Christ Church CofE Primary School

Inspection of Christ Church CofE Primary School Batten Street, Battersea, London SW11 2TH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 1 and 2 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy here. They are taught to be respectful and to be ready for learning. Pupils appreciate the love, care and guidance that adults show towards them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils typically behave well. They are kind to and considerate of others. Pupils are confident and polite when speaking to adults and each other. They know how to raise concerns and who to speak to about them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff encourage pupils to respect people’s different beliefs. They are proud to represent the school in local competitions, such as reading and mathematics challenges.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to understand the importance of biodiversity and sustainability through the strong promotion of and participation in outdoor learning. The use of the school and community gardens enables pupils and staff to make positive links with parents, carers and local residents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils follow a broad curriculum. However, the school’s curriculum thinking is not strong. The key content and concepts that all pupils should learn are not explicitly defined in every subject. Sometimes, in some subjects, this means that pupils do not develop a rich understanding of crucial knowledge. As such, they are not strongly prepared for the next stages of learning.

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better?

In some subjects, the school identifies some important content and concepts it wants pupils to learn and remember over time. For instance, in art, pupils are taught a wide range of artistic techniques that build in complexity. They learn to use a range of techniques to explore impression and relief printing methods as they move through the school. Staff are proud to be part of the school. Leaders consider the well-being of staff. The school organises relevant professional development opportunities for staff. However, this has not ensured that teachers have sufficient subject expertise in developing the consistency and coherence of the delivery of the curriculum.

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better?

In other subjects, the school is in the early stages of breaking down the content into key building blocks that pupils should know. As a result, the school has not fully identified how knowledge and skills should build up in these subjects over time. The school has not ensured that teachers’ subject and pedagogical knowledge is secure. Sometimes, this means that pupils are taught incorrect information and become confused when misconceptions go unnoticed or unchallenged. In the early years, curriculum thinking does not ensure that children build their knowledge securely in the indoor and outdoor areas. The school does not make sure that learning in Nursery and Reception deepens children’s understanding across all areas of learning, including through practical and purposeful experiences. 1 and 2 November 2023

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Since the last inspection, the school has focused on strengthening the processes for identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders ensure that there are some effective opportunities in place to support pupils with SEND. Teachers are developing their skills in adapting teaching to meet the needs of all pupils. They do not use assessment routinely well to check pupils’ understanding. As a result, teachers are unclear about what pupils should know and can remember. In early years, opportunities to secure or deepen children’s understanding are sometimes not maximised. Adults’ interactions do not routinely encourage high- quality discussions, children’s thinking, or their use of imagination.

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The school is ambitious in wanting every pupil to develop a love of reading. Staff receive effective support from leaders and external advisers to ensure that the phonics programme is delivered consistently. Pupils regularly recite rhymes and rehearse different sounds. They use books that match the sounds they are taught. Staff help pupils at risk of falling behind to learn the sounds they should know. Adults suitably support pupils to read with increasing fluency.

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The revision to the school’s approach to behaviour management has led to significant improvements to pupils’ positive conduct, attitudes to learning and reduction in suspensions. Adults are consistent in ensuring that pupils learn to follow routines in meeting the school’s clearly defined expectations of behaviour. There is a coordinated approach from leaders and staff to improving pupils’ attendance and punctuality.

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The school thinks carefully about pupils’ personal development. For example, pupils learn about how to improve their social and emotional development, including positive self-esteem and self-control. They are supported in understanding the importance of making responsible decisions in their lives in relation to health and hygiene, including oral care.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not identified the key knowledge that pupils should know and remember in several subjects. This means that teachers are unclear about what pupils should learn. Consequently, pupils do not build a secure depth of knowledge and understanding in these subjects. The school should ensure that it clearly defines and sequences the key content and concepts pupils need to know in all subjects.  The school has not made sure that staff have had the appropriate training on improving subject-specific and pedagogical knowledge. As a result, teachers do not use assessment routinely well to check pupils’ understanding, which leads to 1 and 2 November 2023

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misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. The school should ensure that staff receive the training they need to develop expertise in teaching the curriculum with accuracy and precision, including the careful checking of what pupils know and remember.  In the early years, curriculum thinking does not ensure that children build up their knowledge securely in the indoor and outdoor areas. This limits children in accessing practical and purposeful learning experiences routinely. The school should continue to develop the full breadth and high-quality promotion of the early years curriculum securely.

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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’ 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). 1 and 2 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Rosemarie Davidson-Gotobed

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 July 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school makes use of an alternative provision.  The school has mixed-age classes. This arrangement consists of a mixed Nursery and Reception class, a mixed Year 1 and 2 class and a mixed Year 3 and 4 class.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the chair and members of the local governing body, a local authority and diocese representative, the headteacher, senior leaders, and a range of staff. 1 and 2 November 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, geography and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and considered pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in other subjects.  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 that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the views of parents, pupils and staff, including through Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Lascelles Haughton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jenell Chetty Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 November 2023

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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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