Kingdom Christian School

Inspection of Watchorn Christian School 2, Derby Road, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7AQ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy and enjoy learning at Watchorn Christian School. Pupils feel safe because they know everyone at the school. One child said, ‘I like this school because everyone is kind. I have made lots of new friends.’ Pupils play and work together well. When two pupils were building a den in the playground, one child said, ‘Team work is dream work.’ This chant is promoted by all staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take joy in learning new knowledge and are eager to tell people what they know. Recently, pupils have learned about fair trade. Pupils could explain articulately about the difference fair trade buyers can make to farmers in developing countries. Teachers have high expectations for pupils. Pupils produce good-quality work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are eager to earn reward stamps for good work. Pupils said that bullying does not happen and occasions when pupils fall out with each other are rare. They are confident that adults would resolve issues if they had any.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All parents and carers would recommend the school. One parent said, ‘This is a small school which is wonderful for all the children. It is like a big family. The staff are amazing.’ This comment was typical of the views of parents.

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better?

The proprietor and school leaders have designed a curriculum, ‘To reach the heart and minds of each child, to help shape their character and progress their academic ability.’ Pupils are respectful of each other and demonstrate kindness. When a group of pupils played football at lunchtime and younger children did not follow the rules, the older pupils did not show frustration, but understood that others are learning.

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better?

The curriculum is well-planned. Pupils demonstrate good attitudes to learning and retain new knowledge in a range of subjects. Pupils achieve well.

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better?

Leaders place a strong focus on teaching pupils to read. They have invested in a new phonics scheme and staff have had initial training to help them teach the programme. Staff have also led a workshop for parents to show them how the school teaches reading. Parents appreciated the workshop.

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better?

Leaders have planned texts which will be read in each year group to ensure that pupils enjoy a wide range of fiction. Teachers have also planned which nursery rhymes they want children to know off by heart in the early years. Phonics is taught daily. Regular assessments check whether pupils have remembered the sounds and high-frequency words that they have been taught. If pupils are at risk of falling behind, they receive extra support to help them remember the sounds they have been taught.

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better?

Pupils are heard to read regularly in school. Adults support pupils to read the sounds accurately. However, adults do not always encourage pupils to read fluently by 8 to 10 March 2022 asking them to re-read sentences once they have decoded the words. This slows the progress of younger pupils to read fluently. Nonetheless, most older pupils read fluently and with good expression. Pupils enjoy reading and demonstrate a good understanding of what they have read.

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better?

In the early years, the children have a good start in mathematics. Children are encouraged to know numbers and count objects accurately to make sure they understand the value of numbers. Children are also learning about doubling. One child in Reception knew that four plus four is eight when he was using pipe cleaners to make a spider’s legs. Older pupils are learning their times tables well.

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better?

Leaders know what they want pupils to achieve in each area of the curriculum for every year group. Teachers ask questions and use tests to check how well pupils are achieving. In science, pupils have a good understanding of how to carry out a fair investigation and write conclusions. Pupils enjoy programming and could explain how they have created a character which moves in a computer game. In English, pupils spell well and write persuasively to engage the reader.

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better?

The curriculum is enhanced through visits and inviting visitors into school. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about their visit to Chesterfield where they studied the Romans. However, pupils could not remember some concepts that they had been taught about the Romans. For example, although pupils had looked at a map of the Roman empire, they could not define ‘empire’. Pupils are not remembering historical concepts and knowledge as well as they should. All pupils enjoyed the visit from the dental nurse and learned how to brush their teeth correctly and the dangers of drinking too many sugary drinks.

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better?

The school identifies the support required for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) early. Leaders have worked closely with a speech and language therapist to support young children’s language and communication needs. Parents are appreciative of the extra support provided for pupils with SEND to meet their needs.

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better?

Pupils’ spiritual and moral development is promoted very well. Pupils learn about the needs of others and are eager to support people. Pupils raised donations for a local food bank and reached their target of 200kg, which is the average weight of a lion, the school’s mascot. The school’s ethos encourages pupils to respect everyone and teaches them that there can be a range of family structures. Pupils learn about different religions and cultures. They have tasted spicy food from traditional African dishes and celebrated Chinese New Year.

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better?

Staff are very happy at the school and feel well supported by leaders and governors. Governors visit the school regularly and hold leaders to account by checking the implementation of the school’s development plan. Leaders and governors have ensured that the school meets all the independent school standards and the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage. The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. 8 to 10 March 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The school’s safeguarding policy, which reflects the latest guidance, is available on the school’s website. Staff are vigilant and report to leaders any concerns about pupils. Leaders work well with external agencies to meet the needs of pupils.

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Safeguarding

Governors are proactive at checking whether pupils are safe. They have carried out a safeguarding questionnaire with parents and have asked pupils about whether there is any bullying. Pupils said there was none.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are aware of local safeguarding concerns. Pupils have been taught in an age-appropriate way how some people can make bad choices and how they can be supported to make better choices.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Pupils are taught to read accurately using phonics. However, adults are not encouraging those pupils at an early stage of reading to read fluently. Consequently, pupils are not developing their reading fluency as quickly as they could. Adults should ensure that their approach to teaching reading enables all pupils to gain confidence in reading fluently.  Pupils are being taught a history scheme of work which plans to build pupils’ knowledge. However, pupils are not remembering key facts and concepts that have been taught. Leaders should ensure that teachers understand how best to teach knowledge so that pupils can recall and use it to build their understanding over time.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the provider and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 8 to 10 March 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 144806 DfE registration number 830/6044

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School details

Inspection number 10217813 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Proprietor Watchorn Christian School Limited

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School details

Co-headteachers Shani and Mark Ozenbrook

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School details

Website www.watchornchristianschool.co.uk

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School details

Email address sozenbrook@watchornchristianschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 to 28 June 2018 8 to 10 March 2022

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Information about this school

 Watchorn Christian School is located in the premises of Watchorn Church, Derby Road, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7AQ.  The school has a Christian ethos. The school’s curriculum policy aims for pupils to ‘strive for the highest standards’ and ‘work heartily as for the Lord’ to ‘achieve their maximum God given potential.’  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The two co-headteachers work part time.  The school’s last standard inspection took place on 26 to 28 June 2018. The school was judged to be good. A material change inspection took place on 23 April 2020. This inspection checked whether the school would meet the independent school standards if the upper age limit of pupils for whom the school is registered to teach increased from seven years to 11. The Department for Education approved this material change.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection 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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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the two co-headteachers and three governors, including the chair of governors. The governors represent the proprietor. Inspectors also met with three teachers.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, English, mathematics, geography, and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also met with leaders to discuss the other curriculum areas. Inspectors looked at curriculum plans and pupils’ work for these curriculum areas.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors looked at the single central record to check that appropriate checks had been carried out on adults who work or volunteer at the school. Inspectors also checked records of safeguarding training for staff. Inspectors spoke with leaders to gain their understanding of local safeguarding concerns. They also 8 to 10 March 2022 spoke with staff to check their understanding of how to report a safeguarding concern.  Inspectors toured the school, spoke with parents and staff, and reviewed school documentation to check that the school is meeting the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

Martin Finch, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Liz Moore Ofsted Inspector 8 to 10 March 2022 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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