St Christopher's Church of England School

Inspection of St Christopher’s Church of England School Lechlade Road, Langford, Lechlade, Gloucestershire GL7 3LA

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 2 and 3 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know every child at this school really well and put them at the heart of everything they do. Leaders have extremely high standards for all. The school’s vision of ‘be the best’ is truly part of day-to-day life. The vision is threaded through everything staff and pupils do. The ‘Shine principles’ ensure that pupils strive to be the very best version of themselves. Every child knows these values and demonstrates them around the school in their conduct and interactions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind and respectful towards each other and feel safe and happy in school. They say that bullying is rare and that if there were incidents, they are confident these would be dealt with quickly. Warm relationships between adults and pupils are evident. Leaders have high expectations of pupils and what they can achieve. As a result, the curriculum is engaging, and pupils love learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have ensured that pupils can take part in a wide and rich range of clubs and experiences. Pupils relish the opportunities available to them, such as school council, eco-council and spirituality club. They fundraise for local charities as well as more well-known, national ones.

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better?

Leaders have created a broad and ambitious curriculum that is carefully sequenced from early years through to key stage 2. There are clear plans in place that identify the important knowledge for the majority of subjects. In subjects such as mathematics, art and geography, pupils get the opportunity to build effectively on past learning. This ensures that pupils remember the key facts before moving on to new learning. In subjects such as music and computing, leaders have not yet mapped out key knowledge to match the ambition of the other curriculum areas.

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better?

Reception children receive an excellent start to their school life. They experience a rich curriculum that is engaging and well thought out. Their interests are clearly prioritised through the topic work, and as a result, children in early years are motivated and highly engrossed in their learning.

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better?

From the moment children start in Reception, they begin to learn to read through effective phonics teaching. This continues into Year 1 to ensure that pupils become fluent readers. Teaching of phonics is consistently accurate across the school. Teachers act quickly to close any gaps, so that pupils catch up with their peers. Leaders have matched reading books to the sounds that pupils are learning. They also ensure that pupils love reading and have access to a range of different books and genres. The whole school is excited about the new library, which will be opening soon. Through experiencing the rich variety of books, children from Reception upwards develop an ambitious vocabulary.

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better?

Pupils know the expectations of them and want to always try to be the very best. Pupils listen well in lessons and are well behaved. Sometimes, a very small minority 2 and 3 February 2023

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of pupils do not always behave as expected. This is swiftly dealt with by adults. Leaders are determined to enhance their policies and training to ensure that all staff are empowered to deal with any poor behaviour choices in a restorative way.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly and are exceptionally well supported in their class. They have access to the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders have thought carefully about the appropriate adaptations needed for pupils with SEND to succeed.

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The work of leaders to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural experiences is of exceptional quality. Pupils demonstrate a deep understanding of respect and friendship and feel that everyone would be welcome at the school. One pupil said, ‘We are full of uniqueness, and this is a unique school.’ Leaders ensure that there is a rich set of experiences that deepen pupils’ character development. There is an impressive range of clubs and visitors to the school from which all pupils benefit. Every pupil feels that they know they can go to any adult for support if needed. For example, pupils from armed forces families have their own club and support.

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Trust leaders and governors are equally ambitious for the pupils. They support and challenge appropriately and really demonstrate how well they know the school and the community. They are mindful of staff well-being and workload and offer a range of support to help leaders and staff. All staff are proud to work at this school and are offered a range of training and development opportunities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding and ensure that staff are well trained to be able to support the pupils in their care. There is a highly vigilant culture among staff, and staff clearly know to whom to report concerns.

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Safeguarding

The trust and governors ensure that their statutory duties in relation to safeguarding are met and that there are clear challenges and checks in place. This includes safer recruitment training.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know to whom they can go if they have a worry or concern and made reference to the safeguarding pictures around the school. Pupils have a clear understanding of online safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not yet well sequenced in subjects such as computing and music. As a result, pupils do not learn and remember knowledge and skills as well 2 and 3 February 2023

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in these subjects. Leaders should make sure that each subject is planned and implemented to the high standards evident in subjects such as art and geography, so that pupils receive a consistent quality of education across all subjects.  The school’s inclusive behaviour policy is not yet fully embedded. As a result, the consistency of support some pupils receive when making the wrong behaviour choices is not always as expected. Leaders should ensure that all staff are fully trained to apply the school’s approach consistently, in line with leaders’ expectations.

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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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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Date of previous inspection

28 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust.  The school has a religious character and is part of Oxford Diocese. Its most recent section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character took place in July 2015.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club on site.

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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 had 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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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 Inspectors carried out four deep dives in early reading, mathematics, art and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the coordinator for provision for pupils with SEND, and the teaching and learning leader.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of documents provided by the school.  An inspector met with representatives from the trust, the local governing board and the diocese.  Inspectors met with pupils, parents and carers, and staff and also took into consideration the feedback from their respective Ofsted questionnaires.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons.

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Inspection team

Simon Woodbridge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Brinkley Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 February 2023

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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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