Heather Avenue Infant School

Overview

Pupils “thrive at this inclusive and caring school,” enjoying learning and making an “excellent start in early years.” The school delivers a “broad, ambitious and exciting curriculum” where pupils achieve “exceptionally well” in core subjects, supported by strong staff relationships and effective leadership.

Strengths

• Early years provision is outstanding, with children becoming “independent, curious and confident learners” through a well-designed curriculum.
• Reading is central to the curriculum; staff demonstrate expertise in phonics, ensuring pupils become “confident, fluent readers” with a “love of reading.”
• Personal development is outstanding, with pupils engaging in daily “compliments” and discussions about “philosophical questions” to develop character.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported, with “lesson adaptations” enabling them to access the same curriculum as peers.
• Behaviour is managed effectively through “strong relationships,” resulting in learning that proceeds with “little disruption.”

Areas to improve

• In some wider curriculum subjects, new knowledge is not always presented clearly, leading to “gaps in their knowledge” and limiting pupils’ ability to build on learning.
• The school needs to “refine their approach to teaching in some of the wider curriculum” so pupils can “secure and build on their learning confidently across all subjects.”

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”