The Abbey Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, St Albans

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: The Abbey Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, St Albans Grove Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 1DQ

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish attending this exceptionally happy school. They know that each day will be stimulating and varied. Pupils rise to the school’s high expectations. They achieve exceptionally well across the school’s ambitious curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a strong sense of family. Pupils welcome and support each other, celebrating their similarities and differences. Older pupils are ‘special friends’ for children in Reception. Staff know pupils as individuals. They use this knowledge to ensure that pupils’ needs are met and that their interests are developed. Pupils attend a raft of clubs, including fencing, chess and child-led creative writing. Many well-chosen trips enhance the curriculum. Pupils encounter many visitors, from different faiths and careers. In Year 6, local magistrates teach pupils about the legal system. Pupils learn about social issues, such as homelessness, and raise money for charity. Pupils are fully prepared to become active citizens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a plethora of opportunities to develop their leadership skills. The school council helped to develop the school’s approach to behaviour, the ‘Abbey Promise’. As a result, pupils understand and strive successfully to meet the school’s high expectations of their behaviour. Pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy. They learn about road safety and how to safely use the internet. 23 and 24 April 2025

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

The school has significantly improved its curriculum since the previous inspection. It has clearly identified what pupils need to know across all subjects, and how and when they should learn important knowledge. Teachers rigorously check pupils’ knowledge, including when pupils join the school. Teachers identify and address pupils’ misconceptions and any gaps in pupils’ learning. They present new concepts clearly and give pupils the chance to practise what they have been taught before moving on to new learning. Staff have a precise understanding of pupils’ needs and interests. They adjust the curriculum with great skill to ensure that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), access it successfully.

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

From the start in early years, children gain a strong foundation for future learning. The school is determined that all pupils read, write and use mathematical operations correctly and fluently. Pupils learn how to convey their ideas clearly and for different purposes and audiences. The curriculum provides pupils with many opportunities to work practically and find things out. For instance, in science, pupils experiment with sound insulation. In history, they use artefacts to find out about the lives of women in ancient Greece. Pupils progress through and learn the curriculum exceptionally well.

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

The school understands the importance of reading. From Reception, children learn to blend sounds into words. Staff match books precisely to pupils’ abilities. If pupils need additional support with their phonics, they receive it. This helps them to become accurate and fluent readers. Pupils greatly enjoy reading a diverse range of texts.

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

Children in the Reception Year become confident and independent. They learn to focus on their work and to share and work together. Staff plan carefully to ensure that children, while developing their own interests and skills, take part in a broad range of activities to broaden their knowledge of the world around them. Staff promote children’s language and communication skills effectively, including through high-quality interactions.

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

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are enthused by their learning. The ambition and breadth of the curriculum plays a big part in this. Pupils are determined to be the best they can be. They are positive and polite. They play enthusiastically and cooperatively. If pupils need support or guidance to feel happy in school and focus on their work, staff provide this. Pupils really enjoy school. Their rates of attendance are high.

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

Pupils are fully prepared for life beyond school. They understand the importance of diversity. The school develops and broadens pupils’ interests, such as in sport and music. The school has an important role in the local community. Pupils sing to the local elderly in the local community. Pupils get a very strong sense of right and wrong, and how they can make the world a better place for all.

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

Leaders and governors put pupils at the heart of every decision that they make. They do not rest on their laurels. They do whatever they can to make pupils’ experiences of school the best they can be. The school supports and trains staff to develop and teach the 23 and 24 April 2025

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curriculum with real impact. Staff enjoy working here. Parents and carers rightly praise the quality of the provision that the school gives their children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in September 2019.

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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 23 and 24 April 2025

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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). 23 and 24 April 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 September 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a member of the Diocese of St Albans. The school received its most recent section 48 inspection in May 2018.  The school currently uses one registered alternative provision.  The school operates before- and after-school provision for pupils.  The headteacher was appointed in January 2022.

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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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in this evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior staff, including the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator.  The inspector spoke to the local authority’s school effectiveness adviser. 23 and 24 April 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met with members of the governing body.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector spoke with several groups of pupils and observed their behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime.  The inspector considered the responses and free-text comments received during the inspection to Ofsted Parent View. He took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys. He also spoke to parents at the gate.

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Inspection team

Steve Woodley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 23 and 24 April 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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