Booker Avenue Infant School

Inspection of Booker Avenue Infant School Booker Avenue, Liverpool, Merseyside L18 9SB

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good 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. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 7 and 8 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind and courteous. They show high levels of respect to their classmates. They enjoy their learning. Pupils behave well and rarely disrupt each other’s learning. They have positive relationships with their teachers and staff. They are safe and happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what pupils will learn. Many pupils, including some with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are fond of their curriculum trips, such as those to the beach and to a farm. In the early years, these experiences help the children to practise using language to communicate in everyday situations. Music is central to school life. It is used to support pupils’ mental health and their literacy development. Pupils consistently benefit from rich opportunities to sing and to perform for an audience. Pupils have access to several extra- curricular clubs, such as dance and sports clubs. Pupils, including the children in the early years, enjoy the new ‘active play’ initiative, which is a range of activities to promote their physical and social development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a range of opportunities to take on responsibilities around the school, such as librarians, and mathematics and Makaton ambassadors. There is also a school council that contributes to decisions about some of the school’s fundraising activities.

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

Recently, the school has made changes to its curriculum to ensure that it is broad, balanced and that subject content is structured in a logical manner. The school has also ensured that staff have the guidance that they need to deliver the curriculum well, which is often the case. In turn, pupils build a firm body of knowledge in many subjects.

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

In a small number of subjects, including parts of the early years, the school’s curriculum thinking is less precise. This is also the case for a small number of pupils with SEND. In these curriculum areas, it is sometimes less clear what pupils need to know. Additionally, some learning activities are not designed as well as they could be. This sometimes hinders pupils in learning the most important knowledge. In these parts of the curriculum, and for some pupils with SEND, their knowledge is not as strong as it is elsewhere.

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

The school carries out routine checks on what pupils know and remember. In some subjects, the information from these checks is used particularly well to provide pupils with extra help to close their gaps in learning.

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

Pupils with SEND are identified early. In some cases, the school caters for these pupils’ needs well. However, the school does not adapt the delivery of the curriculum consistently well for some other pupils with SEND, including pupils with complex SEND who access most of their learning outside of the mainstream classes. As a result, some of these pupils do not achieve as well as they could. 7 and 8 January 2025

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The school promotes a love of reading. Pupils read regularly and enjoy their story time sessions in class. The school prioritises early reading. It delivers its chosen phonics programme well. Pupils read books that are suited to the sounds that they know. Most pupils meet the standard of the phonics screening check in Year 1. They quickly become confident, fluent readers. Those who are behind the expectations of the phonics programme receive a range of effective support to help them catch up.

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The school supports pupils’ personal development well. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including when online. They know how to look after their physical health. They learn about the diverse world around them. Through many subjects, pupils learn about different cultures and people from different backgrounds. Their learning is enhanced through curriculum trips and visiting speakers. Pupils learn about fundamental British values at an age-appropriate level. They are prepared well for life in modern Britain, as well as for their next stage in their education.

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Children settle into the Reception Year well. They engage keenly with their learning and pick up classroom routines and expectations quickly. Older pupils conduct themselves sensibly throughout the school day. They are attentive in lessons. They are calm and courteous when moving around the building. Pupils’ attendance is high. Few pupils are persistently absent. The school takes appropriate actions to ensure that pupils attend school regularly.

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Governors fulfil their statutory duties sufficiently well. However, the school, including governors, does not consistently evaluate the quality and impact of the curriculum as effectively as it could. This sometimes means that the school does not promptly address some issues with curriculum implementation. It also limits how robustly governors can challenge and support the school to improve the quality of education. Leaders are considerate of staff workload. For example, they often provide dedicated time for staff to carry out additional duties and to undertake training.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some aspects of the school’s curriculum thinking, including some of the learning activities that it designs, need further refinement. This includes the curriculum through which some pupils with complex SEND learn. At times, pupils do not securely learn some curriculum content. The school should ensure that the curriculum is designed and delivered consistently well, through activities that help pupils to gain the intended knowledge.  The school does not adapt learning and support consistently well for pupils with additional needs. At times, this means that some pupils, including those with complex 7 and 8 January 2025

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SEND, do not access their learning as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise to cater for pupils’ different needs.  The school, including governors, does not have a deep insight into how well the curriculum is implemented in all areas. This sometimes means that the school is not quick to respond to some issues with curriculum delivery that impact how well pupils achieve. The school should improve how it oversees the delivery and impact of curriculums, so that it can promptly address issues preventing pupils from learning all that they could.

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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). 7 and 8 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 January 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use 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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 7 and 8 January 2025

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 Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading, geography, mathematics, music and science. They met with subject leaders and teachers. They visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning. The lead inspector observed pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum and spoke with pupils about their learning.  Inspectors talked to staff about their workload and well-being.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The lead inspector spoke with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors met with the leaders responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their wider experience of school.  Inspectors looked at a range of policies and documents related to pupils’ welfare and

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education. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  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 took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff. There were no responses to the survey for pupils.  Inspectors met with parents at the beginning of the school day and took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

David Spruce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

David Woodhouse Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 January 2025

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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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