Setting

Rachel Mollett Headteacher Kings Avenue Primary School Kings Avenue London SW4 8BQ

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Kings Avenue Primary School

Following my remote inspection with Andrea Bedeau, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 16 March 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to provide education to all pupils during the current circumstances.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Kings Avenue Primary School

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 (2) of the Education Act 2005 (as amended) and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for visiting schools while routine inspections remain temporarily suspended. It was additional to the usual monitoring process for schools that are judged to require improvement.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Kings Avenue Primary School

This monitoring inspection was carried out remotely. As such, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would normally be the case during an on- site inspection. As a result, this letter provides a more limited level of assurance than our usual monitoring reports.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Kings Avenue Primary School

The inspection took place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in May 2018.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Kings Avenue Primary School

Having considered all the evidence and taking into account the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the school, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to provide education in the current circumstances. Ofsted

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 ensure that governors take specific measures to assure themselves of the quality of education provided for pupils

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 develop subject leaders’ expertise so that knowledge taught to pupils builds on their prior learning.

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Context

 Since April 2019, three senior members of staff have left the school. A new chair of governors was appointed in December 2020. The school is no longer part of a federation.

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Context

 Three quarters of pupils were educated at home when, at the start of the spring term, the school was closed to most pupils. Half of all vulnerable pupils were attending on site during the same period. Just under two thirds of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) also attended on site.

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Context

 At the time of the inspection, all pupils and staff had returned to school, with no absences due to COVID-19.

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Main findings

 At the end of the third national lockdown, leaders prioritised the return of all pupils to school. Families were given reassurances that the school was safe. All pupils are now attending on site and receiving education directly from their teacher.

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Main findings

 Prior to the start of the pandemic, leaders prioritised improving reading and mathematics. The current curriculum model has been in place since September 2019. However, clearly sequenced curriculum plans are not in place for art and design.

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Main findings

 English and mathematics have been taught as planned throughout the pandemic. However, the curriculum for other subjects was adapted during periods when most pupils were learning remotely. For example, in relationships and sex education, leaders changed the order in which units are taught. This was because one unit contained sensitive material and leaders decided that teachers and pupils should be present in person. Computing and music were not taught online. The leaders’ view was that these subjects were best taught in school.

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Main findings

 Alongside the regular curriculum, where individual subjects are taught discretely, the school teaches through special projects. These are based around enterprise, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics), and drama and oracy. The leaders’ aim is for pupils to practise and apply the knowledge acquired in individual curriculum subjects through practical tasks.

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Main findings

 Leaders make half-termly assessments of pupils’ knowledge in each subject. Since the full return to school, leaders report that these checks have shown gaps in what pupils know and remember. The school day has been extended, with the aim of helping pupils to catch up.

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Main findings

 Leaders continue to prioritise pupils’ reading. All staff have been trained in the phonics programme. This was fully implemented in September 2020. Pupils read books that closely match the sounds that they have learned. Leaders check that pupils remember the sounds taught and provide catch-up programmes for pupils who fall behind. In Years 3 to 6, whole-class reading takes place every day. The curriculum focuses on helping pupils to develop a deep appreciation of the books that they read.

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Main findings

 Leaders carefully plan their support for vulnerable pupils. Any pupils who had not attended during lockdown were offered sessions the week before the school fully returned at the start of March. This allowed pupils to settle into normal routines before other pupils returned to school. Leaders also visited pupils at home to explain what school would be like.

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Main findings

 Leaders are clear that pupils with SEND should be taught by their class teacher within their usual classroom. Specialist staff provide practical solutions and resources to support inclusion. For instance, in a Year 5 class where pupils were learning about fables, an alternative text was sourced for pupils who find reading more challenging. This allowed these pupils to work towards acquiring the same knowledge as the rest of the class.

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Main findings

 Governors have provided support with recent staff restructuring, finances and improving the school’s technology. They have also supported the school through the defederalisation process. This has left less time to hold leaders to account on the curriculum. Although governors have received assurances about the quality of the curriculum, they have not checked this out for themselves.

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Main findings

 School improvement advisers from the local authority have worked alongside senior leaders and subject leaders. This has led to secure systems being established for the teaching of reading. Advisers have also worked closely with leaders around staff’s workload. This work is ongoing, understandably, in order to support well-being following the recent staff restructuring.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We spoke to you, other senior leaders, staff, representatives of those responsible for governance and representatives from the local authority to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown.

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Evidence

We listened to pupils read, looked at minutes from governors’ meetings and reviewed curriculum documentation. We looked at responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including eight free-text responses, and 29 staff questionnaires.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Lambeth. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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