Avon Valley Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school creates a strong sense of belonging for all pupils.

Many pupils join and leave the school throughout the school year. Pupils and their families value the warm welcome.

After a period of change, the school is enjoying stability.

Pupils and staff positively recognise the changes, which are well implemented. The school has high expectations for pupils. The day begins with a line up, which supports pupils to be ready for their learning.

In lessons, quiet classrooms and planned discussion times help pupils to focus on their learning. Pupils progress well through the curriculum.

If pupils have a concern, they are well supported by staff....

Provisions such as the 'thrive room' help pupils if they need it. A minority of older pupils sometimes use derogatory language or share inappropriate opinions. The school takes strong action to tackle this.

It is not tolerated. The school is an inclusive and welcoming school.

The school is proud of the enrichment it plans for all pupils.

Pupils explore their interests through shows, sports and a wide range of visits and speakers to the school. The school parliament takes an active role in contributing to the decisions the school takes, and pupils take pride in this.

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

The school has designed a carefully sequenced and ambitious curriculum.

The school ensures the 'important' knowledge and skills are frequently revisited. This helps pupils, including those joining with gaps in their learning, to progress well.

Teachers model the learning for pupils.

They help pupils to understand and practise their learning. In some parts of the curriculum, some strategies to check how well pupils have learned are not as well implemented. This means, sometimes, pupils do not recall their learning as well as they could.

The school is working together to deepen these areas of expertise.

The school checks accurately how well pupils can read. It ensures that pupils learn what they need to know to be able to read confidently and fluently.

Pupils have lots of practise to develop their reading skills. Through the tutor reading programme, pupils share and read a wide range of carefully selected texts.

The school is adept at identifying the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

It carefully reviews the strategies to help pupils. Teachers mostly use this information to provide adaptations to pupils' learning. However, sometimes, although teachers circulate and check how well pupils are doing, the specific strategies are not then used and enacted well.

When this happens, pupils with SEND do not have the adaptations to help them move on in a timely way.

A considerable number of pupils who speak English as an additional language have joined the school over the last 18 months. The school supports their learning well with class translation tools and tutors who are adept in communicating and supporting the pupils.

This helps pupils to progress well.

Over time, too many pupils have not attended school well. The school has put in robust strategies to help those pupils and their families.

As a result, attendance has improved with significantly fewer pupils persistently absent and more pupils attending more frequently. However, there is still more to do to ensure that most pupils come to school regularly and do not miss their learning.

The school has embedded clear systems and expectations that maintain a calm and orderly environment.

This has led to a rapid decrease in suspensions. Different provisions support pupils who need it. Pupils continue to learn the curriculum well as a result.

The school makes sure the personal development of pupils is thoughtfully mapped out. It makes sure pupils have experiences that introduce them to the world beyond their school. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe and to be ready for their adult lives in a considered way.

A broad careers programme helps pupils to be aspirational in their decision-making.

Leaders have a clear vision for the school and its ongoing improvement, which is well monitored. Staff appreciate the networking and professional development that support them.

The school values its relationship with parents, carers and the community. Parents describe the school as open and welcoming.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some parts of the curriculum, adaptations to learning that support pupils are not enacted in a timely way. When this happens, some pupils achieve less well. The school needs to make sure that staff have the knowledge and skills to support pupils effectively with their learning and those strategies are well embedded across the curriculum.

• The school's work to secure regular attendance has not reached some pupils who miss too much time in school. This means those pupils miss out on valuable learning and social opportunities. The school has put robust strategies and actions in place to improve the attendance of all pupils and needs to persist in its work to help those pupils to attend school regularly and punctually.

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