Filton Avenue Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Filton Avenue Primary School is a happy, caring and inclusive place for pupils to learn.

The school's values of collaboration, aspiration, respect and endeavour underpin the way in which pupils and staff treat each other. This brings out the best in everyone for the benefit of the school.

Staff have high expectations for every pupil.

Pupils work hard to rise to this challenge. They are eager to learn and enjoy lessons. Leaders have designed an engaging curriculum that puts the local community at its heart.

There are many opportunities for pupils to extend their learning beyond the curriculum.

Relationships between pupils and staff are strong.... Pupils feel safe and are confident to speak to staff about any worries.

Those who find managing their emotions more difficult get the support they need. Pupils say that behaviour is good in school. They say that if bullying does occur, it is dealt with well by staff.

Pupils enjoy the many positions of responsibility that they hold. Oracy champions, school council members and pupil advocates are highly prized positions. These roles enable pupils to take an active part in school life and make a positive contribution to the school.

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

Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum that sets out clearly what pupils should learn and when. The curriculum raises pupils' aspirations and gives them memorable experiences. Teaching helps pupils to connect and remember their learning in different subjects.

The curriculum provides challenging questions for pupils to explore.

Pupils' ability to speak clearly, listen attentively and debate sits at the core of the school's curriculum. This strong practice gives pupils the skills and knowledge they need to speak confidently, challenge each other and answer questions in a range of scenarios.

Pupils' oracy is threaded throughout the curriculum.

Reading is a priority for every child. Staff encourage a love of reading through engaging story times and an abundance of books for pupils to read.

Books are carefully chosen to promote diversity and difference. Learning to read starts quickly with phonics in early years. Staff have secure subject knowledge.

Leaders have provided high-quality training and support. Staff use their expertise to ensure that most pupils quickly learn to read. Adults make regular checks on the sounds that pupils are learning.

However, pupils' reading books do not always match the sounds they know. This means that some pupils who have fallen behind are not catching up quickly as they struggle to gain confidence with their reading.

The curriculum develops pupils' mathematical fluency well.

In early years, children learn mathematics though a wide range of activities to deepen their mathematical understanding. Pupils' workbooks show that they write to a good standard across the curriculum. Pupils work hard in lessons.

Regular opportunities for pupils to recap learning help them remember what they have been taught. The curriculums in other subjects, such as history, music and science, are well sequenced. Art, however, is at an earlier stage of development.

Leaders and teachers quickly identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers adapt learning for pupils with SEND so they can access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities.

Leaders prioritise pupils' physical and mental health. Playtimes are enhanced by a wide range of activities and games. Children in early years use the outside spaces to learn and play collaboratively.

Pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental British values, such as democracy and mutual respect. Leaders regularly work with the local community to support pupils' aspirations and interests. This enhances pupils' wider development and encourages them to be active, responsible citizens.

In early years, strong links with parents and carers start before children begin at school. This was enhanced during COVID-19 restrictions. Parents appreciated the hard work that staff at the school did to keep in touch and support children at home.

Trust leaders share the school's high expectations of what pupils can achieve. They are sharply focused on improving the quality of education. The trust knows the school's strengths and what could be better.

Trust leaders ensure that the curriculum offers exciting challenges for pupils.

Staff morale is high. Staff agree that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders place high importance on keeping pupils safe. Staff are knowledgeable about what to do if they are worried about a pupil.

Staff know pupils and families well. They quickly spot if something is wrong. Staff work well with a wide range of outside agencies to ensure that pupils receive the help they need.

Pupils learn about keeping safe when online and offline, in school and within their community. The school's personal development curriculum is adapted to address any risks that arise in the local community. Visitors, such as the local police, help to strengthen pupils' awareness of keeping safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils do not read books that precisely match the sounds they know. As a result, pupils who are falling behind are not catching up as quickly as they could. Leaders need to ensure that pupils' books are clearly matched to their phonic knowledge.