Imperial Avenue Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school School leaders have provided a clear focus for the rapid improvement of this school over the previous twelve months.

Plans for school development are accurate and focused. Leaders understand that improvement is still recent and needs more time to be fully effective. The headteacher is new but has provided effective support for the school over the course of the last academic year.

The governors have provided determined support and have been increasingly effective in holding leaders to account. The school is improving in all areas. Assessments carried out at the end of last term show that Year 2 pupils made above average progress from a low... starting point.

The development of reading has been a priority. Across the school, pupils gain secure skills in phonics. The proportion who met the expected standard in the 2017 phonics test is now broadly average.

Staff have received effective additional training and support during the last 12 months. This has had a positive effect on their skills and confidence. Assessment of pupils' learning is improving across a range of subjects.

While most pupils are making good progress from their starting points, their overall attainment at the end of Year 2 is still below average. This is especially the case for some disadvantaged pupils and some boys. The good leadership within the early years is enabling most children to make good progress.

The provision helps children to quickly and happily settle into the good routines provided. Some boys are still behind at the end of the Reception Year. Teaching is improving across the school.

Teachers and other staff have a clear understanding of how to plan and teach lessons effectively. Additional support is helping many pupils to make good progress. The very large majority of pupils behave well in lessons.

A few, mainly boys, find it harder to maintain their concentration during some longer sessions. Pupils spoken with say they feel safe and have no concerns about bullying. This view is confirmed by those parents and staff who completed a questionnaire.

School leaders have put in place strong actions to improve attendance. The proportion of pupils who are absent has fallen to average. Those pupils who have had especially low attendance are now in school more regularly.

Information about this school

The school meets the requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school is a larger than the average-sized primary school providing education for infants. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average.

The proportion who have an education, health and care plan is average. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, for whom the school receives the pupil premium, is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who are from minority ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional language is above the national average.

The majority are from White British backgrounds. Almost half are from a range of other ethnic groups. The largest group, about one sixth, are from other White backgrounds, mainly eastern European.

About one third of the pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils arriving at and leaving the school part-way through their education is low compared to other schools. The school's early years provision in the Nursery class is part time and full time in the Reception class.

The school has received support during the last academic year from a national leader of education from Parks Primary School. Between September 2016 and April 2017 she was the executive headteacher, supported by a head of school. In April 2017, the head of school was appointed as the headteacher.

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