Avanti House Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Avanti House Primary School is a thriving, happy place where pupils are empowered to make changes, influence others and improve their community.

Pupils enjoy school, and they progress well through the curriculum. The school is at the heart of the community and parents and carers are fulsome in their praise of the school. Difference is celebrated here, everyone is included and pupils are inquisitive about what they c...an learn from other cultures.

Pupils are kept safe and feel safe because there are effective systems in place to support them. Pupils are confident to speak with staff should a problem arise. Pupils behave well in lessons and during unstructured times.

They enjoy learning and try hard in lessons.

Pupils relish the wider opportunities provided by the school, including visits that underpin the curriculum and experience of sports and the arts. The school expects pupils to achieve well.

Pupils thrive with this challenge and over time they know and are able to do more. There is a culture of academic excellence that helps to ensure pupils are exceptionally well prepared for moving to secondary school.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum.

It has identified and sequenced the important ideas pupils should learn in each subject. Throughout the curriculum, pupils build up their knowledge and skills securely. Leaders prioritise the importance of language development.

This begins in early years where children practise and develop a broad and rich vocabulary. Through the curriculum, pupils learn the precise language they need to understand and explain complex ideas. This enables them to make links across subjects and deepens their understanding.

Teachers have considerable subject expertise and bring the subjects alive, enabling pupils to apply their knowledge to increasingly complex ideas. Teachers check learning effectively, so they understand exactly what pupils know. If pupils have any misconceptions, teachers address these promptly, so pupils are well supported to move on.

The school has seen an increase in the number of pupils with more complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school community is welcoming these pupils and ensuring their additional needs are identified as early as possible. Leaders and teachers are developing their knowledge of these needs so that they can ensure the best possible experience for all pupils.

As a result, pupils with SEND typically benefit from the same rich experiences as their peers, including accessing the same ambitious curriculum, wherever this is possible.

Pupils learn phonics successfully. This is because staff are well trained to implement the school's chosen programme.

Additional support for pupils who struggle with learning to read is in place and helps these pupils to catch up quickly. Pupils practise reading books that are closely matched to their phonics knowledge. As a result, pupils develop as accurate, fluent and confident readers who can access more complex reading materials across the curriculum.

Children in early years learn to follow appropriate routines. For example, they build the skills to listen to staff and follow instructions closely. They also develop their social and emotional skills, learning to be kind to each other and making good choices.

This continues throughout the school. Older pupils build on this positive start, showing high levels of mutual respect and very positive attitudes to their learning. As a result, lessons proceed smoothly, and learning is not disrupted.

The school places a strong focus on pupils' personal development. Pupils relish the many opportunities provided to take on additional responsibilities and contribute to school life. For example, pupils engage eagerly as subject ambassadors, school council members, head students and house captains.

Pupils are encouraged to be 'change makers' and these opportunities allow them to do just that. They are rightly proud of the difference they make.

The school has forged strong and positive partnerships with parents.

Parents and staff work closely together to support pupils through projects such as the development of outdoor learning. Leaders, including those responsible for governance, evaluate the school regularly. This ensures they recognise the many strengths that exist as well as identifying the ways they want to improve the school further.

Leaders have very high standards and hold everyone to account for these. They have created an environment where members of staff are happy and supported in their work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2019.

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