Kings Avenue School

Kings Avenue School Kings Avenue, London SW4 8BQ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Leaders and governors do not have an accurate view of the school’s performance. As a result, priorities for improvement have not been identified sharply enough to maintain the school’s good overall effectiveness. Action to improve teaching and pupils’ outcomes has lacked urgency.  Pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics require improvement. Teaching and the curriculum do not make sure that pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.  Additional funding is not used effectively to make sure disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as other pupils nationally.  The early years provision requires improvement. By the end of the Reception year, not enough children are ready for the start of Year 1 compared with national averages.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is variable. Leaders have not made sure that the best practice is shared across the school in order to maintain consistency.

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Teachers’ assessments of pupils’ learning are not sufficiently accurate in identifying where improvements are needed.  Guidance for pupils on their work does not consistently challenge them to improve further.  Teachers do not consistently set pupils tasks that help them learn well in reading, writing and mathematics. Gaps in teachers’ subject knowledge hinder pupils’ progress.  Governors have not held leaders sufficiently to account about improving pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of the Reception year, Year 2 and Year 6.

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The school has the following strengths

 Leaders have been successful in maintaining pupils’ good behaviour. Pupils are friendly and welcoming. Their attitudes to learning are positive. They conduct themselves well in lessons and around the school.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Through the wide variety of enrichment activities that the school organises, pupils’ physical and emotional well-being is well supported.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics, by making sure that: best practice is shared across the school so that teaching is consistently of high quality teachers develop their subject knowledge where they have weaknesses guidance on pupils’ work contributes to pupils’ better progress the curriculum enables pupils to learn essential skills securely teachers select suitably demanding tasks that enable pupils to make swift progress in developing their skills disadvantaged pupils make similar progress to other pupils nationally.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve children’s learning in the early years by making sure they make swift progress in reading, writing and mathematics skills.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leaders and managers, including governors, by making sure that: information about pupils’ outcomes is used to measure the school’s effectiveness accurately and to identify where further improvement is needed development plans set out precisely the actions that need to be taken in order to secure swift improvements timescales for securing improvements are sharpened in order to increase the pace of improvement the governing body develops its skills further to support and hold school leaders fully to account for the effectiveness of the school’s work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders and governors have an over-positive view of the effectiveness of the school’s work. They have not addressed areas of underperformance with sufficient urgency to sustain the school’s previously good standard of education. Improvement planning has not identified significant priorities in order to maintain teaching quality and pupils’ outcomes.  Despite pupils’ below average standards over recent years in reading, leaders have not taken swift action to secure better reading outcomes for pupils. Specific training planned for staff, for example to improve pupils’ understanding of what they read, has not taken place.  Leaders have not made sure that teachers develop the subject knowledge they need in mathematics in order to help pupils achieve high standards. Work in pupils’ books shows that sometimes teachers do not spot inaccuracies in pupils’ spelling and punctuation.  Performance management has not been fully effective in securing improvements to teaching. The best

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

practice in teaching, learning and assessment is not shared across the school. As a result, the impact of teaching and assessment on pupils’ learning remains variable. Leaders have not made sure that feedback on pupils’ work supports pupils’ progress consistently well.  The range of subjects taught is broad and balanced. However, the curriculum does not make sure that pupils build their skills steadily in reading, writing and mathematics.  Curriculum enrichment activities motivate pupils, fostering their enjoyment of school and maintaining good behaviour. Regular visits to a wide variety of places of interest support pupils’ learning in a range of subjects. Residential visits in Years 3 to 6 give pupils a range of experiences that promote their self- confidence and personal development successfully. Extra-curricular clubs are popular, including ukulele, choir, football and street dance.  The school uses additional funding for disadvantaged pupils in a variety of ways that help make sure that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

eligible pupils have an equal opportunity to benefit from all the enrichment activities that the school has to offer. The funding is not used as effectively to make sure that disadvantaged pupils make similar progress to other pupils nationally in order to close any gaps in attainment.  The physical education and sports premium for primary schools is used well. Pupils benefit from specialist sports coaching. Sporting resources available at breaktime, swimming lessons for pupils in Years 4 to 6 and horse riding for selected pupils all encourage high participation rates and foster pupils’ positive attitudes to keeping fit and healthy.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is encouraged strongly. Through elections to select school prefects and members of the school council, pupils develop an understanding of democratic processes. The school promotes other aspects of British values, for example through encouraging tolerance

