Heaton Avenue, A Share Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Heaton Avenue are happy and safe. The school's behaviour policy clearly demonstrates the stages of consequences and rewards.

Pupils and staff understand the traffic light system and behaviour is starting to improve. The school uses pupil leadership roles, such as playground buddies and school ambassadors, to exemplify good behaviour. In some lessons, pupils do not display behaviours that are conducive for effective listening and learning.

Some adults do not intervene swiftly enough to address this disengagement.There have been significant changes to the school's leadership this year. There is a palpable determination to ensure that pupils experience a high-q...uality education.

Following a review of the curriculum, the school has redesigned its curriculum structure this academic year. The school has ensured its curriculum better meets the needs of the pupils. However, this curriculum development is at an early stage.

The school fosters pupils' character through its aim for them 'to be good humans'. Adults support pupils to resolve conflict, and to become independent and resilient.The school provides pupils with many opportunities for educational visits that enhance the revised curriculum.

Pupils enthusiastically recall memorable visits to an agricultural show and a local wildlife park.

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

The school has taken decisive action to ensure that all subjects in the wider curriculum are sequenced and progressive. The progress outcomes for key stage 2 in 2023 do not reflect the quality of the revised curriculum.

The school recognises that it is too soon to see the impact of the curriculum changes on what pupils remember over time.The school has considered the important knowledge pupils need to learn, and in which order. However, pupils currently have an insecure knowledge base to build on.

While pupils can talk about what they are presently learning, some pupils do not recall or make connections with what they have previously learned.The school checks pupils' work during the lesson. The quality of the work that pupils produce is variable.

For example, some books indicate a lack of pride and care from pupils. The school has implemented 'non-negotiables' in some subjects, such as in mathematics, where pupils have one digit in each square in their exercise books. However, this is not consistently applied.

The school has rightly prioritised the teaching of phonics and early reading. It introduced a new phonics programme in January 2024. Some reading books match the sounds that pupils know.

The school checks the sounds that pupils know regularly. However, leaders recognise that they need to gain a more comprehensive understanding of pupils' achievement to ensure the lesson content matches the needs of the pupils. Pupils in key stage 1 have two phonics sessions a day.

Although they are supported by an adult in a smaller group, pupils who are not keeping up with the phonics programme have the same phonics offer as those who are on track. This is not helping them to catch up quickly.Teachers use mathematical vocabulary and target questions to support pupils' mathematical understanding.

However, pupils frequently disengage from mathematical learning. Staff do not interject swiftly enough to prevent lost learning time. In response to the low Year 4 outcomes in the 2023 multiplication tables check, the school has initiated a new arithmetic long-term plan to focus on basic number bonds and multiplication facts.

While pupils confirm this session happens, they do not know if they are doing well or which times tables need further practice. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have access to resource packs and adapted tasks. This helps them successfully access the mathematics curriculum.

There are high aspirations for children in the early years. The school is transitioning to implement a new early years curriculum structure from September 2024. There are many opportunities for communication and language development in the environment.

However, some interactions do not support children to acquire new vocabulary. Practitioners support children with some activities. It is unclear how a Nursery or Reception-age child knows what to do in activities when there is not an adult present.

There is a whole-school approach to teaching about healthy relationships. Pupils speak positively about their puberty lessons. The school's new curriculum includes links to fundamental British values, protected characteristics, diversity and world faiths.

However, at the point of inspection, pupils struggled to talk about these aspects.The trust has a clear oversight of the strengths of this school and its areas for improvement. The staff fully support the school leaders and the recent changes to the curriculum.

Some parents and carers feel the school has not clearly communicated these necessary changes. The school recognises that there is a need to strengthen relationships with families.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum has not enabled pupils to build knowledge and skills over time. This means pupils struggle to make links with what they have previously learned. The school should make sure that its new, revised curriculum is embedded securely to enable pupils to learn well across all areas of the curriculum.

Phonics teaching is not aligned to what some pupils know. This means that the content of lessons does not meet the needs of some pupils. The school should ensure that its mechanism for checking what pupils know securely informs its phonics teaching.

• Some aspects of personal development are not as well developed as others. This means some pupils' knowledge is less secure around aspects such as British values, protected characteristics and world religions. The school should ensure that it considers more opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding in these areas.

• The quality of work pupils produce is variable. As a result, some pupils do not take care or pride over their presentation. The school should ensure its non-negotiables for presentation are adhered to.

• The school has not communicated the changes in the school's curriculum thinking and procedures to its families. This means parents are unclear about what their child is learning, preventing them from supporting their child effectively at home. The school should strengthen relationships with its parental community and ensure communication is clear.

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