Christ Church Primary School

Inspection of Christ Church Primary School Byng Road, Christ Church Primary School, Barnet, Hertfordshire EN5 4NS

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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 Previous inspection grade Good 4 and 5 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this caring school. Leaders and staff know their pupils very well. Pupils are at the heart of everything leaders do. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff ensure that the curriculum provides a range of rich experiences. This reflects leaders' commitment to enabling all pupils to take part in a wide range of visits and activities. Pupils enjoy outdoor learning and outings to museums. Most pupils learn the knowledge and skills that they should in their different subjects. Leaders ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Pupils are safe. They know that staff will always listen to their concerns and take prompt action. Pupils are polite and respectful towards each other . On the rare occasion when bullying occurs, it is dealt with swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have ensured that there is a strong and harmonious partnership with parents and carers. Parents are full of praise for this nurturing school. Typical comments from parents included ‘The school feels like a big family and is full of love and encouragement.’

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better?

Leaders have developed a broad curriculum that supports pupils’ educational and personal achievements. The early years programme addresses all the required areas of learning and development well. Senior leaders see the curriculum as being central to their ambition to inspire pupils.

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better?

Pupils, including those with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language, receive excellent attention to identify their needs. Leaders ensure that pupils receive the help they need. This may include working with external agencies to provide the necessary support .

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better?

Leaders sequence the curriculum well. They make sure it provides opportunities for pupils to revisit prior knowledge. Teaching encourages pupils to think and discuss their learning. Pupils receive work that helps them accomplish the ambitious aims of the curriculum, including in mathematics and English. Pupils build up their knowledge securely in other subjects.

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better?

Leaders in the early years use assessment well. Teachers keep parents up to date with their child’s learning and development. By the end of Reception, children are well prepared for the move to Year 1. Further up the school, occasionally, teachers do not check enough what pupils know and understand. In a few subjects, this means that pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. 4 and 5 October 2022

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Leaders have introduced a new reading programme. Pupils enjoy reading. They learn phonics right from the beginning of Reception, where children start recognising letter sounds and reading words. Leaders have invested in books which interest and enthuse pupils. Leaders have ensured that staff have expert knowledge for teaching reading. Where a pupil may be at risk of falling behind the others in building reading fluency, they receive the help they need to keep up.

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Most pupils are positive about their learning. In Years 1 to 6, low-level disruption in class occasionally disrupts delivery of the curriculum.

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Leaders promote personal development well, including in the early years. Pupils are taught about different cultures and faiths. They are encouraged to understand the difference between right and wrong. Pupils aspire to be active citizens. Older pupils support younger ones, including with their reading and by looking after them during playtimes. Pupils revel in taking on leadership roles as house captains or school council representatives. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Staff appreciate the efforts leaders make to ensure that their workloads are managed. Parents speak highly of leaders’ clear communication and the many ways that they can get involved with the life of the school. This helps them to understand the school’s curriculum and to support their children’s learning at home.

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The governing body has devised a suitable strategic plan to support the school. They hold leaders to account effectively for all aspects of school improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a school where everyone takes safeguarding seriously. They provide staff with regular training and reminders on safeguarding issues. Staff keep a watchful eye on pupils who might be at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation and report any possible issues. Leaders make sure that any concerns over pupils’ welfare are pursued thoroughly. They keep detailed records of their actions. Leaders work closely with parents and outside agencies to secure help for vulnerable pupils.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are guided to keep themselves safe, including when online. Staff always encourage pupils to talk about any worries they may have. Pupils have a strong awareness of the potential dangers, both inside and outside of school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In Years 1 to 6, sometimes teachers do not check what pupils know and remember and identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. In some subjects, it is difficult for pupils to learn new concepts, where previous learning is not in their long-term memory. Leaders need to ensure that teachers check what their pupils know and 4 and 5 October 2022

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remember and use the information to ensure that any gaps are addressed before moving on to new subject matter.  Occasionally in Years 1 to 6, a small number of pupils’ behaviour affects their own learning and that of their peers. Leaders need to make sure that all teachers consistently apply the school’s behaviour policy and, when needed, provide pupils with extra support, so that low-level disruption does not affect how the curriculum is taught.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents 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. 4 and 5 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240881 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The chair of the governing body was appointed in September 2021.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is a voluntary aided Church of England school. It last had a section 48 inspection in July 2015.  The school runs a before-and after-school club.  There is a holiday-club on the school’s site, which is not managed directly by the school.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 4 and 5 October 2022

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 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative from the local authority.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector also spoke with subject leaders about the science curriculum and the personal, social, health and economic education at the school.  The lead inspector met with the leaders with responsibility for safeguarding lead. Inspectors also reviewed documentation relating to safeguarding, including the single central record.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation during the inspection, including

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information about the curriculum and the school’s self-evaluation.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils and teachers.  Inspectors visited the breakfast club and a sports club before the start of the school day.  Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Parent View, and responses to the online survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Rosemarie Kennedy, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Bryant Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 October 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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