Setting

Jim Kreiselmeier Headteacher Christ Church CEP Academy Brockman Road Folkestone CT20 1DJ

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Academy, Folkestone

Following my visit to your academy on 11 September, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the academy since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Academy, Folkestone

The visit was the second monitoring inspection since the academy was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in June 2013. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Academy, Folkestone

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. The academy should take further action to:

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Academy, Folkestone

 sharpen up all improvement plans so that they show clearly what difference the actions taken will make to pupils’ achievement.

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Evidence

During the visit, I met with you, the deputy headteacher, the chair of governors and an advisor from the local authority to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. You and I also visited most of the classes and I spent a little time in the hall at lunchtime. I looked at a number of documents such as the current school improvement plan, team leaders’ plans and information about how well the pupils are achieving in reading writing and mathematics. Tribal Kings Orchard One Queen Street Bristol BS2 0HQ T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0117 311 5359 Email : christina.bannerman@tribalgroup.com

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Main findings

The school has adopted a team approach to phase and subject leadership. These leaders now contribute to leadership and management, for example, by being involved in regular checking of teaching and learning. They are also driving improvement through their action plans. However, none of the different plans are explicit enough about what difference the actions taken are intended to have on pupils’ achievement.

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Main findings

Last academic year there was an improvement in pupils’ reading, writing and mathematics skills across all age groups. This was particularly noticeable in the Early Years Foundation Stage and at the end of Key Stage 2. We discussed the rate of progress expected in Key Stage 1 and you are going to review this to make sure expectations are high enough for these pupils. During our visits to the classrooms the atmosphere around school was settled, purposeful and positive. Pupils were taking care to present neat, accurate work. An agreed marking policy is now in place throughout the school and now the focus is on making sure that the feedback pupils receive on their work is used more effectively to help them to improve.

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Main findings

Governors take a keen interest in school life and visit to see what planned improvements look like in practice. For example, the chair of governors has attended several meetings held regularly with class teachers to discuss pupils’ progress and has put forward suggestions about how these could be made more effective.

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Main findings

Ofsted may carry out further visits and, where necessary, provide further support and challenge to the school until its next section 5 inspection.

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External support

The school continues to work with colleagues from other local schools to share ideas, expertise and training. You have evidence to show how this mutual support has brought about improvements in the quality of teaching.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Children’s Services for Kent and the Diocese of Canterbury.

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