Christ Church CofE Primary School

Inspection of Christ Church C of E Primary School Clarence Road, Kilburn, Christ Church C of E Primary School, Brondesbury NW6 7TE

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 17 and 18 April 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a calm, purposeful and happy ambience at this school, with strong working relationships between pupils and adults. Everyone is cared for. Pupils are confident that adults will always listen to their concerns and help them.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school strives to ensure that all pupils succeed in their studies and social development. Pupils correctly said that teachers make sure that they learn a lot and prepare them well for the next phase of their education. Many new pupils join this diverse school community during the year. They are immediately buddied up with a classmate. This helps them to quickly feel part of this welcoming school community. Several newcomers are new to speaking English. They are paired up with pupil `language ambassadors’ who speak the same language as them. This eases their transition into school life.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

From the start in early years, staff communicate and reinforce the school’s values and expectations. Across the school, pupils respect and value everyone, no matter what their differences. On the odd occasion when misbehaviour occurs, staff support the pupils involved to reflect on the impact of their actions on others and themselves. This leads to appropriate apologies and forgiveness. Rarely does the poor behaviour reoccur.

p.2

better?

The school’s curriculum covers the full breadth of the national curriculum. School leaders keep their curriculum thinking and planning under regular review. They are adept at identifying and acting on areas that could be even better to meet the needs of all groups of pupils. This means that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), those who speak English as an additional language (EAL) and pupils who join the school at different points, achieve well across the subjects.

p.2

better?

Subject leaders put in place and adapt well-sequenced schemes of work, drawing on externally available materials to support their approach. The school’s curriculum thinking ensures that teachers build up pupils’ knowledge step by step. Teachers benefit from access to subject-specific training and quality teaching resources. These support them in delivering effective series of lessons. Teaching provides pupils with many opportunities to revise prior learning. This helps pupils to embed key knowledge in their long-term memories. Teachers keep a regular check on pupils’ progression. They use this assessment information well to address misconceptions and gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The early years curriculum is well thought through and established. It prepares children well for entry into Year 1. In a small number of subjects, leaders introduced new curriculum thinking at the start of this academic year. Although early indications are positive, the changes are not fully implemented.

p.2

better?

In a few instances, teaching expertise and confidence are not sufficiently advanced 17 and 18 April 2024

p.2

3

to deliver high-quality learning in these subjects. This means that some pupils are not achieving as well as they could.

p.3

3

There are secure systems to identify, assess and plan for the needs of pupils with SEND. Suitable adjustments are made to teaching and resources to meet their bespoke needs. This enables them to access the curriculum and gain new knowledge. Equally, pupils who speak EAL are given appropriate support. This helps them to gain confidence to speak and write English with fluency. New arrivals to the school are assessed at an early stage. The information gathered is used wisely in putting in place the right teaching support, such as for phonics. It also informs other extra catch-up support as needed.

p.3

3

The teaching of reading is a high priority. All staff have the expertise to teach phonics effectively. They make sure that pupils have lots of reading practice with books that match the sounds that they know. All who fall behind are helped to catch up quickly. The class reading ambassadors play a key role in encouraging their peers to read a range of books. Pupils become confident and fluent readers. They develop a love of reading for pleasure and for gaining new knowledge and expanding their vocabulary.

p.3

3

Well-established routines, right from Nursery, ensure that children behave well. They respond immediately to their teachers’ instructions, pay attention to learning and play purposefully with their classmates. For example, in Reception, children enjoyed acting out being ‘doctors’ treating their ‘patients’ and writing prescriptions to help them to recover. Pupils are very keen to learn. They work hard and low-level disruption is rare. The school does all that it reasonably can to improve levels of attendance. Rates of absence have reduced both last year and this year.

p.3

3

Pupils are taught about a range of faiths and they visit different places of worship. Regular educational trips enrich pupils’ learning and aim to broaden their horizons. They visit museums, orchestral performances, botanical gardens and beauty product laboratories, for instance. They are taught about establishing healthy relationships and about risk and keeping safe. Pupils get involved in charitable fundraising activities and take part in speaking competitions. Every term the entire school, from Nursery to Year 6, puts on a musical performance for parents and carers. Older pupils were proud to tell inspectors about the poems that they wrote. Supported by staff, pupils offered copies or a recitation of their poems to the residents of the local area. Several residents wrote notes of thanks and praise to the school.

p.3

3

School leaders ensure that all their policies and practices are underpinned by their shared values and vision of inclusion. They have secured a coherent, collaborative and collegial work force, much valued by pupils and parents. All staff work together in supporting each other and in the best interests of pupils. Staff feel demands on their time are reasonable. Leaders are approachable and considerate.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 17 and 18 April 2024

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, recent changes and developments in the curriculum have not had enough time to be fully embedded. This means that, in those cases, pupils are not achieving as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that teachers gain the subject and teaching expertise and confidence to deliver all aspects of the new curriculum thinking to a high standard.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with 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). 17 and 18 April 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 3 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary-aided Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection took place in May 2023.  School leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

p.5

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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning 17 and 18 April 2024

p.5

6

and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered other subjects as part of the inspection.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They spoke with the chair and other governors. They also spoke with a representative of the local authority and of the Diocese of London.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 reviewed a range of documentation, including looking at records of pupils’ behaviour. Inspectors also had formal meetings with staff and with pupils.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey. They also spoke with parents in the playground. They considered the responses to the

p.6

6

staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.

p.6

Inspection team

David Radomsky, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Ian Scotchbrook Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 April 2024

p.6

7

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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7