Christ Church CofE Primary School

Christ Church CofE Primary School Church Road, Coseley, Bilston, WV14 8YB

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  A dynamic team of leaders of the highest quality have driven up achievement in this continually improving school.  Pupils make outstanding progress. They start school at levels that are frequently much lower than expected for their age. They go on to leave the school with standards that are higher, often much higher, than the national average.  The headteacher and the deputy headteacher have the very highest expectations of their staff. They have created a school in which outstanding teaching is what happens every day.  In every class new learning always starts with a story. Pupils explore many subjects through fresh, exciting and challenging texts.  Pupils make rapid progress in Nursery and Reception classes, quickly developing their speaking and writing skills.  The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They learn to take significant responsibility for themselves and for others. In lessons, they

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

work exceptionally well on their own, in pairs and in groups.  Pupils learn not to give up. They learn to expect to find obstacles in their path and how to overcome them.  While a strong Christian ethos informs every aspect of the school’s work, pupils show great respect for other faiths and understanding of other cultures.  Pupils feel safe and happy in this very caring school. They learn how to manage their own safety exceptionally well, both in their daily lives and when using the internet.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 20 lessons, of which five were joint observations with the headteacher or the deputy headteacher. In addition, the inspection team looked at pupils’ work in their books and listened to them read.  There were meetings with groups of pupils, senior leaders and representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 45 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and talked to parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors also considered the 48 responses to a staff questionnaire.  The inspection team examined the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress; planning and monitoring documentation; records relating to behaviour and attendance; and documents relating to safeguarding.  At the time of the inspection the majority of Year 2 were away from school on a residential course. Inspectors made a close examination of their books.

p.2

Inspection team

Richard Boswell, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Edgar Hastings Additional Inspector Rowena Green Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Christ Church is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The very large majority of pupils are White British.  The percentage of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium (which provides additional funding for students in local authority care, those known to be eligible for free school meals and students with families in the armed services) is average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action is above average. The proportion supported by school action plus or a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  The school runs a breakfast club on the premises.  The headteacher is a National Leader of Education and Christ Church is a National Support School, giving support and guidance to other senior leaders and schools.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the attendance of the small number of pupils who still miss too much school or are frequently late by  working more closely with parents and making more home visits where appropriate.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils make rapid and sustained progress through Nursery and Reception and consolidate their learning in Year 1 and Year 2. While results from tests at the end of Year 2 show pupils performing less well than those nationally, their progress from entry into the school is outstanding. Excellent achievement in Key Stage 2 results in pupils reaching standards above those found nationally and leaving the school having made progress that is above and often significantly above the national average.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are achieving exceptionally well and the progress of these pupils is not significantly different from their peers. The highest proportion of these pupils are supported by school action plus and they are exceeding national expectations of progress in reading and writing and are very close to this in mathematics.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Reading and writing are particular strengths in the school. Pupils in Year 1 performed better than nationally in the test of pupils’ knowledge and use of letters and sounds. At Key Stage 2, in these subjects, a greater proportion of pupils than those found nationally achieve not only the expected levels but also the higher levels as well.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils eligible for the pupil premium make outstanding progress from their starting points. Some of this funding is used for additional high quality teaching staff in lessons where targeted pupils can make more than four months progress in six weeks. The funding also provides accelerated tuition in phonics in Years 5 and 6. These sessions are screened every six weeks and there is clear evidence of their successful impact. As a result of these interventions the gap between these students and others in the school has closed in the last year to eight months in English and to ten months in mathematics.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 There is remarkable consistency of teaching strategies across the school from Foundation Stage to Year 6 and this has had a significant impact on pupils’ achievement. Pupils benefit greatly from their familiarity with call and response techniques such as ‘my turn, your turn’ and the powerful tool of the central story in each of their ‘learning journeys’.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Detailed planning is at the heart of the success of this school. Teachers constantly review and re-shape tasks and activities based on their ongoing assessment of their pupils’ progress and a dedicated team of assistants provide a steady stream of high quality resources. This means that teachers are able to focus their efforts on providing lessons rich with educational experiences for their pupils.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 While there is expert support from highly effective teaching assistants, class teachers recognise their responsibility for the progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and their planning enables all pupils to participate and make progress. Marking is highly focused with a changing group of selected pupils having all their work marked every day while all pupils are always very clear about what they need to do next in order to improve further.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The outstanding teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage results in the pupils making accelerated progress. Teachers working together as a team in the classroom is a feature throughout the school and is particularly evident in Nursery and Reception. There is a constant dialogue between pupils and staff and between staff themselves as they model the language for the pupils. In the Early Years Foundation Stage parents are helped to support their children’s learning at home through the increasingly popular ‘Stay and Learn’ sessions that are run during the school day.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The only subject taught outside of the themed ‘Learning Journeys’ is mathematics. There is a systematic and carefully planned progression in mathematical skills and areas of learning are re- visited and expanded. Teachers pay particular attention to developing the pupils’ thinking skills and their application of mathematics to the real world.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is outstanding. Inspectors saw excellent examples of pupils working together in lively discussions and then able to focus intently on individual problem-solving. Teachers’ records and discussions with pupils show that this is the normal expectation at this school.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 When asked about behaviour and safety, pupils were absolutely clear about the firm and fair use of rewards and sanctions and that any incidents of bullying are dealt with promptly. School records support this. School rules, expectations and values underpin a very positive ethos and there have been no permanent exclusions in the last year and only three short-term exclusions.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The mutual courtesy and respect seen between pupils and adults is well illustrated in the formal arrangements for school dinners. Every day staff go to considerable lengths with fresh flowers and table-cloths and, after saying grace, pupils respond with impeccable behaviour throughout lunchtime.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school works hard to promote regular attendance. Holidays are never authorised in term time and levels of pupil absence are now similar to other schools nationally. Levels of pupils’ punctuality are good and many pupils use the well-resourced and well-staffed breakfast club. The recent addition to the staff of a Parent Support Worker is beginning to improve attendance further. The senior leadership are aware that more can be done and that an increase in home visits would help to establish closer links with parents.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are immensely proud of their school and many take positions of responsibility. For example, the pupil-elected ‘Junior Leadership Team’ weekly uploads the latest attendance data and photographs of pupil activities to the school intranet. They also join senior leaders in lesson observations, making helpful contributions to managing their own learning. Pupils regularly initiate their own projects. For example a group of Year 6 ‘Young Apprentices’ demonstrated both empathy and entrepreneurial skills with a proposal to the headteacher for selling bookmarks, complete with prototypes, to raise funds for charity.

