Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(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.

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.

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.

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

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