Christ Church CofE Primary School

Inspection of Christ Church CofE Primary School Sheinton Road, Cressage, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY5 6DH

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 3 and 4 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are at the heart and centre of Christ Church CofE Primary. They are welcomed to school with smiles by leaders and other staff. All staff know pupils and their families well. Staff make sure that each child’s individual needs are well understood and supported every day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have established their vision of ‘preparing, sowing, growing’. This is evident within the carefully planned curriculum. Leaders prepare their pupils very well for their next stages of education and for life in modern day Britain. Leaders have thought carefully about what pupils need as they grow into young adults. For example, leaders plan opportunities for pupils to practise their conversation skills. They know the importance of this when meeting new people.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders promote high aspirations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They carefully consider any barriers and disadvantage that pupils may have to learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils are given additional responsibilities across school. For example, older pupils are responsible for organising and setting up a special sport’s day for the whole school. Pupils work towards recognised certificates and awards in leadership.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour across school is exemplary. Pupils are highly respectful of each other and of all the adults in school.

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better?

The curriculum sets out the key knowledge and vocabulary leaders want pupils to know. This is planned in a logical order, so that pupils build on prior knowledge over time. Leaders carefully plan wider experiences to support pupils’ learning across all curriculum subjects. For example, in history, pupils were visited by an archaeologist who specialises in ancient Maya civilisations. As a result, pupils know more and remember more over time.

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better?

Some areas of the curriculum have recently been changed, such as mathematics. There is some variability in how the new parts of the curriculum are being taught. For example, in mathematics, teachers do not consistently present information clearly. There is also some variability in how reasoning and mathematical language are taught. This means that some pupils also lack depth in reasoning and mathematical language. Leaders are already aware of this and are beginning to address it.

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better?

Staff plan interesting activities to help improve children’s speaking and language skills in the early years. Both the indoor and outdoor learning environment are vibrant and well resourced. Routines are well established. Pupils are polite to each other, to adults and visitors. They know how to take turns and the importance of 3 and 4 July 2023

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sharing. However, the way the curriculum is sequenced is slightly disjointed. This means areas of learning do not always build in a clear logical way well enough.

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Leaders promote reading well across the school. Staff deliver the phonics programme effectively. Those pupils who need additional support receive this quickly. Pupils learn to read fluently and accurately as a result. The love of reading begins from the very start in early years. Children experience their teacher reading a variety of books to them, even before they start in the Reception class. Parents can access this through a video recording made by leaders. Pupils across school receive visits from authors, theatre companies and a mobile library.

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Leaders have highly effective systems in place to identify pupils with SEND. Leaders have created an inclusive school. Pupils who need specialist support are well cared for and supported by all staff. Leaders carefully consider what each pupil needs. This helps pupils have the best possible start in their life, including those who are disadvantaged.

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Pupils’ talents and interests are identified quickly by staff, such as in music and sports. These are well supported and pupils are given opportunities to develop them further. Pupils’ wider personal development is well planned and thought out. Leaders have identified clearly how they want pupils’ characters to develop into adulthood. This effectively prepares pupils as independent and active members of society.

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Pupils are highly motivated in all aspects of their school life. They show great care towards each other and support each other’s well-being. Pupils have a strong understanding about inclusion and diversity. They know how there are different types of people and families in modern day society.

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The headteacher leads with care and compassion. This is reflected in the highly positive comments pupils, parents, carers and staff make. Governors know their statutory duties well. They listen carefully to the needs of their community and stakeholders. Governors effectively support the headteacher in implementing changes for further improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive regular training in how to keep pupils safe. They know how to report concerns quickly. Staff understand the importance of raising all low-level concerns to leaders. Governors check the school’s safeguarding procedures closely. Leaders complete the required checks on all adults who work in the school. Leaders work effectively with local agencies and make sure families get the help they need quickly.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum teaches pupils about risks in the local area, such as water safety. Pupils feel confident to speak to any adult in school about their worries and concerns. Pupils know they will be listened to and their concerns taken seriously. 3 and 4 July 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have recently implemented a new curriculum in mathematics. The way teachers present information is not always clear and some pupils do not always fully understand the learning as a result. Leaders should ensure that teachers receive further support to enable them to deliver the planned mathematics curriculum more effectively.  There is variability in how mathematical reasoning is being taught. Pupils lack depth in reasoning and mathematical language, as a result. Leaders should continue their work to ensure that teachers have the necessary knowledge to implement this area of the mathematics curriculum successfully.  The early years curriculum is not fully coherent and not clear enough. This means that children learn in a disjointed way. Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum is well sequenced so that pupils can learn in a clear logical way 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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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. 3 and 4 July 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website http://christchurchcressage.co.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Christ Church CofE Primary School is part of the Diocese of Hereford. A Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) inspection took place on 5 October 2016.  The headteacher was in an acting role during the last inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school has a breakfast club and an after-school club. This is operated by an independent provider.

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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 school leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school. 3 and 4 July 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors held meetings with a range of leaders to discuss safeguarding, early years, provision for pupils with SEND and pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school.  Safeguarding documents were reviewed, including the checks that leaders make on staff’s suitability to work with children. The inspectors examined how staff

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implement safeguarding policies and procedures effectively across the school.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s Parent View, an online survey, and the free-text responses received during the inspection.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation provided by the school. This included the school’s self-evaluation, improvement priorities, relevant policies and curriculum documents, SEND records and minutes of meetings held by the governing body.

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Inspection team

Anna Vrahimi, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mary Maybank Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 July 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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