The Branch Christian School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 July 2023

This is a small, friendly and welcoming school. Pupils and staff treat each other with genuine warmth and mutual respect. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Staff feel privileged to teach them. Staff expect pupils to behave well and have positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils rise to these high expectations and understand the importance of working hard. They say that they feel safe and well looked after. Pupils are confident that if any poor behaviour or bullying were to occur, staff will deal with them effectively. The Christian ethos pervades all aspects of this nurturing school. Pupils enjoy learning independently in their 'offices' and one-to-one or small group teaching. They enjoy progressing through the Packets of Accelerated Christian Education (PACE) that form the curriculum. There is a broad range of subjects for pupils to study. Pupils are encouraged to aspire to do their best. Pupils relish spending their merits in the 'merit shop'. They take part in the annual student convention, where they compete and perform against pupils from other Christian schools across Europe. Pupils develop social skills and build their confidence and resilience. Wider curriculum activities and experiences, such as camping, help pupils to develop skills to prepare them for adulthood.

What the school should improve

• There are inconsistencies in the way some aspects of the curriculum are devised and taught. Sometimes, learning in the wider subjects does not link well to the subjects in the ACE curriculum. This means that pupils cannot apply their knowledge as skills in different contexts effectively. Leaders should ensure that the content of the wider curriculum activities are carefully sequenced and linked to the ACE curriculum, and that staff receive appropriate training to help pupils to explore, develop, connect and apply their knowledge as skills.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)