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

and respect for different faiths and cultures. This includes the celebration of a wide range of religious festivals. Pupils understand the importance of the rule of law. During the inspection, pupils explained clearly to inspectors why school rules are important to keep the school calm and safe.  The governance of the school Governors are over positive in their evaluation of the quality of the school’s work. They have readily accepted what senior leaders and outside consultants have told them about the school’s effectiveness. They have not made enough use of assessment information on the school’s performance to challenge the school to do better and tackle underperformance swiftly. Governors have not checked carefully enough that improvement planning is accurately focused and successfully securing better teaching and improved outcomes for pupils. Members of the governing body know how the pupil premium is spent, but have not

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

investigated how well disadvantaged pupils in all year groups achieve compared with other pupils nationally.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are aware of the school’s systems and procedures to keep pupils safe. Leaders make sure that staff are aware of current safeguarding guidance including in relation to child sexual exploitation. Recent training for staff and members of the governing body has included raising awareness about the risks from extremism and radicalisation, as well as female genital mutilation. Records show that the school is swift to act should any safeguarding concerns arise. Leaders work effectively with parents. In the online survey of parents’ views, the overwhelming majority of parents who responded confirmed that their child felt safe at the school. During informal discussions, a few parents made a point of expressing their appreciation for the support they have received from the school in keeping

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Teaching is not consistently good enough to enable all groups of pupils to make swift progress over a sustained period. Good practice has not been shared widely across the school in to order make sure all teaching is as strong as the best.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is uneven. Sometimes, teachers do not select the most appropriate activities to make sure that pupils deepen their understanding and build their knowledge of new learning securely, particularly in reading and mathematics.  In some classes, teachers and teaching assistants do not notice and address pupils’ misconceptions and misunderstandings during lessons. In pupils’ written work, inaccuracies in basic punctuation and spelling sometimes remain, including in upper key stage 2. Teachers and teaching assistants do not identify and address these inaccuracies quickly enough.  Teachers’ assessments sometimes over estimate the depth of pupils’ learning. As a result, tasks are not well

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

matched to pupils’ abilities. Pupils’ learning and progress are diminished when work is too difficult. At other times, the progress of the most-able pupils slows when they finish quickly and are expected to wait before moving on to the next task. Occasionally, they are given more work that is very similar to activities that they have already completed.  Relationships between teaching staff and pupils are warm and friendly. Attitudes to learning are positive. Pupils concentrate well and typically present their work neatly. Older pupils are proud to have secured a pen licence. They take responsibility for responding to teachers’ feedback on their work.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability are well supported. They work closely with learning assistants and specialist therapists that support their learning effectively. Pupils with complex needs benefit from additional support and guidance carefully tailored to their specific needs.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils know the importance of listening carefully in lessons. They follow teachers’ instructions readily so that time is used effectively. Occasionally, a few pupils lose concentration, for example when work is too demanding.  Pupils are enthusiastic to participate in the wide variety of sporting activities and competitions that the school organises. The street dance team are rightly proud of their recent success in reaching the finals in a national competition. Pupils contribute enthusiastically to improving the school. For example, they helped to choose the school uniform, and selected the school’s values, including problem solving, collaboration and resilience. Pupils are keen to demonstrate that they meet the school’s values.  Pupils confirm that any bullying is rare, as the school’s record show. They are confident that if any concerns

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Personal development and welfare

