Abbots Farm Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. This school has improved at a rapid pace since it was last inspected and continues to improve.

The highly effective senior leadership team has secured substantial improvement in all key areas of the school's work. All groups of pupils make excellent progress in a wide range of subjects, and especially in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils supported through the pupil premium funds, the most able, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and pupils who speak English as an additional language all achieve exceptionally well.

Pupils' knowledge of grammar, punctuation and spelling has improved rapidly this ye...ar, although they do not yet use this knowledge consistently well in all subjects to improve their writing even more. Teachers make sure pupils develop and practise a wide range of learning skills. This helps pupils to become very competent learners.

Teachers expect a lot from pupils. They set interesting and challenging tasks that move pupils on rapidly. Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons and around the school.

They are polite and courteous. Their positive attitudes and strong relationships make the school a very safe place in which to learn. Pupils are skilled in working things out for themselves.

They approach demanding tasks confidently and with enthusiasm. They know what makes a piece of work good and do their very best to constantly improve on their own personal best. Attendance is above average and pupils are rarely late to school.

Attendance is checked carefully. Outstanding leadership from the headteacher, senior leadership team and governors has been the driving force behind the school's rapid improvement over the last two years. Leaders check teaching very carefully and any areas that could be improved are supported and dealt with straight away.

Teaching has improved a great deal. Governors know the school exceptionally well. They are knowledgeable and ask important questions to challenge senior leaders.

They play an important role in planning for future improvement.

Information about this school

The school is an average-sized primary school. Pupils are taught in single-age classes, but in ability groups for mathematics, spelling and phonics (letters and the sounds they make).

The large majority of pupils are White British. Small groups of other pupils come from a range of minority ethnic groups. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or in the care of the local authority) is average.

The proportion of pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs is also average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. Since the school was last inspected, a high proportion of the teaching staff have joined or taken on new responsibilities: there is a new senior leadership team the deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher are both new to their roles there are new subject leaders for English and mathematics two other teachers have joined the school, both new to the teaching profession.

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