The Light Christian School

Overview

The school “does not meet all of the independent school standards that were checked during this inspection.” This progress monitoring inspection found that while leaders have strengthened quality assurance and improved curriculum delivery, significant gaps remain in governance and early years provision. The report concludes that “the requirements of this standard remain unmet” regarding leadership and management, and some education standards also remain unmet.

Strengths

• Leaders have implemented commercial curriculums suitable for mixed-age classes and separated Key Stage 2 pupils into appropriate year groups.
• The early years curriculum has been redesigned with “clear sequencing of learning” from Nursery to Reception.
• Staff training has improved teaching quality; pupils now receive an “appropriate curriculum” with clearer guidance and scaffolding.
• Assessment is now “clearly linked to the units of learning,” helping staff check understanding and address gaps in knowledge, including Relationships and Sex Education.
• Safeguarding arrangements are robust, with staff receiving up-to-date training and policies following government guidance.

Areas to improve

• The proprietor and governors must establish a timely system to ensure “ongoing compliance with the standards,” as the current plan lacks timeliness.
• Governors require further training to understand specific duties, particularly regarding SEND, and must know the standards well enough to hold the school to account.
• In early years, staff must ensure “purposeful interactions” during free-flow play to develop children’s language and learning, as activities are currently not well considered.

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding standards are met, with staff knowledge remaining up to date and the safeguarding policy available on the school’s website.