Christ The King Catholic Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mr Peter Burke Headteacher Christ The King Catholic Primary School Scots Lane Coundon Coventry West Midlands CV6 2DJ

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Short inspection of Christ The King Catholic Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 13 February 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in March 2013.

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Short inspection of Christ The King Catholic Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I am of the opinion that the school has demonstrated strong practice and marked improvement in certain areas. This may indicate that the school is improving towards being outstanding. Therefore, I am recommending that the school’s next inspection be a section 5 inspection.

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Short inspection of Christ The King Catholic Primary School

Standards at this school are high. At the end of key stage 2, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard or above for their age in reading, writing and mathematics has been above average year after year. Pupils currently in the school are continuing to make strong progress because of effective teaching. Furthermore, pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and responsible conduct mean that they make the most of their time at school.

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Short inspection of Christ The King Catholic Primary School

Since your appointment as headteacher in September 2017, you have built further on the school’s existing strengths. Your strong and clear leadership, effective support from a knowledgeable governing body, and an enthusiastic and dedicated deputy who is part of an able leadership team ensure that the school is continually improving. You have put well-informed plans in place to secure ongoing and ambitious school improvement. Your team has worked successfully to tackle the areas for improvement identified by your previous inspection. You have now rightly set your sights on further developing the role of middle leaders and getting the best from most able pupils in key stage 1. Almost all of the parents who spoke with me, or responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, are extremely positive about the school and would recommend it to others without hesitation. Parents said that their children ‘love school’ and that

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Short inspection of Christ The King Catholic Primary School

as well as their children feeling ‘safe and secure’ everything in school was ‘coming on brilliantly’.

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Short inspection of Christ The King Catholic Primary School

Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. They are attentive in class, supportive of each other and eager to do the best that they can. Children I spoke with were unanimous in their praise for their teachers and the school. They appreciate how the school not only meets their academic needs, but also enriches their learning through themed events, such as science week, and a variety of extra-curricular clubs that they can attend.

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Short inspection of Christ The King Catholic Primary School

You are the main lead for safeguarding and ensure that appropriate cover is in place when you are absent. All staff know what to do if any safety concerns arise, and you keep them up to date through weekly updates and training days. Governors have been keen to ensure that that staff are vigilant in upholding the school’s safeguarding procedures. For example, they have formed a committee to identify ways in which the school can further develop online safety for its pupils. All the parents who spoke to me, and the overwhelming majority of parents who responded to Parent View, believe that the school helps to keep their children safe.

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Short inspection of Christ The King Catholic Primary School

Pupils said that they feel very safe and well cared for in the school. They feel confident that adults will help them if needed. Pupils are able to talk about the ways that they can stay safe in a range of situations, including in school and online.

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Short inspection of Christ The King Catholic Primary School

Leaders carry out all the correct checks on staff and visitors, and the school’s single central record is comprehensive and complete.

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Inspection findings

 Standards at the end of early years have been above national averages for the last three years. The school is quick to identify differences in achievement between different groups, such as boys and girls, and has worked with success to reduce these. The early years classrooms are vibrant, with both indoor and outdoor provision designed to stimulate learning. Under the guidance of a capable early years team, children grow in confidence and are very well prepared for learning in Year 1.  In key stage 1, staff capitalise on the strong grounding in phonics that pupils receive in the early years. Regular daily phonics sessions are brisk and purposeful, with everyone understanding routines and expectations. The school’s results in the Year 1 phonics screening check have risen over three years, with the 2017 results showing almost all children reaching the expected standard for their age.  There is some strong teaching in key stage 1, resulting in the majority of children

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Inspection findings

reaching the expected standard for their age in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2. Nevertheless, teaching does not always get the very best out of the most able pupils. For these pupils, the proportions attaining at greater depth are approaching those seen nationally, but there is scope for them to do even better, particularly in reading and mathematics. Evidence gathered during this inspection shows that you and your leadership team are alert to this and have matters in hand.  Progress across key stage 2 is excellent and standards at the end of Year 6 are high. For instance, pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics has been in the top 20% of schools for the last two years running, with mathematics being particularly strong and edging into the top 10%.  The school’s records show that the quality teaching is typically high. In the majority of lessons I visited, pupils’ learning behaviour was excellent and

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Inspection findings

teachers had a well-informed overview of the progress they were making. Special interest weeks, such a recent science week, generate lots of impressive work that is celebrated through some fascinating displays. For instance, one piece of recent work illustrates the effects of handling food with clean hands and dirty hands. This not only helps pupils to learn a lot about bacteria but also promotes healthy habits and an understanding of the relevance of science to our everyday lives.  Generally, teachers provide challenge for pupils, who respond well and show resilience. For example, in one lesson pupils were required to share their mathematical thinking with the whole class and justify their choices. They responded with keen interest that reinforced their learning and further developed their logical thinking.  Work in books shows that lessons are typically interesting and pitched at the right level for pupils’ different learning needs.

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Inspection findings

 Senior leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of teaching and learning in school, and use monitoring to provide both whole-school and specific next steps for individual teachers. Since your appointment, you have given all your senior and middle leaders more responsibilities and they have stepped up to this challenge with gusto. During this inspection, for example, leaders who met and spoke with me were well informed and presented a detailed knowledge of the quality of provision. They were able to present highly evaluative reports with next steps clearly identified. You know that there is a bit more work still to be done in order to further refine their leadership skills.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that they:

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Next steps for the school

 continue to develop the role of middle leaders  make sure the most able pupils do as well as they can in reading and mathematics by the end of key stage 1.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Archdiocese of Birmingham, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Coventry. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I met with you, senior leaders, staff and governors. I carried out short observations of teaching and looked at pupils’ work in books and on display. I talked with pupils in lessons and met with a group of pupils to gather their views. I spoke with parents at the beginning of the school day.

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Information about the inspection

By the end of the inspection, there were 73 recent responses on Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. I took account of these responses and a letter from a parent.

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Information about the inspection

I looked at several documents, including pupils’ progress information; the school’s own evaluation of its performance; development plans; external monitoring reports; and a range of school records. I observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school. I also checked the school’s website and the procedures for keeping pupils safe. I asked members of staff, pupils and parents about safeguarding matters.

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