Avenue Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Avenue Junior School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Avenue Junior School say their school is a place where everyone feels welcome. The mantra of 'ready, respectful and safe' is well understood and successfully followed by pupils.

Pupils enjoy a broad and ambitious curriculum. They are keen to talk about their studies. Pupils learn to identify and learn from their mistakes.

They increasingly take responsibility for their learning. There is time to practise and consolidate new curriculum content. Pupils can identify when they have been successful in their learning....r/>
They are keen to share the progress they make.

Pupils behave well. They show empathy and understanding for others.

Pupils understand and appreciate difference. They are familiar with the routines and consistent expectations shared by staff. Pupils are confident to stand up and speak out when they see behaviour or hear language they don't like.

Pupils value and celebrate the diversity of the school population and the 39 languages spoken at the school. There are many opportunities for pupils to contribute and make changes to the school. For example, the DICE (diversity, inclusion, campaigning and equity) team ensure that the models, images and resources used at the school represent the diversity of the school population.

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

The school has designed an ambitious, well-sequenced and broad curriculum. In English and mathematics, teachers use consistent approaches which are familiar to pupils. Pupils remember and recall their learning well.

Staff carefully check pupils understand their learning and target the appropriate support when needed. Pupils who fall behind have the help they need to catch up quickly. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have appropriate adaptations and structured support to access the curriculum successfully.

High-quality texts, which promote a love of reading, are at the core of the school's curriculum. Pupils experience a wide range of classic and modern literature. They talk enthusiastically about the books they have studied or read for pleasure.

Pupils regularly visit the school library, which is at the heart of the school. Training for all staff in the phonics program used at the partner infant school ensures that pupils who struggle to read get the support they need.

Subject leaders are passionate and knowledgeable about their areas of responsibility.

There is a focus on pupils developing and using subject-specific vocabulary. However, in some subjects, the school has not agreed the best approach to deliver the curriculum, meaning staff do not always use the agreed approaches. As a result, pupils' knowledge and understanding are not as secure in these subjects.

In some areas of the curriculum, the school is developing its approach to checking how well pupils learn. Currently, these checks are not aligned with the intended curriculum. This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding are not always identified.

Some pupils with SEND benefit from bespoke provision in the specialist 'Acorn' class. The school works with parents and carers to co-produce learning plans and ensure that the provision meets the specific needs of pupils. Parents appreciate and value this provision because they see the difference it makes to their children's learning.

Pupils behave well. They demonstrate respect for one another. At lunchtimes, there are a range of activities for pupils to take part in.

The new behaviour policy is implemented consistently by staff. Consequently, pupils are familiar with the school's routines and high expectations. Classrooms are calm and purposeful.

Attendance is improving because of the support provided to families by the school.

The school has carefully considered the curriculum beyond the academic. There is a well-thought-out programme to support pupils' personal development.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. There are a range of clubs and opportunities for pupils to explore their interests. Pupils in Year 6 are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

Governors know and understand their roles in supporting and challenging the school to continue to improve. Teachers value the support, opportunity to collaborate and training provided by the school so that they can make the best possible difference to pupils' education.

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 areas of the curriculum, the school has not determined the best way to deliver the content of the curriculum so that pupils retain important knowledge. This means that in some subjects, pupils do not develop a secure understanding of the important knowledge and achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented effectively in all subjects so that pupils remember the important content of the curriculum that the school intends.

• In some areas of the curriculum, the school's use of assessment is still developing. This means that in some subjects, gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding are not identified quickly enough, and they do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that in these subjects, the content of the curriculum and the use of assessment are aligned so that gaps in pupils' understanding can be picked up quickly and pupils can achieve the ambitions of the curriculum.

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 to be 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 March 2019.

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