Churchfield Church School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

The school has been through a significant period of instability in recent years, including several changes of headteacher.

This has been unsettling for pupils and their families. Now that leadership has stabilised, pupils throughout the school are benefiting from consistency and high expectations. Behaviour has improved substantially.

Bullying is much less common and usually resolved quickly. Pupils are safe and happy in school. They have trusting relationships with staff.

Leaders are determined that all pupils will succeed. They go to great lengths to provide the help and support pupils need to overcome barriers to attending school regularly. Nevertheless, some pupils still do not attend school often enough to be...nefit from the much-improved experience.

Disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are in receipt of a better experience of school. However, there is more to be done. Teachers need more help to make the right choices about how best to meet pupils' needs in the classroom.

The quality of teaching is improving. Pupils enjoy learning and are starting to achieve better than previously. There is still a way to go as many pupils have significant gaps in their basic knowledge.

Teachers, including in the early years, do not always ensure that pupils catch up quickly. Leaders are supporting teachers to do this better. Nevertheless, some pupils are not prepared well enough for their next steps.

Pupils enjoy trips, clubs and activities that broaden their horizons. They experience leadership as librarians, prefects or play leaders. However, they lack some crucial knowledge about life in modern Britain, such as how people and families differ and knowledge about different faiths.