to devise an individual education plan for each pupil, which meets their learning needs. As the pupils using the online system complete each lesson it is marked automatically. This eliminates the necessity for staff to mark the pupils’ work but it is frequently checked and monitored by staff. Staff mark the younger pupils’ work. The advantages of this checking system are that the pupils have immediate feedback on their progress and if they make errors or score below a minimum score they may require staff help, which is immediately given. The marks are cumulative and add up to final scores for their completed program. The school has already begun the process of comparing these scores to national expectations. They are set daily goals, which they aim to complete and can extend or complete for homework. Pupils remark that they like this

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Quality of teaching Good

system and it helps them to improve their work. Parents and carers receive daily feedback through the communication book and meet staff frequently. Detailed written reports are given at the end of the summer term and parents meet formally with staff three times a year.

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Quality of curriculum Good

The curriculum is good. The school uses an online Christian curriculum, which includes mathematics; language arts (English); science; Bible studies; and world history and geography. During the afternoons the pupils study UK history; citizenship; PE; information and communication technology (ICT); and art and design technology. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 follow the same curriculum but in workbooks. Emphasis is given to pupils acquiring good reading, writing and mathematical skills. This is successful and pupils use these skills well in other subjects. Senior pupils choose additional subjects for examinations covering numerous subjects, including a modern foreign language, business studies, Biblical based study, ICT and entrepreneurship. Older pupils are given appropriate careers guidance and have the opportunity for work experience. They are working towards accreditation in Advanced Education Certificates. These qualifications are

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Quality of curriculum Good

accepted by colleges and universities and enable pupils to attend further and higher education. The afternoon lessons are designed to be as practical as possible. The school is fortunate in having access to a large indoor sports area on site, which is used for PE and games. They also use a nearby sports field. The school currently does not provide music although it has plans to provide music and media studies in the near future, together with food technology. Personal, social and health education is integrated into the curriculum and embedded in the nature of the school. Trips and local visits support pupils in extending their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good

Arrangements for the welfare, health and safety of the pupils are good. All the regulatory requirements are met. The school is well maintained and staff demonstrate a high level of commitment in promoting pupils’ health and safety. The school has devised and implemented a suitable range of policies including anti-bullying, health and safety, and behaviour, which meet recent DfE guidance. The designated person responsible for safeguarding is trained at the appropriate level, as are the rest of the staff. Staff have been checked for their suitability to work with children and the information is held on the required single central register of staff appointments. The school produces risk assessments for a wide range of activities, including visits outside school. The fire procedures are suitable. A fire risk assessment has been carried out and it is planned to review it annually; all fire equipment is checked and fire drills take place and are

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good

recorded termly. Staff are trained as fire marshals. Two staff are trained in first aid, accidents are recorded and the policy meets requirements. All pupils are very well supervised at all times. Admission and attendance registers meet the regulations.

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Leadership and management Good

Leadership and management are good. The joint proprietors, one of whom is the headteacher, lead the school well. The small staff work together very well and have successfully promoted a Christian ethos in the school, which is shared by the pupils, their parents and carers. There is a sense of community and a shared vision.

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Leadership and management Good

There is a commitment to continually improve teaching and achievement to enable the school to grow, and staff know the school’s strengths and areas for development well. The headteacher is fully involved in the day-to-day teaching and running of the school and makes frequent visits to monitor the performance of staff. These visits and the consequent feedback have led to improvements. Plans are firmly in place to introduce more formal procedures for the appraisal of staff performance at the end of the summer term which will include consistently providing written feedback to teachers when lessons are observed. Professional development opportunities have been provided for staff and these have impacted positively on the quality of teaching and learning. They confirm through their questionnaires that they are proud to work at the school. Parents and carers are provided with an appropriate level of information about the school and their children’s

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Leadership and management Good

progress. Those spoken to confirmed that they are very pleased with the school, their children are very happy and settled and making good progress. They are aware of the appropriate complaints procedure which is on the school website. The accommodation and premises meet the regulations and effective use is made of the space and resources. The proprietors have ensured that all the independent school regulations are met. The inspector recommends that a material change to allow the school to accept pupils up to the age of 18 years be accepted.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding A school which provides an exceptional quality of education and significantly exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 2 Good A school which provides a high quality of education that exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 3 Adequate A school which meets minimum requirements but needs to improve the quality of education it provides. Grade 4 Inadequate A school where minimum requirements are not met and/or the quality of education has serious weaknesses.

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School details

Unique reference number 138249 Inspection number 420245 DfE registration number 837/6008

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Type of school Christian day school School status Independent School Age range of pupils 3-16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 12 Proprietor Mr G and Mrs C Hill Chair Mr Graham Hill Headteacher Mrs Cheryl Hill Date of previous school inspection Not applicable Annual fees (day pupils) £3,000 Telephone number 01202 581116 Email address switchedonchristianschool@gmail.com 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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School details

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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School details

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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School details

inspects to 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 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,

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School details

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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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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