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher provides outstanding leadership that is both creative and dynamic. She is responsible for the innovative curriculum that is so well matched to the needs of the pupils. The learning of every class is built on carefully chosen books that allow pupils to explore religious, historical, geographical or other subject-based themes. In this way, the school’s claim that ‘every lesson is a literacy lesson’ is very well supported, with the focus always on language. This is the area that the school has rightly identified as in most need of support and is successful in tackling. The outstanding leadership and management is as evident in the Early Years Foundation Stage as it is in other years because of the remarkable progress that children make from the moment they enter the Nursery or Reception classes.  The school has clearly shown that it has the capacity to sustain improvements and the energy

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

and commitment of the headteacher and deputy headteacher are shared by the staff. They are overwhelmingly positive about the ‘in-house’ professional development provided by the school, on a weekly basis, that is of the highest quality. As a result a number of the very best performing teachers and leaders began their career at the school.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school fosters an appreciation of the arts to broaden pupils’ horizons and raise aspirations. Music and visual art are particular strengths, in addition to the focus on literature, with every opportunity being taken to celebrate achievement through display and performance. Songs and rhymes, heard in lessons and assemblies, are used to great effect across the school in order to promote learning and values.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The Christian ethos of the school is very evident not only in morning prayers and regular visits to the church but also in its strong code of conduct and through the teaching of religious education. Pupils are also given a broad awareness of the religious and cultural diversity of modern Britain with visits to mosques and temples as well as trips to London. An international dimension is added through the fund raising work of the pupils for Water Aid, for example, and through regular school trips to Europe.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive excellent support and guidance. The very well-targeted teaching of small groups of pupils, most often within the main class, is constantly analysed and modified as necessary. This is a highly inclusive school with no discrimination and all pupils have the same range of opportunities open to them.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The local authority recognises the strengths of the school and has asked the senior leadership to support other local schools and to share its outstanding practice. This has been a source of powerful professional development for many of the staff at Christ Church.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  The governing body makes a very valuable contribution to the outstanding success of the school’s leadership and management. Governors are well-trained and show a good understanding of information about pupils’ achievement both at the school and in a national context. They offer both support and challenge to the headteacher, for example ensuring that the benefits were maximised and any disadvantages minimised of being a National Support School for another local primary. A governors’ committee oversees the performance management of the headteacher and other staff, including their pay. Exceptional performance is rewarded by progress on the salary spine and the rare cases of underperformance are always tackled immediately and effectively. The governors show care and diligence in their handling of the school finances, including a clear understanding of the impact of funding

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

derived from the pupil premium. As well as additional teaching, this funding is used to help support the breakfast club, the position of a Family Support Worker and various enrichment activities.

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 103838 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 412380

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 598 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sue Ridney Headteacher Pat Hazlehurst Date of previous school inspection 27 November 2008 Telephone number 01384 818375 Fax number 01384 818376 Email address info@christ-ch.dudley.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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 .

p.8

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 and as part of the inspection.

p.9

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

p.9

School details

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, please

p.9

School details

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9