Abbey Hill Primary & Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement Outcomes are not good enough.

Standards at the end of key stages 1 and 2 are too low and are not improving quickly enough. The quality of teaching is too variable. Expectations of what pupils can and should achieve are not high enough.

The most able and the middle-ability pupils are not enabled to reach the highest standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers do not consistently use assessment information well enough to match work precisely to pupils' different needs and abilities. Teaching in a range of subjects lacks sufficient challenge to ensure that pupils can make the best progress across the curricul...um.

Too many pupils are regularly absent from school. Some leaders are new to their roles and have not yet been able to demonstrate the full impact of their work on pupils' progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Governors are not yet holding leaders precisely to account for standards in the school.

Too few children attain a good level of development by the end of early years. The school has the following strengths The recently appointed acting headteacher has a clear vision for the school and the community it serves. She leads with a strong moral purpose.

Leaders have created a vigilant safeguarding culture. Pupils feel safe and are safe at school. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make secure progress.

Pupils make stronger progress in mathematics than in English. Pupils are proud of their school and show positive attitudes to learning. Pupils conduct themselves well.

They are welcoming, polite and respectful. Children in early years make a good start to their primary school life, given their starting point. Pupils benefit from a range of opportunities to develop spiritually, morally, socially and culturally.

Information about this school

This school is slightly larger than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.

The percentage of pupils with an education, health and care plan is below the national average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is lower than the national average and the proportion who speak English as an additional language is well below the national figure. The school has experienced significant staff and leadership changes this academic year.

The substantive headteacher is currently on long-term leave. The current acting headteacher took up her position as deputy headteacher at the beginning of the summer term. Leaders work with a collaboration of other local primary schools.