arise, such as name-calling or teasing, the adults will address any issues quickly. They confirm that the ‘calming down club’ helps to solve any problems at breaktimes, including instances of falling out between friends. Pupils have a clear knowledge of what action they should take to keep themselves safe, for example when using computers.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are friendly and well mannered. They welcome visitors politely, and readily hold doors open for others. They conduct themselves sensibly in lessons and around the building so that the school is calm and orderly. Pupils respond positively to the expectations of the adults, for example they line up quickly at the end of breaktimes and queue patiently in the dining hall before lunch. The school’s site is tidy, well maintained and free from litter and graffiti.  The school works hard to make sure the whole school community has a clear understanding of the importance of regular attendance and good punctuality. School records show that any absence is followed up quickly and as a result average attendance rates are improving. The school keeps careful checks on any pupils who are persistently absent and takes decisive action to secure improvements.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Leaders have not been successful in maintaining pupils’ good progress. Work in pupils’ writing and mathematics books shows that the progress of pupils currently in the school is inconsistent and requires improvement overall.  Standards in reading have been lower than national averages at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 over recent years. In the Year 1 phonics screening check, more pupils reach the expected standards compared with national averages. However, leaders have not successfully fostered older pupils’ love of reading or taken rapid action to develop their understanding of what they read in order to raise standards in reading.  Over recent time, pupils’ progress from different starting points has not been swift, particularly in reading and writing. As a consequence, pupils are not well prepared for the next stage of their education by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6.  Disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 in 2015 made slower progress over key stage 2 in reading, writing and

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

mathematics compared with other pupils nationally. Gaps in standards of attainment widened, both between disadvantaged pupils and the others at the school, and between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally.  Over recent years, compared with national proportions, fewer most-able pupils reached the highest standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, particularly in reading and writing.  The school provides a variety of tailored support for pupils who have special educational needs or disability. From their starting points, these pupils make good progress. Additional sessions in reading, writing and mathematics with well-trained teaching assistants help these pupils to achieve well.  Well-planned support for pupils who join the school at the early stages of speaking English helps them make good progress in building up their knowledge of spoken and written English from their starting points. They

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

benefit from additional sessions to help them build confidence and vocabulary in English.

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Early years provision requires improvement

 Children make uneven progress in the early years provision because the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is variable. By the end of the Reception year, fewer children compared with national averages are well prepared for the start of Year 1. Leaders and governors have not made sure that additional funding is used effectively to close gaps in attainment between disadvantaged children at the school and other children nationally.  Children are not helped to deepen their understanding of basic reading, writing and numeracy skills when activities in the inside and outdoor areas are insufficiently demanding. Leaders have introduced recent changes that are helping to improve the early years provision but this has not yet shown a sustained impact on raising children’s outcomes.  Children make better progress in personal, social and emotional aspects of learning. Parents who spoke to inspectors were consistently pleased about the positive start their children have made since joining the

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Early years provision requires improvement

school. Well-established routines help children to settle quickly when they start. Children are happy and make friends readily. Across the early years provision, children behave well. Children in the Nursery, returning to the classroom following a physical education session, wasted no time in selecting activities and getting on with tasks they had chosen.

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School details

Unique reference number 133315 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 10008723

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 446 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Richard Grant Headteacher Elizabeth Maxted (executive headteacher), Tanya Mooney (head of school) Telephone number 020 76221208 Website www.kingsavenueschool.co.uk Email address office@kingsavenue.lambeth.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 22—23 March 2011

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-size primary school. It is one of three schools in the Loughborough Federation of Schools.  Children attend the Nursery part time in the morning or afternoon, and a few children attend full time. Children in the Reception classes attend full time.  More pupils than nationally speak English as an additional language. Very few are at the early stages of speaking English.  The school meets the current government floor standards.  The school organises and manages breakfast provision.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited 40 teaching sessions from Nursery to Year 6 across a range of subject areas. Most visits to lessons were conducted together with members of the senior leadership team.  Inspectors held meetings with the head of school and the executive headteacher, and with senior and subject leaders. Inspectors spoke to pupils informally in lessons and around the school, and looked at work in pupils’ books. They also met with groups of pupils from key stage 2, and listened to pupils reading. Inspectors held a discussion with a representative from the local authority and held a meeting with four governors, including the chair of the governing body.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents provided by the school, including assessment information, minutes of meetings of the governing body, the school’s action plans and self-evaluation reports. The school’s records relating to safeguarding were also checked.

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Information about this inspection

 There were 20 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View. Inspectors also spoke informally with parents during the inspection and considered the school’s own recent survey of parents’ views.

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Inspection team

Madeleine Gerard, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ruth Dollner Her Majesty’s Inspector Claire Majumdar Ofsted Inspector Gayle Marshall Ofsted Inspector Eleanor Whilby Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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