Christ Church CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Christ Church CofE Primary School Albert Street, Oldbury, West Midlands B69 4DE

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2023

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and being part of this inclusive school community. Everyone in school promotes the school’s SHINE values. Staff are determined that all pupils should be successful, happy, included, nurtured and enriched. Pupils, including the youngest children in Nursery, feel part of the school and grow in confidence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they feel safe in school. They learn to care for one another. Pupils say friendship is so important. They learn about being a good friend. Many pupils work hard and listen attentively in lessons. The majority have a positive attitude to learning. Some pupils struggle to behave well and at times this affects the learning of others. Pupils know what bullying is, they understand about different types of bullying. They say staff address bullying when it happens. Many parents agree, but not all.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Some pupils are not achieving as well as they could. The new leadership team is working swiftly to address this by improving the delivery of the curriculum. This is beginning to have a positive impact.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff provide pupils with an engaging range of experiences. Pupils appreciate the extra opportunities they have. These opportunities include deaf awareness events, trips and community activities such as film night.

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

The school is working to improve the quality of education at Christ Church. While the curriculum is ambitious in scope, it is not delivered consistently well in all subjects. This means that pupils are not achieving as well as they could and are not fully prepared for the next stage of their education. 11 and 12 October 2023

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Where subjects are more established, for example in mathematics, the school has set out what it wants pupils to learn. In these subjects, pupils’ new learning builds logically on what they know and can do.

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The school has changed its approach to the teaching of reading. Children get off to a quick start with phonics in Reception. Staff engage parents well through workshops and share information about the school’s reading programme. The books that pupils read are matched to the sounds they are learning. This helps pupils to practise their skills and reinforce their learning. In addition, the school provides staff with good-quality training. Teachers use regular checks to identify pupils who need extra help and those who are falling behind. However, these pupils do not always get the help they need to develop into fluent and confident readers.

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The school helps children settle into school life in the early years. Staff take the time to get to know pupils and help them learn the school routines. Staff care for children. They know and understand their interests. This helps staff develop learning that engages and excites children.

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Leaders work closely with staff to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff adapt their teaching so that all pupils can access the curriculum. Parents and carers are keen to be involved. For example, during the inspection, a workshop on communication and language was well attended by Reception and Nursery parents and carers.

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Some pupils with specific needs attend the school’s focus provision. These pupils are an active part of the school community. They learn a broad range of subjects that build their independence and confidence. Staff help pupils express and regulate their emotions. They work successfully with external specialists, including speech and language therapists to develop communication programmes.

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Most pupils behave well in lessons. However, there are a small number of pupils who find it difficult to manage their behaviour. This is because leaders have not ensured that staff consistently follow the school’s systems for recording and reporting incidents of poor behaviour. Consequently, leaders are not always able to identify and support pupils who may need additional help to improve their behaviour.

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The school provides a wide range of activities that go beyond the academic. Pupils are thoughtful and respectful. They enjoy learning about other religions. Pupils anticipate trips and residential visits eagerly. In addition, they are proud of their fundraising for local and national charities. These wider opportunities support pupils’ learning well.

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Staff show pride in their work in school. Leaders and governors are focused on what needs to improve at Christ Church.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 11 and 12 October 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils who are falling behind in reading do not get the help they need to catch up. This hampers their progress in reading and across the curriculum. The school should ensure all pupils are consistently supported to read with increasing accuracy and fluency.  The school has not ensured that the curriculum is delivered effectively in all subjects. Consequently, in some subjects, pupils do not learn the intended curriculum as well as they should. The school should ensure that curriculum leaders identify where pupils’ learning is less secure and act to support staff, so that pupils learn the key knowledge and concepts they will need for future success.  The school has not ensured that systems for recording and reporting incidents of poor behaviour are followed by all staff. As a result, some pupils who need additional support to improve their behaviour are not getting the help they need. At times, this

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

impacts on other pupils’ learning. The school should ensure that systems for recording poor behaviour are followed consistently and that it takes effective action to help pupils improve.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2018.

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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. 11 and 12 October 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 11 and 12 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a Christian ethos and is part of the Diocese of Birmingham. It was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in October 2016.  There have been significant changes in the school’s leadership team. The deputy headteacher and assistant headteachers have been appointed since the previous inspection.  There is a specially resourced-based provision for pupils with SEND. The school’s resource base, Focus Provision, provides for pupils with autism. There are 22 pupils on roll in this provision.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  There is a before- and after-school care provision that is managed by the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 11 and 12 October 2023

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and senior leaders to discuss school development.  Inspectors met with representatives of the governing body and had telephone conversations with representatives of the local authority and the Diocese of Birmingham.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those relating to safeguarding, pupils’ personal development, and behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work.

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 Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The views of parents and staff were also considered, including through Ofsted’s surveys.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding and puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Pamela Matty, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Gareth Morgan His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 October 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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