Christ Church CE Academy

Christ Church CE Academy

Address: Deighton Road, Deighton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 1JP Unique reference number (URN): 138584

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The school's tenacious and detailed approach to attendance is having a positive impact. Rates of attendance are in line with national figures, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school works closely with families and other professionals to understand any barriers to pupils' attendance, before putting in place effective strategies. Leaders' successful actions are ensuring that there is a sustained reduction in the proportion of pupils who are regularly absent from school.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils enjoy school. They talk about it fondly and experience a distinct sense of belonging. Leaders have embedded an effective behaviour policy that focuses on rewards, reconciliation and forgiveness. It is typically implemented consistently. This motivates pupils, who behave very well. They enjoy being recognised as 'proud pupils'. Pupils typically concentrate in lessons, follow instructions and work hard. Leaders have developed a range of successful and targeted strategies to support pupils who face social, emotional and mental health challenges.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The school has a strong anti-bullying culture and bullying of any sort is not tolerated. On the very rare occasion it happens, leaders deal with it swiftly and effectively. Pupils here are courteous and respectful. The school celebrates diversity and challenges any unkind or prejudicial comments consistently.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school offers pupils a broad curriculum that is well planned. It is ordered in a logical way so that pupils develop their knowledge and skills over time. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the aspects of the curriculum that are working well and where further refinements are needed. Leaders have successfully improved how pupils learn to read. Teachers are skilled in teaching phonics and mathematics and appropriate support is in place to help pupils to catch up. As a result, pupils are enthusiastic about reading. They appreciate the well-stocked library at the heart of the school. Leaders know that they need to continue to strengthen consistency in the teaching of writing and oracy. They have further refined the curriculum for this, from early years through to Year 6, and staff have had the appropriate training to deliver this effectively. This is already having an impact, but needs further time to become consistently embedded.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff have secure subject knowledge. They use this to design appropriate activities to support learning, explain ideas clearly and ask appropriate questions. Staff ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have the support they need to learn successfully. Teachers generally check pupils' understanding as they introduce new learning. Sometimes, however, gaps in knowledge and/or misconceptions that pupils have are not always consistently addressed. When this happens, pupils make less progress than they could.

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Early years Expected standard

Through the school's early years provision, children make a positive start to their education. Staff care deeply for the children. There are effective relationships between the school and parents and carers.

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Early years Expected standard

The early years is a safe and exciting place for children to learn, play and develop. The provision is well-resourced and organised to support indoor and outdoor learning. The curriculum is carefully designed to ensure that it meets children's needs precisely, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff have a secure understanding of children's starting points and make regular checks on their progress. They act quickly to put appropriate support in place when it is needed.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have prioritised supporting the development of children's language and vocabulary. Typically, language development is promoted through effective, high-quality interactions between adults and children. Staff use clear, intentional language throughout the provision. Children pick up on this and generally learn it and use it accurately. Leaders' work to improve early reading has been successful. Well-trained staff ensure that children in Reception secure their phonics knowledge in readiness for the next stage of their learning. As a result, children are generally well prepared for what comes next in key stage 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Christ Church is an inclusive school that identifies pupils' individual needs swiftly and accurately. Leaders make sure that staff focus on helping pupils overcome the barriers they face, including for those pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities and for those who are disadvantaged. Leaders ensure that there are clear processes for staff to follow and that they receive appropriate, well-timed training to increase their expertise. The school works in effective partnership with parents and carers and specialists where appropriate. As a result, the school responds to pupils' individual needs and removes any barriers to their learning or wellbeing, typically with success.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have developed a range of provisions in school to meet pupils' varying needs. For example, the sensory room and the 'Butterfly Room' both provide pupils with calm, safe spaces to help them to manage their emotions. The school ensures that pupils with English as an additional language receive targeted support if they need it. Leaders review pupils' progress regularly and they evaluate the impact of the support that pupils receive.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use the additional funding that they receive, for disadvantaged pupils, effectively to support pupils' achievement and personal development. For example, the school has invested in the staff training on early reading and the support that is available for pupils' emotional wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, know the pupils and community very well. They have a shared vision for the school that is founded on safety, happiness and care. This vision is successfully realised through the positive culture of high expectations and inclusion. Leaders know the barriers that pupils and families face and they provide high levels of care and support to those families who need it. Parents and carers are positive about the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are committed to their community and to improving the life chances of all pupils, especially the most disadvantaged. Leaders have a secure understanding of the school's strengths and priorities. In recent years, their actions have improved the school. For example, they have increased the rates of pupils' attendance, improved behaviour and how well pupils learn to read. Leaders have taken steps to improve pupils' achievement by further refining their curriculum to develop pupils' writing, vocabulary and communication. This work is having a positive impact on pupils, particularly in younger year groups, where there is increasing consistency in pupils' transcription. Leaders recognise it needs further time to embed fully so that all pupils write and communicate effectively and ultimately achieve more highly.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The trust supports the school well. Those responsible for governance are skilled and knowledgeable. They help and challenge leaders appropriately and ensure sustained improvement. They are aware of their statutory duties and fulfil them well. Staff are positive about the support they receive from leaders, including with their workload and wellbeing. They value the wide range of further professional learning that equips them to impact positively on pupils, for example in the teaching of phonics and in meeting pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school has a comprehensive programme for pupils' personal development and wellbeing. This includes a thoughtfully designed curriculum for pupils' personal, social and health education that includes a wide range of topics and age-appropriate relationships, sex and health education. Pupils generally understand fundamental British values, how to stay safe online and how to look after their physical health. Pastoral care is deeply embedded in the school. Through this, pupils learn strategies to support their mental health effectively. For example, they learn relaxation techniques and coping strategies to use if they are worried. The school ensures that skilled, trained staff provide more targeted and specific support for those pupils who need it.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Regular collective worship supports pupils' spiritual and moral development. During assemblies, pupils are encouraged to think about what it would be like to be in different challenging situations. This helps them to develop a sense of right and wrong and engage with views and opinions that may be different from their own. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. They are keen to find out about what different people believe and how they live their lives. Pupils value the diversity in their school community and are empathetic and considerate of others.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school's wider programme for personal development is designed so that pupils, especially the most disadvantaged, benefit from a broad range of inclusive trips, visits and experiences. This offer is designed effectively to promote high aspirations, social skills and cultural understanding. For example, children in Reception work with their friends to make dens, while pupils in key stage 1 have a picnic and visit a local castle. Older pupils visit museums and universities. These experiences excite pupils and encourage them to learn

