Christ Church CofE School

Inspection of a good school: Christ Church CofE School 47a Brick Lane, Spitalfields, London E1 6PU

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 February 2023

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Outcome

Christ Church CofE School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Christ Church CofE School are polite, friendly and inquisitive. They show respect and kindness to each other. This is a true community school. Staff build positive relationships with pupils and their families. They know and understand pupils well and do their very best to give pupils every chance of success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. From the early years, pupils meet these expectations. They work hard in class and achieve well. Staff praise and reward pupils for doing the right thing. Pupils value this, it motivates them to achieve more. Staff prepare pupils well for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well. This is a calm and orderly school. Bullying is rare. When it does happen, leaders deal with it immediately. It does not persist. Pupils enjoy school and play with each other happily at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Pupils are safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide a rich and diverse range of opportunities for pupils. Pupils experience frequent visits to the cinema, theatre and museums. They also go to a local farm and the beach. Pupils develop important skills for life and give back to others, both locally and globally, through charity work.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is well ordered so that pupils build up their knowledge and skills in increasing depth and complexity. In the early years, children learn the key knowledge they need to prepare them for Year 1. From Year 1 to Year 6, leaders have chosen curriculum topics that are relevant to pupils’ lives. These topics engage pupils’ interest. However, in some subjects, leaders have not precisely identified what they want pupils to learn. This includes both essential subject knowledge and subject-specific skills. 22 and 23 February 2023

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Leaders give high priority to reading. Pupils learn to read using phonics from the start of Reception. Teachers teach phonics well and pupils learn to read with fluency quickly. Those pupils who need extra help with reading receive it. Teachers check pupils’ progress in learning to read regularly. This helps pupils to catch up with their peers. A high proportion of pupils meet age-related expectations in reading at the end of Year 1. Pupils also develop a love of reading. From the early years, they take home a ‘reading for pleasure’ book. As pupils move through the school, they read a wide range of texts and poetry.

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Teachers present new information to pupils with clarity. They revisit what pupils have learned before and only move on to new learning when pupils are ready. Also, teachers give pupils time to apply their learning. For example, in mathematics, pupils practise answering questions about number and fractions. Teachers ask pupils questions and check pupils’ work. This helps to secure pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Pupils have very positive attitudes toward their learning. They listen to their teachers and focus on their work. Pupils learn without disruption.

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Leaders identify pupils’ needs well. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as other pupils. They get the help they need to achieve. Teaching assistants work with teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. They use extra resources to help pupils with SEND complete the same work as their peers.

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Pupils experience a rich and diverse programme of personal development. Pupils learn about issues such as relationships and physical and mental health in an age-appropriate way. Leaders have established partnerships with several organisations. These include local schools and churches, charities and businesses. Leaders plan memorable activities for pupils with these organisations. Pupils learn how to become active citizens. They develop their understanding of the arts, music and different cultures. Indeed, pupils begin to see the vast range of opportunities that life has to offer. Leaders show a commitment to developing pupils’ talents and interests. There are several school clubs that pupils can join, from sports to film and computing.

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Leaders provide pupils with a high-quality education, founded on a clear set of values. Members of the school community share the school’s values, from governors to children in the early years. Staff enjoy working at the school. They describe themselves as one big family. They work together in the interests of pupils and their families. Leaders value all staff, whatever their role. They listen to staff’s views. They ensure that the workload is manageable and promote staff’s well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive regular training and updates. This ensures that they maintain an alertness to the signs of potential risk in pupils. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. They report any concerns about pupils swiftly. Leaders work well with external agencies to secure the help pupils need. They also engage with parents and carers. Leaders organise parent workshops on safeguarding issues. They provide essential information to help parents understand the risks their children face. 22 and 23 February 2023

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They learn practical strategies to use should they find themselves at risk .

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, leaders have not precisely identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to learn. Also, they have not ensured that the curriculum in these subjects provides pupils with a systematic progression of subject-specific skills. This means that sometimes pupils are not secure in their knowledge and understanding of these subjects. Leaders should ensure that foundation subject leaders are provided with the training they need to become subject experts who are able to design and adapt subject curriculums which provide pupils with both a depth of knowledge and an increasingly developed understanding of subject disciplines.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 22 and 23 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.christchurchprimarybricklane.org

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses no alternative provision.  The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of London. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in December 2022.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, members of the leadership team, other school staff, members of the governing body, a representative from the local authority and a representative from the diocese.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with the subject leader, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 22 and 23 February 2023

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 The inspector met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead and looked at safeguarding documentation and record-keeping, including the single central record. The inspector also spoke with staff and pupils about safeguarding.  The inspector spoke to additional groups of pupils in relation to personal development.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey, staff survey and the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Ian Rawstorne, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 22 and 23 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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