Dover Christ Church Academy

Dover Christ Church Academy

Address: Melbourne Avenue, Dover, CT16 2EG Unique reference number (URN): 150278

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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 Strong standard

Leaders have made significant improvements in pupils' attendance. Most pupils attend school regularly. Leaders have a precise understanding of the barriers that affect pupils' attendance. The actions leaders take are highly effective at reducing these barriers. As a result, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged have very positive attendance habits. Leaders are meticulous in monitoring absence at an individual pupil level. They are swift to identify and address any declining trends. As a result, attendance continues to improve even further, across all pupil groups.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have embedded a highly positive culture of behaviour. Pupils consistently understand the high expectations that staff have for how they should behave. A significant majority of pupils have positive attitudes to learning and behave well. Staff provide highly effective support to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to positive engagement. As a result, pupils, including those with the most complex needs, understand how to regulate their behaviours and manage their emotions. Leaders have significantly reduced the occurrence of poor behaviour in the school. Bullying happens rarely. Pupils are consistently clear that discrimination is unacceptable and never tolerated. Leaders deal swiftly and effectively with any prejudicial or abusive behaviour.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture in the school. They rapidly and accurately identify any barriers pupils may have to their learning and/or wellbeing. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs met extremely well. Pupils who access the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND receive precisely matched support that allows them to thrive. Leaders ensure that staff have the necessary resources and expertise to provide an equitable education for pupils with SEND. Leaders have a clear and accurate oversight of how pupils with SEND are developing. They adapt and refine support where needed. Leaders work in effective partnership with wider professionals to ensure that specialist support is available at the point of need.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders understand the context of the school well. They make highly effective use of pupil premium funding to reduce any barriers faced by disadvantaged pupils. As a result, the attendance, behaviour and engagement of disadvantaged pupils have significantly improved in recent years.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Pupils who are known or who have previously been known to social care are very well supported in their learning and development.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders ensure that pupils learn within the school environment as much as possible. Alternative provision is used sparingly and only when it is in a pupil's best interests.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders at all levels have a precise understanding of the school's strengths and priorities for further improvement. Leaders have taken swift and decisive action to make significant improvements across all areas of the school's work. While outcomes in national examinations are not yet where they need to be, leaders' actions are making a rapid difference to how well pupils learn and achieve.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture in the school. They consistently act in the very best interests of pupils, particularly the most vulnerable or disadvantaged. Leaders have very high expectations and aspirations for all pupils. They ensure that every pupil's circumstance is understood so that any barriers to success are swiftly reduced.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders forge purposeful relationships with wider professionals. They collaborate effectively and continually look for ways to further enhance the quality of pupils' experiences. Leaders engage positively with parents and carers and members of the local community. Leaders have successfully brought stakeholders along through a journey of rapid improvement. Staff are proud to work in the school. They feel well supported by leaders. Staff value the professional learning opportunities that help to develop their expertise. Leaders ensure that workload is considered in all decision-making. They balance high expectations with sensitivity to staff wellbeing effectively. Teachers at the earliest stage of their careers are well supported and make an excellent start to the profession.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governors are highly effective in their roles. They support the school while holding leaders to account robustly. Governors have the expertise and commitment to fulfil their statutory responsibilities diligently.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders ensure that the personal development curriculum is taught well and tailored carefully to the needs of pupils. Pupils develop the knowledge and life skills they need to be thoroughly prepared for their next steps. Relationships and sex education and health education is taught in an age-appropriate way. Pupils know how to stay safe both online and in the community. They understand their rights in relationships and how to protect themselves from risk. Pupils have secure and detailed knowledge about discrimination and fundamental British values. They apply this learning confidently to their own lives and choices. For example, pupils understand the importance of treating others equally. They demonstrate highly respectful and inclusive attitudes towards their peers.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders ensure that pupils participate in a range of rich and meaningful experiences to support their transition to independent adult life. Through the 'Turner 25' enrichment offer, pupils are extremely well supported in their character development. Pupils explore their talents and interests, deepen their cultural awareness and build connections with the community. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities access an equally ambitious offer that is thoughtfully adapted to their individual needs and aspirations. Disadvantaged pupils benefit particularly well from their experiences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school provides pupils with high-quality careers education. Pupils are knowledgeable about the different employment and education routes available to them. They value the

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Expected standard

many opportunities they have to bring learning to life. For example, pupils visit universities, attend careers fairs and participate in work experience. Leaders ensure that all pupils are supported to reach an appropriately ambitious and sustainable future pathway.

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Expected standard

Pupils are extremely well cared for. Staff thoroughly understand pupils' pastoral needs. This allows leaders to pre-empt and respond swiftly to any emerging concerns that pupils may have. Pupils appreciate the quality of this support. They trust staff and are confident that their worries will be taken seriously.

