New Christ Church Church of England Primary School

Inspection of New Christ Church Church of England Primary School Milman Road, Reading, Berkshire RG2 0AY

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 September 2022

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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 21 and 22 September 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

New Christ Church is an inclusive school community. Pupils are proud to come to school and learn alongside their friends. Staff have prioritised building trusting relationships. They know all pupils well and make sure their needs are met. This helps pupils feel content, cared for and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values are known by pupils and deeply rooted. Pupils understand the importance of respecting themselves as well as others around them. They also learn to show resilience and take pride in their achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They aspire for every pupil to read fluently and quickly, especially those new to speaking English or new to the school. Pupils do their best to meet these ambitions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in class and around the school. If silly behaviour occurs, teachers take effective action to minimise the impact and get learning back on track. Pupils know the rules and follow them. They do not worry about bullying and are reassured teachers will listen to any concerns and take action quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are very supportive of the school, appreciating the care taken to get to know every single child and help them to feel that they belong.

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better?

Children get off to a strong start in Reception class. For example, they start learning to read quickly and begin to develop a secure understanding of numbers. Staff get to know children quickly and check their progress in all areas of their learning, especially their personal, social and emotional development. This means staff accurately identify any additional needs children may have and put the right adjustments in place to make sure all children keep up. Staff take every opportunity to use synonyms in learning activities so that children are exposed to a wide vocabulary.

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better?

Leaders have designed a well-crafted and coherent curriculum. For example, in mathematics the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and remember is identified precisely from the start of Reception to the end of Year 6. This helps ensure that pupils are ready for the next stage in their education. However, in some foundation subjects and some aspects of early years, the curriculum design needs further refinement as pupils do not learn as well as they could. For example, knowledge is not always built securely, step by step, and practised. Similarly, teachers do not always check for secure understanding as well as they should before moving the learning on. 21 and 22 September 2022

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Leaders have an unwavering determination to provide the best learning experience for all pupils, including the most vulnerable. For example, leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified effectively. They place no limit on any pupils’ learning or ambitions. Staff help all pupils to achieve well and play their part in the school community. Strategically, leaders have set up their own bespoke enhanced provision within the school’s ‘nest’. It provides therapeutic and targeted support for pupils with more complex needs, without lowering expectations.

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Pupils learn to read quickly and well. Leaders have ensured that staff are very well trained to deliver the phonics programme with consistency and skill. Regular assessments quickly identify and help plan support. Those who are learning to read and those new to speaking/learning English benefit from books which are carefully selected to build their confidence and fluency. For those few pupils who fall behind, tailored support continues as long as necessary. Teachers read to their classes daily to help foster a real love of reading. Within the school day, there is dedicated time for pupils to read for pleasure, discuss their reading choices and share recommendations.

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Pupils’ personal development is a growing strength of the school. They enjoy a range of extra-curricular activities, including in sport, music and craft, which help them cultivate new interests and develop their talents. The curriculum is thoughtfully enriched to deepen pupils’ learning and experiences. Pupils are knowledgeable and form well-founded and considered opinions. They are confident when speaking about cultural differences, disabilities and healthy relationships. They understand and feel strongly that everyone should be treated equally and fairly. Mental health concerns are spotted early and referred on to outside agencies if needed.

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Governors and trustees are knowledgeable, skilled and committed to the school. However, it is early in the recent relationship and each level of governance is still refining the most effective ways to challenge and support the school. Staff are proud to be part of the team and clearly enjoy working at this school. Staff value that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders take the safeguarding needs of all pupils seriously. They have devised and implemented rigorous procedures to ensure that records are maintained well. Leaders ensure that all staff are well trained and alert to any risk. Governors regularly monitor safeguarding practices in the school. The school has a strong culture of nurture as well as vigilance. Staff know the pupils as individuals and work as a team to care for them. Leaders work productively with families to help support them when there is any difficulty. Leaders communicate well with other agencies and are tenacious to secure the right resources for those who need help. 21 and 22 September 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, and in the early years, leaders have not precisely laid out what knowledge and skills pupils need to learn. This leads to teachers being unclear about what to teach across a series of lessons. Teachers require further training or support to sequence this curriculum content step by step.  Assessment within some foundation subjects, and in the early years, is not yet consistently in place. Teachers are therefore not always confident in knowing how secure pupils are in their understanding of key knowledge. Leaders should improve the effectiveness of assessment to ensure that pupils know and remember more across the school’s curriculum.

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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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 21 and 22 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10253985 Type of school Primary

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Headteacher

Alison Crooks and Joss Kitching (Co- Headteachers) Website www.newchristchurch.reading.sch.uk

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Headteacher

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school has been part of the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust (ODST) multi- academy trust since January 2022.  The school converted to become an academy in May 2018. When its predecessor school, New Christ Church Church of England (VA) Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  This school is a Church of England school. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in January 2020.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The co-headteachers were appointed in acting roles in September 2018. These became substantive appointments in May 2019.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 21 and 22 September 2022

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the co-headteachers and special educational needs coordinator.  The lead inspector met with four governors, including the chair of governors. He also met with two trustees, including the chair of trustees.  The lead inspector held a telephone call with a representative from the Diocese of Oxford.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed curriculum planning with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils and looked at their work. The lead inspector also heard pupils read to a known adult.  Inspectors checked a wide range of safeguarding documentation and school

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policies, including the single central record. They also reviewed the school’s records regarding child protection and welfare of pupils.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation, school improvement plan and relevant school policies.  Inspectors took account of parents’ responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, along with their written comments. An inspector also talked with parents on the afternoon of the first day of inspection.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views about their learning, what behaviour is like at the school and whether they felt safe. Inspectors also talked to pupils about their views on personal development and the wider school curriculum.  Inspectors met with a range of staff to gather their views on how leaders support them and took account of their responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Gareth Flemington, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Clare Wilkins Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 September 2022

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regulates and inspects 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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