Toner Avenue Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Toner Avenue Primary School are happy and confident. Relationships between all staff and pupils are strong.

This helps pupils to feel safe. There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere throughout the school. This is a school where everyone is welcome.

Pupils say that you make friends quickly here, no matter who you are.

Leaders have established a consistent approach to managing behaviour. Most pupils learn to recognise and manage their emotions positively.

They behave well and have excellent attitudes to learning. Staff help pupils to have a voice and make their views known. Pupils are confident about approaching any member of staff, from the ...caretaker to the headteacher, if they have any worries.

Leaders ensure that all pupils develop a good understanding of personal safety, anti-bullying and internet safety.

Parents and carers speak highly of the support that their children receive in school. Many feel that staff 'go above and beyond' to make sure that pupils have the tools they need to succeed.

Parents feel welcome and appreciate the information they receive about their child's learning. Leaders are working closely with some parents and the local authority to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly and on time. This is an area that needs further improvement.

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

Leaders have developed a well-sequenced curriculum. Teachers have the confidence and subject knowledge to deliver the curriculum well. They have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

In mathematics, teachers follow a mastery approach and confidently adapt lessons to match the needs of individual pupils. Teachers provide daily opportunities for pupils to build on and deepen their subject knowledge. In subjects other than reading and mathematics, however, teachers do not provide consistent opportunities for pupils to revisit and recall prior learning.

As a result, some pupils do not have a secure understanding of the necessary subject knowledge and vocabulary for future learning.

Reading is a key priority of the school. The central library area provides high-quality texts and older pupils enjoy their roles as young librarians.

Pupils speak positively about the wide range of books available to them. The new programme for teaching phonics is well established. Staff have received the specialist training they need to teach the programme well.

This has resulted in a consistency of approach. Lessons are well structured and pupils confidently read and apply the sounds they have learned. In both reading and mathematics, teachers use assessment to identify gaps in learning.

However, they do not use this information consistently to help pupils to catch up quickly.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) provides highly effective support for teachers to help them meet the needs of all pupils with SEND. Strong partnerships with a range of external professionals, such as the NHS Healthy Minds team, ensure that staff and parents have the knowledge they need to support pupils effectively.

The SENCo encourages parents to take an active role in the provision for their child.

The programme for personal development provides pupils with a range of learning opportunities that help prepare them for life in and out of school. Leaders introduce pupils to important topic areas, such as gender, ethnicity and equality, through assemblies.

However, some areas of learning lack explicit teaching. Pupils do not have a secure understanding of fundamental British values and cultural diversity, and struggle to apply their knowledge of these to other contexts. Older pupils identified that they would like more opportunities to explore future career options.

After-school activities and trips have recently restarted following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. However, leaders do not ensure that all groups of pupils, particularly those eligible for pupil premium funding, are accessing these activities.

The leader for early years has developed a well-sequenced curriculum that provides children with a wide range of learning opportunities.

A focus on sharing high-quality texts across the setting encourages children's interest in, and enjoyment of reading and writing. The indoor and outdoor environments enable children to take risks and sustain their interest in learning activities. Children engage well in their learning.

The interaction between adults and children is extremely positive. Adults model turn-taking and introduce new vocabulary well. However, some subject leaders have not identified the specific vocabulary that children need to know to be ready for the curriculum in key stage 1.

There has been a significant level of improvement in the quality of education this academic year. Leaders' relentless focus on curriculum development and consistent behaviour expectations has had a positive impact on all pupils and staff. There is a strong team ethos across the school.

Governors are knowledgeable and understand the school's development priorities. They visit school regularly, and effectively challenge and hold leaders to account. Leaders have received effective support from the local authority and the associate headteacher.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all members of staff share the ethos of 'safeguarding is everything'. Regular training provides staff with the information they need to keep all pupils safe.

Leaders use weekly quizzes to assess staff's understanding. Governors monitor safeguarding processes in school regularly, including gathering the views of staff and pupils.

Staff make good use of the electronic recording system to raise concerns.

Leaders act on these concerns swiftly. The designated safeguarding lead works in close partnership with the local safeguarding hub and other external agencies. There are effective procedures in place to ensure that all adults who work in school are safe to do so.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In reading and mathematics, teachers do not use assessment information consistently to address gaps in learning. This means that some pupils do not have the support they need to catch up quickly. Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment information frequently and consistently to rapidly address gaps in learning.

• The curriculum for some foundation subjects is not aligned well with the early years curriculum. This means that adults in Nursery and Reception miss opportunities to introduce children to the subject vocabulary they will develop further in key stage 1. Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum contains explicit opportunities for children to begin to develop this early subject vocabulary.

• The curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE) does not provide sequenced opportunities for pupils to recall and deepen their understanding of key concepts. Therefore, pupils struggle to apply their knowledge of areas such as British values and cultural diversity to wider discussion. Teachers should provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to strengthen their understanding of these concepts and their wider impact and application.

• Despite leaders' actions, the rate of persistent absence among pupils eligible for pupil premium remains high. This means that these pupils miss valuable learning time and the opportunity to access the wider curriculum. Governors should ensure that leaders use the pupil premium funding effectively to address levels of attendance and increase engagement with before- and after-school activities.