Avenue Primary Academy

Inspection of Avenue Primary Academy Avenue Road, Belmont, Sutton, Surrey SM2 6JE

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Inspection dates: 31 January and 1 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Lisa Hunt . This school is part of the Cirrus Primary Academy Trust , which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sharon Roberts , and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Peter Simpson .

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Avenue Primary Academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Avenue Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as Avenue Primary Academy as a result of conversion to academy status. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where all pupils are expected to be the best they can be, both academically and pastorally. The school’s values of resilience, respect and pride are interwoven through all aspects of school life. Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional across the school. This is because pupils have been taught how to behave and because they want to do well. Pupils achieve very well across all areas of the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this school. Warm, nurturing working relationships between adults and pupils permeate the school. Pupils know that if they have a worry, there is an adult who will listen to them. This means that they feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on positions of responsibility. This includes acting as Avenue ambassadors, well-being champions and reading champions. Reading champions are pupils in Year 6 who read with younger pupils. They take pride in their roles because they have been taught the importance of reading and helping others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have prioritised attendance. They are taking appropriate action so that the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent declines.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a range of clubs including choir, lacrosse and football club. These activities help pupils to develop their talents and pursue their interests.

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better?

Reading is given priority here. Leaders are determined that all pupils learn to read confidently and fluently. Children in the Nursery listen attentively to stories and excitedly join in with repeated phrases. Children are taught to read right from the start of Reception. Pupils across the school read widely and often. Pupils in Year 6 enjoy being read to by their teacher because, ‘it takes them to a magical place’. These experiences develop a love for reading.

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better?

The programme for early reading is very well-sequenced. Books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils know. This means that pupils read with developing fluency. Adults are experts at teaching reading. They regularly check the sounds that pupils know. Therefore, any pupils who may need extra support are quickly given the help they need to keep up.

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better?

The school has an ambitious well-structured curriculum in place. Leaders have skilfully thought about the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and when these should be learnt. For example, pupils in Year 3 confidently solve mathematical calculations involving division. This is because they have previously been taught multiplication facts. In Reception, pupils count and recognise numbers. This is because they have been taught what each written number represents.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They explain concepts clearly and correct misconceptions quickly so that pupils understand new content. Teachers and other 31 January and 1 February 2024

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adults emphasise important vocabulary. For example, in Year 6 pupils learn new words such as, ‘physician’, ‘hasten’ and ‘treaty’.

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The school makes sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly so that they receive the help they need to access the curriculum and thrive. Staff are trained exceptionally well to provide support which is targeted to pupils’ needs. For example, activities focused on developing attention and concentration are delivered with precision. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Pupils’ behaviour across the school is exemplary. The curriculum can be taught without any interruption. Classrooms are purposeful, calm learning environments. This is because staff have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils are highly motivated and show positive attitudes to their learning. This includes children in the early years who share and collaborate well.

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The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum is at the centre of the school’s work. Pupils are taught about consent in an age-appropriate manner. Pupils learn about risks within and beyond the school. For example, pupils are taught about the risks they may face when using different digital apps. Pupils are taught the importance of respect and are given opportunities to practise democracy.

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Pupils are taught how to understand and regulate their feelings. This includes children in the early years. Leaders have thought carefully about how they support pupils with SEND who may need help to express their feelings. As a result, staff carry emotion cards to help pupils explain how they feel.

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Trustees are ambitious for all pupils at this school. They have established robust systems and processes to ensure the school is providing the very best education for all pupils. Staff are extremely positive about the wide range of initiatives in place to support their workload and well-being. This includes members of staff at the beginning of their teaching careers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 31 January and 1 February 2024

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1016

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Avenue Primary Academy is part of the Cirrus Primary Academy Trust consisting of five schools.  Avenue Primary Academy converted to become an academy in September 2015. When its predecessor school, Avenue Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school has specially resourced provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder . There are currently 70 pupils enrolled in this provision.  The school runs a breakfast and after school club.  The school does not make use of 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. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the senior leadership team to discuss school development.  Inspectors met with representatives of the board of trustees and the local committee.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to pupils’ personal development and behaviour and attendance. They also met with

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groups of staff and pupils to discuss these aspects of the school’s work.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, physical education and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The views of parents and staff were also considered, including through Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Deborah Walters, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sabrina Edwards His Majesty’s Inspector 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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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