Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend Pendennis Road, Downend, Bristol, Gloucestershire BS16 5JJ

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Outcome

Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend 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?

Staff at Christ Church Junior School want pupils to ‘live life in all its fullness’. This vision ensures that pupils experience a rich and engaging curriculum. Pupils enjoy learning a wide range of subjects. They are focused and work hard in lessons. The school sets high expectations for all pupils. These expectations help pupils to achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In this inclusive school, staff build strong, supportive relationships with pupils. This helps pupils to feel a sense of belonging. Pupils know they can approach trusted adults in school if they have any worries or concerns. Pupils are confident that staff will listen to and help them. Pupils learn to understand their emotions and are supported to manage their feelings.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand and follow the school’s behaviour code of ‘ready, respectful, safe’. They regularly demonstrate the school values which include love, hope, and forgiveness. This means that lessons are rarely disrupted, and any friendship issues are quickly resolved.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are eager to make the most of the many available opportunities. Through the ‘CCJ university’ pupils ‘graduate’ by taking part in at least 50 extra-curricular activities per year. Many parents and carers appreciate the wide range of before- and after-school clubs which the school provides. 23 and 24 April 2025

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

The school’s curriculum is carefully constructed. The essential knowledge, skills, and vocabulary that pupils will learn each year are set out for every subject. Pupils successfully build their knowledge and, as a result, achieve well over time. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). By the end of Year 6, pupils are well prepared for the demands of secondary school.

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

Staff development and training take a high priority. Teachers understand what they should teach and in which order. They have strong subject knowledge and explain new learning clearly. Teachers give pupils time to revisit and practise important content. Many resources are well chosen to support pupils in grasping tricky concepts. For example, in geography, aerial photographs assist pupils in identifying landmarks on the corresponding maps.

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

The school uses a range of appropriate strategies to check what pupils know and remember. Teachers use this information to ensure pupils’ work builds on their prior knowledge, especially in the core subjects of English and mathematics. Pupils recall their prior learning well. At times, however, some staff do not make the most appropriate adaptations to support pupils who are finding it difficult to grasp complex ideas. This hinders some pupils’ ability to make sense of their learning. The school’s plans to address this are in the early stages.

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

Staff view reading as the key to success across the whole curriculum. Pupils speak keenly about their favourite books and authors. The ‘100 books challenge’ encourages pupils to read books from a range of cultures and historical periods. Pupils who are not on track benefit from tailored reading interventions. Well-trained adults provide support which closes the gaps in pupils’ phonics and reading knowledge. As a result, pupils become confident, fluent readers.

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

The school is swift to identify the needs of pupils with SEND. There is a sharp focus on understanding these needs and reducing any barriers to learning. This helps to ensure that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum and learn successfully alongside their peers.

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

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online. They understand what information is safe to share and how to block unwanted requests. Pupils actively embrace leadership opportunities. Through roles such as ‘well-being bees’ and ‘eco-warriors’, pupils develop a deep understanding of responsibility to others. This helps them to become active citizens. Pupils understand the fundamental British values that are linked to their school values. However, their understanding of individual liberty is less well developed.

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

Strong, reflective leaders make decisions in the best interests of the pupils. Governors are highly engaged in school life. They support and challenge the work of the school appropriately. Staff appreciate that governors and leaders are mindful of any impact on staff workload when changes are made. 23 and 24 April 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 When teachers identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge, the school’s strategies to address these misconceptions are sometimes unsuccessfully implemented. This hinders some pupils’ learning and means that they do not achieve as well as they could. The school should support staff to adapt learning effectively for all pupils.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2016.

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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. 23 and 24 April 2025

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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). 23 and 24 April 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Bristol. Its religious character was previously inspected under section 48 of the Education Act in October 2017. The next section 48 inspection is due within eight years.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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 her evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, pupils and parents; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. 23 and 24 April 2025

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 The inspector met with the headteacher, other school leaders and a group of staff. She also met with the chair of the governing body and some other governors and held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  During the inspection, the inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and school life, and looked at samples of their work. She also observed pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector observed the behaviour of pupils during lessons and around the school at social times. She looked at behaviour and attendance records and considered leaders’ analysis of these.  The inspector considered a range of documents, including the school’s plans for improvement and its self-evaluation document, together with minutes of meetings of the governing board.  The inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for

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pupils, as well as the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. She also spoke with some parents at the beginning of the school day.

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Inspection team

Faye Heming, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 April 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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