Abbeyfield Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Under the leadership of the principal, the school is improving quickly since it became an academy.

The principal's unswerving determination that all pupils are entitled to do as well as they can permeates everything that is happening at the school. The principal is well supported by the deputy headteacher and the trust. The chief executive officer and trustees have helped to set a new course for the school.

They have invested much necessary resource to bring about rapid improvement of the school. The quality of teaching is strong. Teachers and teaching assistants have committed to the principal's vision.

Morale among staff is hig...h. Leaders have done much to prioritise the teaching of reading and to foster a love of reading across the school. Phonics teaching is effective the very large majority of the time, although pupils' occasional uncertainties are sometimes missed.

Pupils' behaviour is good. They conduct themselves with consideration for each other. In class, pupils want to do well.

They behave respectfully towards their staff. Leaders work relentlessly to improve rates of pupils' attendance but face substantial barriers, external to the school, to improve the situation. While there is more work to be done, however, leaders remain resolute.

There is a trend of rising outcomes since the school became an academy. Pupils' achievement in reading, writing and mathematics at both key stages 1 and 2 is improving strongly. While teachers' expectations are high, very occasionally, the most able pupils are not moved on in their learning as effectively as they could be.

Some gaps in pupils' basic knowledge still persist, as a legacy of inadequate teaching prior to academy conversion. In the early years foundation stage (EYFS), children make good progress from their starting points. Leaders monitor children's progress carefully, although sometimes they do not use this information as effectively as they could to further push children's learning.

Leaders have established a solid learning base as preparation for Year 1.

Information about this school

Abbeyfield Primary Academy converted to become an academy on 1 August 2016. When its predecessor school, Firs Hill Community Primary School, was last inspected it was judged to be inadequate overall.

The school is part of Five Rivers Multi-academy Trust, which it joined on conversion. Responsibility for governance of the school rests with the board of trustees. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is in the highest 20% of schools nationally.

The school serves a community which is in the highest 20% of deprived areas nationally. The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is also in the top 20% of schools nationally. The proportion of pupils who receive help for their SEND is above the national average.