Avondale Park Primary School

Inspection of Avondale Park Primary School Sirdar Road, London W11 4EE

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 7 and 8 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff, pupils, parents and carers are proud to be part of this close-knit school community. Leaders have created a school where every person is valued. Pupils feel secure and well cared for. Professional relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school values of aspiration, respect and resilience are threaded through school life. Pupils are encouraged to learn from their mistakes. They receive rewards for trying hard. They are keen learners and know the importance of education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff prepare pupils well for their next steps. Leaders want pupils to learn right from the start of Reception that they can succeed. This is reflected in the school’s motto, ‘Dream, believe and achieve’. Pupils in Year 6, for example, like finding out about future education and work opportunities through various careers projects and workshops.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders offer a wide variety of educational outings to extend and enhance pupils’ learning. This is an important part of the curriculum. For example, pupils in Year 3 visited the science museum as part of their learning about forces. In art, staff use the local area to inspire pupils’ artwork, such as studying different forms of architecture in Year 5.

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better?

Leaders introduced a new curriculum this academic year. This curriculum is ambitious and reflects leaders’ commitment to providing all pupils with a high standard of education. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum matches the scope of the national curriculum. Pupils learn a broad range of subjects across all year groups.

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better?

Leaders have carefully planned the curriculum from Reception to Year 6. In the early years, staff ensure that pupils are well prepared for Year 1. For example, in mathematics, children in Reception practised adding numbers up to 10, using cubes to help them count. Children learned about plant cycles through growing cress from seed. This lays the foundations for learning about concepts such as germination in Year 2.

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better?

Teachers know exactly what to teach and when. They emphasise and revisit essential subject content so that it sticks in pupils’ memories. For example, pupils in Year 3 recalled key facts about ancient Egypt. This knowledge helped them when learning about other ancient civilisations. Teachers check pupils’ learning carefully. When reviewing the curriculum, leaders identified gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Staff have started to address these but more time is needed to embed the curriculum fully. Leaders support teachers well with subject-specific training as staff get used to the new curriculum. 7 and 8 June 2023

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The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the school. Leaders identify pupils’ individual needs accurately at an early stage. They have a detailed understanding of the different and sometimes complex needs of pupils. Leaders gave careful thought to the tailored support given to pupils with SEND. Teaching staff adjust their teaching to ensure pupils can access the learning. As a result, all pupils achieve well.

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Leaders promote a love of reading across the school. ‘Reading Heroes’ in Year 4 recommend books to pupils through their detailed book reviews. Pupils enjoy events such as ‘World Book Fortnight’, which includes visits from local authors. Children start learning to read at the start of Reception. Staff teach phonics following a structured programme. They identify any weaker readers and provide additional support to help pupils catch up quickly. Sometimes, pupils who are learning to read are not given books to read that help them to practise the specific sounds they know.

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Leaders offer a variety of after-school clubs, such as drumming, arts and crafts and judo. Pupils enjoy trying out different sports and competing against other local schools. School council members are represented from all year groups. Older pupils have opportunities to take on leadership roles such as head boy and girl.

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Pupils are attentive in lessons. Teachers are quick to sort out any occasional low- level disruption. Pupils like having time to reflect and be calm after playtimes. They said that this helps them to focus on their learning. Pupils discuss moral issues through frequent debates. For example, in a recent assembly, pupils considered whether it is ever right to tell lies. Pupils learn about and are respectful of people’s differences.

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Staff enjoy working here. Leaders do what they can to make workload manageable and are considerate of staff’s well-being. The governing body is committed to improving the school further. Governors are supportive of the school’s leadership team and challenge leaders appropriately.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that pupils’ safety and well-being have the highest priority. They know pupils’ individual circumstances well and work closely with families. This helps them to identify and manage potential concerns. Staff are vigilant in looking out for any changes in pupils’ behaviour. They understand and follow the school’s safeguarding procedures. Any concerns about pupils are logged and followed up promptly and appropriately.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are encouraged to keep themselves safe. For example, they are taught about resisting peer pressure and not sharing their personal information online. Staff provide a range of resources to support pupils’ emotional well-being, such as art therapy. 7 and 8 June 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Changes to the curriculum are not fully embedded. Teachers are still getting used to delivering the new curriculum content and addressing gaps in pupils’ knowledge and coverage from the previous curriculum. Leaders should ensure that they embed the new curriculum and continue to develop staff expertise so that they can implement it with confidence.  Sometimes, the books pupils are given to read are not closely matched to the phonic sounds that pupils already know. This means pupils are not helped to practise what they have learned. While pupils achieve well overall in reading, leaders should make sure that all books that pupils are given to practise reading are matched precisely to the phonics that pupils have learned.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

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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. 7 and 8 June 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10241874 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 9 May 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Fox Federation in April 2023. An executive headteacher oversees all schools in the federation.  The federation has a single governing body. The school’s previous governing body was dissolved when the school joined the federation.  The headteacher took up post in September 2022.  The school organises and manages a breakfast club and after-school club.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 7 and 8 June 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the executive headteacher and other members of the school leadership team, including leaders with responsibility for safeguarding and pupils with SEND. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body and had a discussion with a representative from the local authority. Discussions were held with various groups of staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, science and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors listened to a sample of pupils read.  Inspectors spoke to leaders about other curriculum areas and reviewed curriculum documentation in music, Spanish and computing. Inspectors sampled pupils’ work and visited lessons in a range of subjects.

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 Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils from different year groups. Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors spoke with leaders, pupils and staff about the arrangements for safeguarding and reviewed safeguarding documentation, including pre- recruitment checks.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and to the online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jude Wilson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rutinderjit Mahil-Pooni Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Nick Hitchen Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 June 2023

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