Avonmouth Church of England Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Avonmouth Church of England Primary School and Nursery Catherine Street, Avonmouth, Bristol BS11 9LG

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 February 2023

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Outcome

Avonmouth Church of England Primary School and Nursery continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is an inclusive and welcoming environment, where pupils feel safe and valued. They play enthusiastically at social times, during which there is always plenty to interest them. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive and respectful. Pupils know the importance of the school’s values and the difference they make. Leaders have made the school motto ‘by the river we prosper’ central to the life of the school, rooting it in the local community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils trust staff to resolve problems quickly. Bullying is rare and if it does happen teachers deal with it quickly. Pastoral care is strong and ensures that pupils’ physical and mental well-being is a priority. There is a focus on developing the skills pupils need to keep themselves safe, including when online.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to school and appreciate the many additional visits, visitors and activities on offer. They learn to express their opinion and understand the importance of valuing the views of others. Opportunities to take part in a range of events and have leadership responsibilities, such as school council and worship committee, help pupils gain important life experiences.

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

Leaders and staff are ambitious for pupils. They work together well to equip pupils with the knowledge and experiences that help raise their aspirations. Leaders and staff keep a strong focus on improving pupils’ language skills and increasing their vocabulary. This is particularly helpful for children with underdeveloped communication skills and those with limited knowledge of English.

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

Reading is a priority. Staff are well trained and have the resources they need to teach early reading effectively. From the start of Reception, staff follow the school’s phonics 21 and 22 February 2023 programme closely. They check pupils’ progress carefully. Struggling readers get the help that they need to catch up quickly. Staff read aloud high-quality books from a range of authors. This develops pupils’ love of reading and exposes them to texts they might not read themselves. Pupils get off to a strong start in learning to read.

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

In mathematics, staff follow a well-structured curriculum. They recap prior learning before moving onto new content. Teaching provides pupils with plenty of practice to improve the speed and efficiency of calculations. Teachers accurately explain new vocabulary and skilfully adapt activities so that all pupils can learn the curriculum. Teachers check pupils’ understanding regularly and use this information to inform their teaching. On the whole, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn mathematics well. Leaders recognise that further development of mathematical problem- solving and reasoning would help pupils achieve even better.

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

The sequencing of important knowledge in the early years, from entry into Nursery to leaving Reception, is very clear for each area of learning. Leaders establish exactly what pupils should know and be able to do at the end of each year. Where teachers have a secure understanding of the curriculum, the teaching is engaging, tasks adapted well, and pupils learn well. However, some subjects, such as history, are not taught as confidently and pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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

Leaders prioritise developing pupils’ self-esteem, confidence and resilience. This helps pupils to persevere and overcome challenges. Staff support pupils who make wrong choices, and disruption to learning is rare. However, occasionally, staff do not insist on the best possible behaviour. Leaders ensure that pupils with the most complex social and emotional needs get the support needed to be successful.

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

A wide range of clubs are on offer. Pupils value the leadership opportunities available because they bring about positive change in school and in the wider community. They eagerly take part in charity work to develop their understanding of helping others. Pupils explore and discuss local, national and world issues. The curriculum for personal, social and health education is well sequenced and ensures that pupils are ready for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and appropriate behaviour within these relationships.

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

Governors know the school and its strengths well. This helps them to provide effective support and challenge. Governors diligently oversee important areas of school life, such as school attendance, equality of opportunity and SEND. They rightly have confidence in their school leaders, who demonstrate a relentless focus on improving the standard of education for all pupils. Staff appreciate that leaders are mindful of their workload and take action to help their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong safeguarding culture, where pupils’ safety is of the utmost importance. Staff are well trained to spot and raise concerns. The safeguarding 21 and 22 February 2023 team ensures that pupils who are at risk of harm receive the help that they need quickly, seeking help from outside agencies when required. Record-keeping is comprehensive and demonstrates the tenacity of leaders’ actions to bring about positive change for pupils and families. Leaders know the community well and teach pupils how to keep themselves safe within it. They carry out the necessary pre-employment checks on staff and keep meticulous records.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers’ subject knowledge is stronger in some subjects than it is in others. Where it is weaker, learning is not sequenced in small steps and tasks that enable all pupils, including pupils with SEND and the most disadvantaged, to achieve well in all subjects. Leaders should continue to prioritise professional development in those curriculum areas where teachers’ subject knowledge is weaker so that pupils achieve the very best possible outcomes.  Occasionally, staff do not insist on the very best possible behaviour. Some school routines are not commonly agreed and understood. As a result, some pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are not as strong as they could be. Leaders should ensure that high expectations of behaviour, including attitudes to learning, are consistently applied.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 21 and 22 February 2023

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 21 and 22 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256789 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school runs its own morning breakfast club for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspector met with governors, including the chair of governors. He had a meeting with a representative from the city of Bristol local authority. The inspector also had a telephone conversation with the Bristol Diocesan Director of Education.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and teaching assistants, spoke 21 and 22 February 2023 to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. The inspector also heard pupils read.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector considered the wider curriculum, met with the religious education and physical education curriculum leaders and looked at samples of pupils’ work in religious education.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector reviewed a wide range of safeguarding documentation, including the school’s record of recruitment checks. The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. The inspector also spoke with pupils and staff.  The inspector took account of parents’ responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and parents’ written comments. The inspector also spoke to groups of parents on the morning of the second day of inspection.  The inspector gathered pupils’ views throughout each day, including during lesson visits.  The inspector met with a range of staff to gather their views about the school and took account of staff’s responses to Ofsted’s confidential staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Alan Derry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 21 and 22 February 2023 regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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