Avonmore Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish here. They are happy and kept safe. This is because there are many caring and skilled adults who are there to help them.

Behaviour in classrooms and around the school is exemplary. Pupils appreciate the calm, friendly and respectful atmosphere that they experience.

The curriculum is broad and very ambitious.

Pupils develop a deep body of knowledge and understanding. They are both enthusiastic and resilient, demonstrating high levels of engagement with learning. Pupils produce work of consistently high quality across different subjects and are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

The values of respect, resilience, ...collaboration, curiosity and inclusion are interwoven through every aspect of school life. They are realised through the curriculum and the attitudes to learning that pupils demonstrate. The enrichment offer available to pupils also contributes to this.

For example, a mother and baby visit aims to help pupils develop both empathy and awareness of safety and care.

A wide variety of visits are planned to enrich the curriculum and further deepen pupils' learning. Pupils appreciate the opportunities provided to take on extra responsibility, for example through representing their peers on the school council, and as science ambassadors, reading buddies and house captains.

They know that leaders value their opinions and contributions.

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

Leaders have developed a broad and highly ambitious curriculum. Subject leaders are knowledgeable and are seen as experts within the school and, for some, across the federation.

They have identified the essential content to be learned, starting from the early years. This has been logically sequenced to ensure that pupils practise and embed what they have learned before progressing to more complex concepts. This helps pupils to learn and remember more over time.

For example, in mathematics, children in Reception have repeated opportunities to practise counting and grouping numbers in different ways. This helps pupils later on when they begin to learn their multiplication tables.

Teachers have detailed subject knowledge because of regular, high-quality subject-specific training and coaching.

They continually check what pupils have learned. Lessons are adapted to address any misconceptions that arise. As a result, pupils remember what they have learned and deepen their understanding over time.

Pupils' vocabulary development is a high priority. The terminology pupils need to learn has been identified. This starts in early years.

For example, in Reception, children plant seeds and learn about plant growth. They are introduced to ambitious scientific vocabulary. This supports them to understand the scientific process, and enables them to talk confidently about photosynthesis, germination and dispersal, for example.

Leaders have fostered a genuine love for reading. This is prioritised as soon as children begin school. Teachers are well trained and deliver the agreed phonics programme consistently and with precision.

They check that pupils are keeping up. Those at risk of falling behind are well supported to catch up quickly. Pupils practise reading using books that are closely matched to the sounds that they have learned.

This means that pupils learn to read with accuracy, fluency and confidence.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from a highly personalised approach that considers their individual needs. Adults understand each child's starting points and the strategies needed for them to succeed in accessing the curriculum.

There is a relentless focus on developing positive attitudes to learning. Disruptions to lessons are rare. Pupils show high levels of respect towards each other.

They are kind and considerate, and they listen to their friends. This starts in the early years, where children are highly motivated and engaged across all areas of learning.

Provision for pupils' personal development is exceptional.

A wide variety of enrichment activities are available and appreciated by pupils. These are planned so that pupils can develop their talents and interests in a range of areas, including cooking, massage and mindfulness. The curriculum has been well designed to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

They are taught about issues such as equality and diversity. For example, during religious education (RE), pupils show maturity when discussing complex ideas about beliefs. They also discuss and debate complex ethical issues in a weekly debating assembly.

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have created an ambitious culture that puts pupils' learning at the forefront. Leaders at all levels share a real commitment to ongoing school improvement. They have a detailed and accurate understanding of the school's strengths and the areas they want to continue to improve further.

Staff, including those at the start of their careers, are rightly proud to work here and appreciate the extensive training offer available. They are positive about the opportunities to work with other schools and how this supports their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is central to the school's culture and ethos. The curriculum has been designed to help pupils know how to stay safe. For example, pupils learn about the importance of consent at an age-appropriate level.

Staff and governors fully understand their responsibilities because they have been well trained. Robust procedures are in place to ensure that any concerns are identified and responded to quickly. Leaders seek appropriate support from a range of agencies to ensure that pupils and their families get the help that they need.

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