Prince Avenue Academy and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Prince Avenue Academy and Nursery display the school motto of 'success with a smile' throughout the school day. They know the importance of living the 12 school pledges, which they helped to design.

Pupils are kind, polite and courteous towards each other and to adults. They support each other to do well, and they enjoy celebrating each other's successes. Pupils enjoy school and they love learning.

Pupils work hard in lessons to do the best they can. This is because all staff have high expectations and ambitions for what pupils can achieve. Pupils enjoy playing together during breaktimes and lunchtimes.

They look after each other. Bullying is very r...are. Pupils know adults will help them if it happens.

Pupils are happy and feel safe at school.

Pupils enjoy the different opportunities offered. They like the range of clubs they can attend and the chances they get to compete in sporting events.

Pupils are inspired to take on positions of responsibility during their time at school. Elections for these positions helps them to learn about democracy. Pupils feel privileged to represent the school and do so with pride.

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

Leaders have planned a curriculum that clearly sets out the knowledge pupils need to learn. Teachers have the subject knowledge needed to teach this curriculum well. Teachers typically use their checks on what pupils know to match learning to pupils' needs.

However, a few teachers are not as precise as they could be in identifying what pupils know. As a result, there are occasions where the activities pupils complete are not as well matched to what they already know and can do.

Pupils love reading.

One pupil commented, 'I love reading because it takes me to a different world.' Leaders make sure pupils access a range of texts and stories. In key stage 2, the texts used during reading lessons extend pupils' understanding of other subjects.

Leaders are working to enhance the reading curriculum and build on what is already in place. Carefully chosen books have been mapped to the curriculum in all year groups. Children in the nursery are introduced to the sounds letters make through games and activities.

In Reception, children begin to learn to read as soon as they join the school. Staff teach phonics well. They are quick to identify any pupil who finds reading hard.

Effective support is put in place to help pupils to improve their fluency and confidence.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with staff to identify the individual needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff receive training on how to adapt learning for these pupils if necessary.

They use a range of resources so that all pupils with SEND can access the full curriculum and develop their independence. As a result, these pupils achieve well.Children in the early years also achieve well.

Effective staff training ensures children make a good start in school. Children develop independence and a love of learning quickly. There are well-planned opportunities for children to access all areas of the early years' curriculum.

Leaders ensure that the transition from nursery to the reception class is a smooth one for all children.

Leaders have recently introduced new ways of promoting good and addressing poor attendance. This includes identifying pupils with lower attendance more quickly.

While there have been some improvements in pupils' attendance overall, there remains a minority of pupils who are absent from school too frequently, so they do not achieve as well as they could.

Pupils understand the importance of treating people equally. They know that differences are celebrated by everyone at school.

Pupils enjoy the opportunities they get to share and discuss different views and beliefs. This helps them to learn tolerance and respect for those who think differently from them.

Trustees and local governors hold school leaders to account for the quality of education provided.

Leaders ensure that they support staff well. Staff feel proud to work at the school. The trust has worked with leaders to develop the curriculum and subject leadership.

Some subject leaders are relatively new to their role. They still require support in how to evaluate and improve the quality of the curriculum in their subjects.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained in how to identify any safeguarding concerns. They have a secure understanding of what they need to do if they are worried about a pupil. There are clear processes for recording concerns, which all staff follow.

Leaders ensure that safeguarding records are accurate and detailed. Any follow-up actions, including requesting support from other agencies, are taken quickly by leaders. All required pre-employment checks on new staff are completed.

Pupils know how to keep safe, including when online. They know there are trusted adults in school to talk to if they have any worries.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Effective assessment practices are not consistently well-embedded across the school.

In a few instances, teachers do not accurately identify what pupils know and can do. This means that activities are not always precisely matched to what pupils need to learn. Leaders must ensure that they secure a more consistent approach to assessment across subjects so that all teachers adapt work to meet pupils' needs effectively.

• There is a minority of pupils who are persistently absent from school. Consequently, they do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders must ensure that they identify pupils with poor attendance quickly and take swift action to ensure these pupils attend school regularly.

• Subject leaders receive structured guidance in monitoring provision in their subjects accurately and in supporting other teachers to improve their practice. However, some subject leaders are relatively new to the role and are still being trained. Leaders must ensure that all subject leaders receive the support and training they need so that they can continue to improve the quality of curriculum implementation in their subjects.