The Lincoln St Christopher's School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: The Lincoln St Christopher’s School Hykeham Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 8AR

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish and are happy due to the school’s exceptional provision for their needs. They respond impressively to the school’s high expectations for them to succeed. Personalised support for learning enables pupils to achieve as highly as possible in all areas of their development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s approach to understanding and meeting pupils’ behaviour needs is a strength of its provision. Positive, caring relationships are at the heart of the school. Pupils have excellent attitudes to their learning, and the school’s atmosphere is calm and purposeful. Sometimes, pupils struggle to control their emotions. When this happens, skilled staff are quick to support and resolve any issues. Pupils are treated with dignity and respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Christopher’s supports pupils’ wider personal development extremely well. The aspiration is for pupils to develop the knowledge and skills they need to lead happy and fulfilled lives. For example, the well-equipped ‘mock apartment’ effectively supports pupils’ independent living skills. The on-site 17 th Lincoln ‘SEN Scouting Provision’ operates as a fully-fledged troop run by qualified school staff. This distinctive and ambitious group enhances pupils’ social and adventurous skills exceptionally well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years benefit from expert teaching and care that enable them to make the best possible start to their education.

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

Since the last inspection, the school has successfully developed and strengthened its provision in all areas, from the early years to post-16. The four curriculum pathways have 11 and 12 March 2025

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been reviewed and refined over time. As a result, all pupils access an ambitious curriculum that is carefully tailored to their bespoke needs. Each pupil is supported by an individual education plan that reflects the targets from their education, health and care plans. The school is exceptionally well designed and equipped to provide for a wide range of learning, physical and medical needs. As a result, pupils develop increasingly secure knowledge and skills in all areas of their development.

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Children in the early years classes typically have a range of profound and multiple learning difficulties. The specialist early years curriculum provides personalised learning experiences that enable children to thrive. The teaching supports children’s interests and engagement exceptionally well.

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There is a strong focus on preparing pupils for adulthood and their next steps after leaving school. Pupils of all ages benefit from regular opportunities to visit their local community and beyond. Students in the post-16 provision take part in a planned work experience programme. These opportunities enrich pupils’ social interactions with unfamiliar adults and situations. Students can access awards and accreditations that enable them to fulfil their academic potential.

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The school prioritises reading and communication for all pupils. The curriculum has been skilfully designed to ensure that pupils in all four pathways become successful communicators. Pupils who are able to learn phonics receive regular, systematic teaching. They read from texts that match the sounds they know. Pupils develop well as confident readers, signers and communicators.

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Pupils learn in small class groups. The staff teams provide consistently effective support through a wide range of strategies that reflect the specific pathway needs. For example, pupils in the ‘pre-formal’ and ‘informal’ pathways experience the curriculum through carefully considered ‘sensory stories’. Staff continually check pupils’ understanding. They ensure that pupils’ knowledge and skills strengthen over time.

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Pupils across the school respond exceptionally well to the high expectations for behaviour. They show resilience and commitment to their learning. This is reflected in pupils’ typically high rates of attendance. The school works effectively with families and external services to support any who do not attend as regularly as they should. Any use of suspensions or part-time timetables is rare and only issued in pupils’ best interests.

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The school is aspirational for all pupils to develop as well-informed young citizens. Pupils learn about important values such as democracy and the rule of law. They learn about healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe. They happily celebrate one another’s differences. Pupils make a strong contribution to the life of the school, through membership of elected groups. These include the ‘activities group’ and the ‘environment group’.

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Leadership at all levels is highly effective. Leaders recognise the importance of staff training and development. Staff who have recently joined this expanding school receive rapid, thorough induction into their roles. Staff value the care shown for their workload 11 and 12 March 2025

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and well-being. Members of the governing body fulfil their role very well. They are well informed about the work of the school and provide effective support and challenge.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 on 4 and 5 June 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.

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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 11 and 12 March 2025

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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 March 2025

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The Lincoln St Christopher’s School is a community special school. Pupils have a wide range of special educational needs and/or disabilities, including physical and medical needs, autism, social communication difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.  The number of pupils on roll at the school has increased since the last inspection. The school has expanded across two new, purpose-built primary and secondary sites.  The school is part of a federation with another local special school. The executive headteacher and the governing body preside over both schools.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the executive headteacher and other senior and curriculum leaders. The lead inspector met with the chair and several other members of the governing body. The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  The inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and at other times around school.  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

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Information about this inspection

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Christine Watkins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Ward Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 March 2025

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

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