Leeds Christian School of Excellence

Leeds Christian School of Excellence Reconciliation Centre, Avenue Hill, Leeds LS8 4EX

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and managers have not ensured that all of the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection have been addressed.  Teachers do not get sufficient opportunity to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning.  Pupils do not have a clear understanding of the skills they must improve to reach higher standards.  Governors do not have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and, consequently, support and challenge is not effective.  In some lessons, particularly at the beginning, the work some pupils complete is not challenging enough.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The standard of presentation and spelling is very good across all subjects.  Teachers make learning fun and take great care of pupils’ emotional needs. Consequently, pupils love coming to school.  New pupils often make outstanding progress when they first join the school as their emotional and individual needs are very well met.  Pupils’ knowledge of different cultures and religions is good.  The proprietors have ensured that the necessary action is taken to make sure all of the independent school standards are consistently met.  Pupils make good progress from a range of starting points, across all subjects, but particularly reading and French.  Pupils generally behave well throughout the day. Relationships are strong and pupils of all ages mix well together.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by ensuring that: – all areas for improvement raised at the previous inspection and this inspection are effectively addressed – governors have a better understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses so that they can support and challenge the headteachers more effectively – the headteachers have the opportunity to reflect on and receive feedback on the quality of their teaching so that more can be outstanding.  Improve teaching and learning to speed up progress by ensuring that: – pupils, particularly the most able, do not waste valuable learning time completing work that is not giving them a greater depth of learning – pupils have a clearer understanding of what they must do to improve their work.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders and managers have not addressed all areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. Therefore, improvements have not been as rapid as they could have been.  The headteachers know their school well and they are acutely aware of its strengths and weaknesses but, due to teaching commitments, do not have the time to address all areas of weakness thoroughly enough, such as evaluating the quality of teaching.  Pupils cover a wide range of subjects which interest them and engage them in learning. Learning is enhanced by visits and good use of the outside space and adjacent park which support pupils’ good personal development and progress.  Pupils know that we live in a diverse society and have mature and positive attitudes about that diversity. A strength of the school is the depth of knowledge the pupils have about different cultures and religions around the world and in Britain. This supports pupils’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Headteachers allow pupils time in assemblies to discuss events that are happening in the world today. These discussions and those in other lessons help promote, and allow pupils to consider, British values.  The headteachers, as proprietors, have ensured that all independent school standards have been met.  Parents are well informed about what happens in school. They are confident that their children are safe and happy and making good progress. Some parents comment that their children make outstanding progress, particularly when they initially join the school.

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Governance

 Governors are keen for the school to improve but currently do not have the expertise to fulfil their responsibilities, as identified at the last inspection. Therefore, they do not support and challenge as effectively as they could to support school improvement.  Governors and school leaders have addressed some of the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection, but not all of them. They do not have a clear idea of the current strengths and weaknesses of the school.  Governors have attended appropriate safeguarding training. The safety of pupils is an agenda item at every governors’ meeting so that any issues can be appropriately identified and addressed.  Some governors have attended training to help them fulfil their role more effectively. The impact of this training is not yet evident.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. A culture of safeguarding is evident in school.  Both headteachers have appropriate and regular training so that they can fulfil their roles effectively. They have ensured that a compliant safeguarding policy is implemented correctly and is available for parents on the school website.  The headteachers are proactive in making links with the local authority so that they know what to do and who to turn to if they have any concerns.  Part-time volunteers and staff have read appropriate documentation regarding keeping pupils safe and know what to do if they have any concerns.  Parents comment on the good communication they have with the school which reassures them that their children are safe and happy.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers make learning fun. Pupils were highly engaged through games and hands-on activities, such as mathematics games and drama.  Teachers act as excellent role models in using appropriate mathematical and grammatical vocabulary. Consequently, pupils’ use of correct terminology is good.  Pupils’ presentation of work and the standard of their spelling is consistently high across all subjects due to the high standards that teachers set.  Teachers have built extremely good relationships with pupils. This enables pupils to have the confidence to ask for help when they need it and not be afraid to make mistakes.  Teachers question pupils well throughout lessons so that they can make a judgement on their depth of understanding and then help them accordingly.  Pupils undertake regular standardised assessments and teachers use standardised assessment criteria to gain an accurate picture of what they have achieved and what the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