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Post-16 provision Strong standard

Leaders have developed a bespoke sixth-form offer that is highly tailored to the local context and students' needs. The sixth-form curriculum is adapted in response to the specific needs of students who will benefit from attending. The sixth form operates as a bridging provision for students who are not yet ready to access more formal learning or employment as a result of their specific needs or barriers. Students are taught well and are consistently successful in completing their programmes of study and/or qualifications. Students make positive progress from their starting points. Leaders provide invaluable support to families so that any barriers to accessing post-16 learning for the most vulnerable students are removed.

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Post-16 provision Strong standard

Students are particularly well supported in their personal development. They successfully establish learning habits and life skills that support their readiness for adulthood. Students benefit from personalised careers guidance that supports their developing understanding of the workplace and further education. Most students in the sixth form have a range of complex needs and challenges. Leaders ensure that these needs are precisely understood so that students can be thoroughly prepared for the most suitable onward destinations. Leaders continue to monitor how successfully students are developing once they leave the school, ensuring that their needs continue to be met.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have put in place an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum. Pupils regularly revisit previous learning and are supported to develop their knowledge over time. Leaders have high expectations for how the curriculum should be delivered. They ensure that staff have the necessary expertise to provide pupils with consistently positive learning experiences. Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of where teaching is not at the high standard they strive for. They take swift and appropriate action to support staff to become more effective where necessary.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, staff have secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. They explain new learning clearly and confidently. Staff are skilled in meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They adapt their teaching choices well so that pupils with SEND learn successfully. Teachers make regular checks on pupils' understanding so that misconceptions or knowledge gaps can be addressed swiftly.

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Needs attention

Generally, staff provide helpful feedback to pupils so that they can develop their understanding and deepen their knowledge.

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Needs attention

Pupils have regular opportunities to enhance their literacy and communication skills. Leaders accurately identify where pupils have any gaps in their reading, writing or mathematics knowledge. They provide helpful support so that pupils can catch up quickly.

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Achievement Needs attention

In recent years, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, have not achieved well in national examinations. Leaders have taken swift and effective action to address this. As a result, achievement is rapidly improving, but it is too soon to see the full impact of this work, particularly in GCSE outcomes.

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Achievement Needs attention

Staff have raised their expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils respond well to these higher aspirations and are now developing their knowledge far more securely. In particular, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make very positive progress from their starting points. Mostly, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make positive progress through the curriculum. On the whole, pupils articulate their learning well. They are able to apply their knowledge to new learning with growing confidence. Pupils write with increasing stamina, fluency and accuracy. Pupils who have any gaps in their reading, writing or mathematical skills catch up quickly.

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

Pupils are happy and thriving in this welcoming school. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They attend school regularly and behave well. Staff understand pupils’ needs extremely well. They are highly effective at reducing any barriers to learning and/or wellbeing that pupils may have. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive highly effective support. Pupils who attend the school’s specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND, ‘Aspen 2’, benefit from high-quality care that is precisely matched to their needs.

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

Pupils learn effectively in the school. They enjoy their lessons and the wider opportunities that enrich their learning. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, participate fully in all aspects of school life. Pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that prepare them well for life in modern Britain.

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

Pupils have not achieved as well as they could in national examinations over time. Currently, pupils are achieving more positively. This is because the quality of teaching has improved and staff are more ambitious about what pupils are capable of achieving. Pupils with SEND, particularly those with the highest level of need, make very positive progress from their starting points. Staff ensure that pupils have the skills and knowledge needed to prepare them for their next steps. Students in the sixth form benefit from a personalised curriculum offer that ensures their readiness for future pathways. As a result, pupils in Year 11 and the sixth form are consistently well prepared for continued education or employment.

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

Staff provide highly effective pastoral care to pupils. They build positive relationships which help pupils to feel a secure sense of belonging. Pupils demonstrate kind and respectful attitudes towards staff and their peers. Pupils understand the importance of treating others equally. Bullying and discrimination happen rarely. Pupils feel safe and are safe.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that teaching is of a consistently high quality so that pupils achieve well across the school.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Turner Schools multi-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, Seamus Murphy, and the trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Michael Buchanan.

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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 (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the school leadership team, members of staff, groups of pupils and representatives from the board of trustees.

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About this inspection

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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About this inspection

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school includes provision for pupils with with profound, severe and complex learning needs. The specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, known as 'Aspen 2', caters for 71 pupils who have education, health and care plans.

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About this inspection

The school makes use of 2 alternative provisions.

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About this inspection

The school has undergone a recent significant change. There has been a change in headteacher within the current school year.

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Team inspectors:

Cathy Reid, Ofsted Inspector Christie Ransom, Ofsted Inspector Michael Wilson, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 16 June 2026

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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. Matthew Tate: Headteacher National average: 1,154

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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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 needs support 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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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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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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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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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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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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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 (3 term) 8.1% 8.4% 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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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

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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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