Abbey CofE Infant School

Inspection of Abbey C of E Infant School Aston Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 5EL

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since January 2014. 3 and 4 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this nurturing and welcoming school. They are inspired by the school motto of ‘Love, Laugh, Learn’, and they flourish here. The school has high ambitions and expectations for pupils and they achieve well. Staff take great care to get to know each pupil and their family. Parents and carers are positive about the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children develop warm relationships with adults from when they first join the school. Playtimes are full of fun with engaging activities that provide plenty of scope for energetic and imaginative play. Pupils learn to share, take turns and cooperate together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond positively to the high expectations for behaviour that the school sets and they behave well. The school’s approach to behaviour is consistently applied by staff. Pupils understand and follow the school’s ‘ready, respectful, safe’ rules. This means the school is a calm and orderly place, where learning typically proceeds without disruption.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending clubs where they learn new skills and interests. These include computing, fencing and dance. All pupils are expected to be responsible and help with jobs, such as tidying up. Older pupils take on roles as playtime leaders and librarians, which helps to build their confidence.

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

The school has an ambitious curriculum. From the beginning of the Nursery Year, the school has identified the key knowledge and skills that it wants children to learn. Children get off to a quick start in the two-year-olds’ room, where staff skilfully focus on developing children’s language and helping them to master basic skills, such as counting and holding a pencil correctly. The youngest children quickly develop confidence as a result of the high standard of care that they receive. In the early years setting, activities have a clear purpose and all staff understand these. This means staff can direct their talk and support precisely to meet pupils’ needs. The school successfully identifies and provides for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND learn an ambitious curriculum alongside their peers. In ‘Elm’, the school’s specialist provision, skilled staff use a wide range of approaches to help pupils to access their

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

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They plan exciting activities to help pupils learn, such as scientific experiments and visits to farms and local places of worship. Across the school, curriculum content builds each year. As a result, pupils use their prior knowledge to support them with new or more challenging learning. This is particularly effective in core subjects. However, in some wider curriculum subjects, new knowledge is not always presented in a way that ensures pupils remember it over time. As a result, some pupils struggle to retain knowledge and vocabulary, which can lead to gaps in their understanding.

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

The school uses checks to identify accurately what individual pupils know and can do. This enables teachers to provide opportunities for ambitious learning and to adapt 3 and 4 December 2024

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activities for pupils who need extra support. However, in some wider curriculum subjects the school does not yet check what is working well. This means the school does not always have a secure overview of how well pupils are achieving and how well the subject is being delivered across the school.

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From the early years, phonics is taught effectively. This enables pupils to develop their confidence and fluency in reading. Pupils who need extra help to catch up get effective support. The school promotes a love of reading through the quality texts that teachers read to pupils. Pupils are immersed in stories through pantomime performances and theatre trips. The school welcomes parents into the school library after school to select books with their children.

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Pupils are positive and enthusiastic about learning. They try hard and want to know more. Routines such as working with partners are established in early years and consolidated through purposeful practice in key stage 1. Staff consistently use characters, such as ‘Ready Rita’ and ‘Don’t Give Up Donald’, to help pupils to understand how to be effective learners.

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Pupils are prepared well for life beyond the school. Staff teach pupils about different cultures and faiths. Throughout the personal development programme, pupils have opportunities to learn about what makes everyone different. They learn about these concepts in an age-appropriate way and understand that everyone should be treated fairly. This helps them to develop tolerance and respect for others. Pupils learn to be good citizens by engaging with the local community, singing at care homes and visiting the local church.

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Teachers are a happy, well-trained team and are proud to work at the school. They feel supported with their workload and well-being. Governors know the school well. Through their experience and challenge, they demonstrate a determination that every pupil achieves their best.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, the teaching approaches used do not fully support pupils to remember the essential knowledge and vocabulary within the wider school curriculum. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their learning. The school needs to continue to refine the approach to teaching in some foundation subjects so that pupils retain more knowledge and build on their learning confidently across all subjects.  Some subject leaders are newer to their role and are at an early stage of their leadership development. This means the school does not yet have a clear picture of 3 and 4 December 2024

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how well pupils are achieving and what is working well in some subjects. The school should continue to develop the expertise of subject leaders so those who are new to their role have a good understanding of how well pupils are learning in their subjects.

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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.

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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). 3 and 4 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 16 and 17 January 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This Church of England school is part of the Diocese of Coventry. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in January 2018. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in the academic year 2025/26.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school operates a breakfast club and an after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the 3 and 4 December 2024

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curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders and the special educational needs coordinator. The lead inspector met representatives of the governing body and spoke with a representative from the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors examined a range of school documents, including leaders’ self-evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance, and documentation relating to attendance and pupils’ behaviour.  The inspectors took account of responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and

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the staff survey. An inspector spoke informally with parents on arrival at school.  During the inspection, the inspectors met with groups of pupils, both formally and during less-structured parts of the day.

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Inspection team

Corinne Biddell, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Christian Hamilton Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 2024

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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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