Christ Church Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Christ Church Primary School Dale Street, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE14 3TE

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Outcome

Christ Church Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone at Christ Church Primary knows that pupils ‘love to learn’ and ‘learn to love’. The school is a happy and purposeful place. The school values are at the heart of all that happens in the school. Children learn to be mindful, supportive and tolerant of others. They are aspirational, resilient and aim for excellence. Pupils are polite and considerate. They do their best to meet the high expectations the school has of them. Pupils are proud of their school and keen to tell visitors what they and others have achieved.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the need to behave well. They feel safe at school. They enjoy warm and positive relationships with each other and with adults. If they were worried about something, they would write a note for the class ‘worry box’ or go and tell a trusted adult. Pupils know they are listened to and that they will receive help and support when needed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the wide range of after-school clubs available to them. They appreciate the many educational visits the school provides, such as trips to the local fire station, farms and local history centres. These experiences broaden pupils’ horizons and enrich their learning.

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

Pupils enjoy their lessons and work hard to do the best that they can. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. The school has designed an ambitious curriculum, which ensures that pupils can learn successfully across a range of subjects. The key knowledge that pupils learn builds over time. Most pupils, having revisited previous learning, can remember what they have done before. Some pupils, however, need further opportunities to revisit previous work. 8 and 9 October 2024

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As they get older, pupils develop their skills of enquiry, reasoning and problem-solving. In lessons, when pupils complete the main tasks that they have been set, they are able to explore even further what they have been taught. However, not all make use of the opportunity to do so. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and skilfully present what pupils need to know. In all years and across all subjects, pupils confidently use ambitious vocabulary.

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There are appropriate processes in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Staff provide carefully considered support and resources, which allow these pupils to access the full curriculum. This is successful because of the commitment and expertise of staff and strong relationships between staff and pupils.

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The school encourages all pupils to develop a love of reading. They learn phonics from the start of their time at school. Staff carefully and regularly check pupils’ progress in phonics. They make sure that teaching and books match the sounds that pupils are learning. By the end of year 2, most pupils can read fluently and confidently.

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Improving attendance to be in line with the national average is a school priority. The school has ensured that it works closely with families and external agencies. Pupils are rewarded for having high attendance. Parents are invited to attendance assemblies and information meetings. Comments made by parents reflect their improved understanding of the importance of good attendance to support their children’s education. The school is doing whatever it can to reduce absence and persistent absenteeism. There are signs of improvement, and the school is aware of the need to continue with the efforts it has made.

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Children in Nursery and Reception get off to a strong start. They quickly get to know the school’s routines and how to work and play together well. They benefit from having a stimulating learning environment, both in the classroom and in outside spaces.

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Pupils have access to an effective personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. They learn to be responsible, respectful and active citizens. Pupils are supported to be mentally and physically healthy. Pupils learn how to make important decisions. They learn how to be safe and stay safe, including online. This prepares them well for life beyond the school.

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Staff value the support they receive from the school with regard to their workload. Staff know that they are listened to and that their well-being is taken seriously by leaders. Governors know the school, its staff, pupils and community well. They have considerable knowledge and expertise. They hold the school to account and regularly visit classrooms and have meetings with staff, ensuring that their work has positive impact.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 8 and 9 October 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils are not making sufficient use of what they have learned. As a result, they are not able to secure and apply knowledge to move their learning on. The school should ensure that appropriate activities are planned so that pupils continue to practise and consolidate their learning.  Some families have found it difficult to ensure that their children attend school as regularly as possible. Because of this, rates of absence and persistent absenteeism have been higher than national figures. The school needs to continue to develop strategies to improve attendance and reduce persistent absenteeism.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in February 2019.

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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. 8 and 9 October 2024

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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). 8 and 9 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.christchurch-burton.staffs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up his position in April 2022.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  There is a daily breakfast club managed by the school.  The school has a nursery provision for three-year-old children.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. He also met with members of the governing body, including the chair.  The inspector focused inspection activity on the following groups of subjects: early English and mathematics, and science, geography and history. For each group of 8 and 9 October 2024

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subjects, the inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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’ interest first.  Throughout the inspection, the lead inspector met with groups of staff. He also considered the opinions expressed through the staff survey.  The inspector met some parents at the start of the second day and had regard to the views expressed through Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

David Buckle, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 October 2024

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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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