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Needs attention

more. Older pupils complete the school's 'Junior Duke's Award' that teaches them life skills such as cooking and first-aid.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils' attainment in national tests is below the national average overall, and has been over time. Some pupils have gaps in their learning across the curriculum which is hindering the progress they make. Some pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, also have gaps in their basic writing and communication skills. At times, these gaps are not addressed quickly enough and this prevents these pupils from achieving as well as they could.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have refined their curriculum to improve pupils' writing and communication and they are working on ensuring that teachers check pupils' understanding more systematically across the curriculum. While there are signs of progress, particularly in younger year groups, it is too soon to see the full impact of this work. As a result, at the current time, some pupils are not as well prepared as they need to be by the end of key stage 2, for the next stage in their learning.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Christ Church CE Academy is a happy, safe and inclusive haven. Pupils are supported effectively by deeply committed and caring staff. They are nurtured from their first days in school and this helps them feel like they belong. There are ambitious expectations for pupils here. A high proportion of pupils face additional barriers to learning and wellbeing, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There is effective support in place to address these barriers. However, pupils do not achieve as well as they could, including in national curriculum tests. Leaders know what aspects of the school's work need to improve to support pupils' achievement and they have taken appropriate action.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils behave well. They enjoy school, attend well and have impeccable manners. For example, they are friendly to visitors, hold doors open for each other and talk to their teachers respectfully. Clear routines are well-embedded from the early years. This ensures that the school is calm, safe and orderly. Pupils are hardworking. They are positive about the clubs they can join and the trips that the school organises for them to help them learn. At social times, pupils mix well and play co-operatively. Bullying is very rare. If it happens, pupils trust that their teachers will resolve issues quickly.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school prioritises pupils' personal development and wellbeing, starting in the early years. Pupils benefit from outdoor learning and completing the school's 'Junior Dukes Award', where they are supported to develop communication, teamwork, risk assessment and life skills. The 'personal development passport' ensures that pupils experience a wide range of opportunities to develop socially, culturally and spiritually. For example, they visit

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Team inspectors:

Chris Jennings, Ofsted Inspector Ian Clennan, Ofsted Inspector places of worship to reflect on different faiths, are encouraged to perform at a local theatre and take leadership responsibilities to help around school.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that the curriculum for writing and communication is embedded so that it supports pupils to achieve consistently well in the quality of their written and spoken communication. • Leaders should ensure that teaching consistently and quickly identifies and addresses the misconceptions and gaps in pupils' knowledge so that they learn the curriculum more securely and achieve well.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Enhance Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Mark Randall, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Janet Milne.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, head of school, leaders from the school and from the trust, members of teaching and non-teaching staff and several groups of pupils during the inspection. An inspector spoke with the chair of the board of trustees and others responsible for governance. An extensive number of lessons were visited across all subjects. Pupils' classwork was also considered.

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Christian religious character. The last section 48 inspection took place in March 2022.

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About this inspection

The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years. National average: 26.3%

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2023/24 (final) 61% 61% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2023/24 (final) 75% 74% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 71% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 71% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 41% 47% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 35% 44% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 55% 63% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 50% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 47% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 5.7% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 6.2% 5.5% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 17.6% 14.6% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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