St Christopher's CEVCP School

Overview

Pupils at St Christopher’s CEVCP School “learn well and enjoy their lessons,” approaching their education with “mature and positive attitudes.” The school has improved significantly since its previous inspection, now rated “Good” across all categories, including the quality of education and leadership. Leaders have established a “well-organised curriculum” and effective systems to support pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate enthusiasm for learning, particularly enjoying “‘wild’ activities and future work-related role play.”
• Behaviour is strong, with bullying being “very rare” and resolved quickly by staff and trained “anti-bullying ambassadors.”
• Reading instruction has improved markedly; staff are “well trained” in phonics and ensure books are “closely matched to the sounds they are learning.”
• The curriculum promotes vital values such as “tolerance, respect, equality and democracy,” with older pupils taking on significant responsibilities.
• Staff feel “well supported” and proud to work at the school, with manageable workloads and effective governance.

Areas to improve

• In a “small number of subjects,” pupils lack a “secure understanding” of prior knowledge because they do not “apply or practise what they have learned sufficiently” before moving on. Leaders must develop the curriculum further so pupils fully understand taught content in all subjects.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with leaders creating a “robust culture” that includes thorough pre-employment checks, regular staff training, and swift action on concerns to keep pupils safe.