next steps of learning need to be. They use this information well to plan learning. Consequently, pupils’ work in books clearly demonstrates how pupils move on and learn at a greater depth.  During lessons, teachers keep a close eye on the progress of every pupil. They intervene appropriately, giving valuable suggestions and feedback to help pupils understand and complete the task set. This means that the rate of learning is generally strong throughout lessons. However, occasionally pupils spend too long completing tasks when they could move on to more challenging learning.  Although pupils know how to improve the task they are completing, they do not know what skills they should be working on over time, for example punctuation. Consequently, some weaknesses are not being consistently addressed and this slows improvement.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils have a good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, such as when using the internet. Learning about the effect of drugs on the body also led to mature and in-depth discussions about how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations.  Pupil’s interpretation of the word bullying is concise and accurate. Although they know what to do if they think they are being bullied, pupils confidently say that they have never been bullied at this school.  Pupils feel that their personal well-being is well supported. They talk about how kind the teachers are and how they feel very safe in school. They say that if they have a problem, they know the teachers would listen and try to help them.  Teachers instil the British values of mutual respect and tolerance into every day. This leads to pupils having a healthy respect for those with different lifestyles and beliefs.

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Personal development and welfare

Opinions expressed by pupils are mature and well considered.  Pupils have respect and take great pride in wearing their school uniform and in taking care of the school environment. They take on some roles of responsibility but are capable of taking on more.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They need little adult supervision to ensure that behaviour remains good.  Pupils enjoy coming to school as the high rates of attendance demonstrate.  Pupils of all ages mix well together and they respect the needs of pupils who are younger or older than themselves.  Pupils are polite, respectful and welcoming to those regularly in school and to visitors.  Occasionally, low-level disruption affects learning in lessons.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 From a range of starting points, pupils make good progress and sometimes outstanding progress, such as in French and reading. Standards reached and the breadth of learning enable pupils to be well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Pupils make excellent progress and reach higher standards in reading compared to other pupils of the same age nationally. They read a range of texts on a daily basis and regularly read to adults. A wide range of up-to-date fiction and non-fiction ensures that pupils have a wealth of stimulating texts to choose from.  The knowledge pupils gain about different cultures and religions is generally exceptional. They learn about different beliefs through a range of activities and gain a very sound knowledge and understanding.  New pupils, from low starting points, often make outstanding progress as they quickly settle in and reach the levels of attainment that they are capable of.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils make good progress in mathematics and reach standards that are appropriate for their age. Work in books demonstrates a range of skills learned and a developing depth of understanding. When asked, pupils are able to use the skills they have learned with confidence.  Although progress made in writing is not as strong as in other subjects, this is an improving picture. The non-negotiable high expectations for spelling and other literacy skills are supporting this improving picture.  Occasionally, most-able pupils are not making progress as quickly as they could as they spend valuable learning time completing work that is not as challenging as it could be.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, 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 Independent Christian school

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School details

Proprietor Leeds Christian School of Excellence Ltd

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School details

Headteachers Pat Simpson and Annemarie Linton

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School details

Website www.leedsschoolofexcellence.wordpress.com

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Information about this school

 Leeds Christian School of Excellence was last inspected in June 2014, when it was judged to be good.  The school has two proprietors. The proprietors are the only full-time teachers in school.  The school registered as having a religious character, is able to accept up to 25 pupils. There are currently six pupils on roll. No pupils have a disability, a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  Pupils are taught in a building set in church grounds. Pupils also have access to a room and a large hall in the church building.  The school’s mission is to provide ‘good quality learning in a fun way within a caring and secure environment’ based on ‘Christian principles’.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out over two and a half days by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors.  The inspector held meetings with both proprietors and with three representatives of the governing body. This included the chair of governors and the safeguarding governor. The inspector also spoke to a part-time teacher.  Pupils’ learning and behaviour was observed throughout the day in both classrooms and in the outside environment.  The inspector listened to several pupils read and spoke to all of the pupils about their work and their well-being. The work in the books of every pupil was considered.  Six responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were received but were too few to analyse. Three written responses were received and the inspector spoke to one parent. These opinions were taken into account.  The inspector toured the buildings both inside and outside to ensure that the relevant

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Information about this inspection

independent school standards were met and that pupils’ welfare is taken into account.  The inspector examined school documentation, including a range of policies required as part of the independent school standards. Documents relating to safeguarding, behaviour and welfare, as well as health and safety documents, were also studied.

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Inspection team

Jo Sharpe, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

Parent View 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.

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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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