Aveton Gifford CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Key findings

Aveton Gifford Primary is a good school.

Almost all aspects of its work, including pupils' attainment and progress, have improved significantly over the past year. This is due to the strong focus of all involved on moving the school forward. The school is not yet outstanding because pupils' progress in Key Stage 1 is not as rapid as that in Key Stage 2 and consequently some pupils do not attain as well as they could by the end of Year 2.

Also, attainment in mathematics is not as high as that in English at the end of Key Stage 2. From broadly average starting points, pupils achieve well to reach levels of attainment that are above average overall. There has been a sharp improvement in attainmen...t in English, especially in Year 6, and pupils achieve very well by the time they leave the school.

Teaching is consistently good across the school, with examples of outstanding teaching at both key stages. Pupils in all age groups make at least good progress in their learning, with several groups making outstanding progress. As a result of outstanding assessment systems, pupils are very well aware of how well they are progressing and what they need to do to move on to the next level in their work.

Pupils really enjoy coming to school. They say their lessons are fun and they thrive on the challenges they are given. Their extremely positive attitudes to work contribute strongly to their good achievement.

Behaviour is excellent, they feel very safe and inappropriate behaviour or bullying of any kind is almost unheard of. The executive headteacher and head of teaching and learning communicate their ambition for the school well and they have been effective in improving teaching and the school's performance. The innovative and extremely well-planned curriculum promotes pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well.

Staff performance has been managed effectively.

Information about the school

Averton Gifford is a much smaller than average-sized primary school. All pupils are of White British heritage and none speaks English as an additional language.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported at school action plus is above average. No pupil has a statement of special educational needs.

Pupils are taught in three mixed-age classes in the morning and two classes in the afternoon. Since the last inspection in March 2008, there has been a significant change of staff, including the appointment of the present head of teaching and learning in April 2011. The school has been supported by First Federation since April 2011, which is part of the Primary Academy Trust.

An executive headteacher from the Trust oversees the management of the school. The school has Healthy Schools accreditation, Eco Schools Silver Award, Investors in People and Artsmark Gold. The school meets the current floor standard, which sets the minimum government expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.