Krishna Avanti Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Krishna Avanti Primary School continues to be a good school.

There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are rightly proud of their school and enjoy sharing all that it is 'amazing' about it.

Parents typically describe it as a nurturing and caring place with a strong sense of community. Pupils enjoy learning the ambitious and aspirational curriculum, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils behave well ...and are kind and considerate towards each other.

They are welcoming to those who are new to the school. Bullying is rare and if it were to happen, pupils are confident that it would be dealt with quickly. Staff know pupils and their families well.

Pupils know to talk to the 'well-being warriors' or an adult if they have a worry. This helps to ensure that pupils feel safe and are kept safe at school.

Pupils enjoy using the range of equipment on offer at playtime.

They have fun and play cooperatively together. Leaders prioritise pupils' well-being. For example, pupils value the time they have to reflect and participate in yoga.

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

The curriculum matches the ambition and breadth of what is expected nationally. Leaders are not complacent and continuously review what is offered. For example, they have recently developed aspects of the geography and history curriculum so that it will further deepen pupils' knowledge over time.

Leaders have identified and sequenced the important knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to learn. This starts from the early years. For example, in Reception, children learn to identify numbers to 20.

They practise counting in jumps to calculate the difference. This prepares them well for learning about subtraction later on.

Teachers use assessment well to check what pupils have learned.

This means errors or misconceptions are swiftly identified and addressed. This enables pupils to deepen their understanding in different subjects and tackle more challenging ideas. For example, in science, older pupils have developed a secure understanding of how the earth is divided into hemispheres, each with a pole.

Leaders prioritise reading. The foundations are laid in nursery where children enjoy listening and joining in with familiar stories, songs and rhymes. This prepares children well to learn phonics from their Reception year.

Leaders have a well-established, structured approach to teaching phonics. Staff deliver this with expertise. Staff monitor pupils' reading.

Any pupils at risk of falling behind have extra help to catch up. The books pupils read are well matched to the sounds that they know. Consequently, they read with growing confidence and fluency.

Leaders build on pupils' genuine love of reading by providing a rich, diverse reading curriculum.

Pupils with SEND are identified early and well supported. Tasks and activities are adapted carefully so that pupils with SEND can learn alongside their peers.

More bespoke support is provided for those pupils who need it. Teachers ensure that these pupils continue to join in with all aspects of school life.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' behaviour.

Pupils are highly engaged in lessons and are keen to learn more and improve their work. They remember what they have learned because the curriculum is broad and exciting. Pupils achieve highly across different subjects and are well prepared for the next stages of their learning.

Pupils appreciate all the additional opportunities offered by the school, such as residential trips to Lincolnshire, football tournaments and the interfaith choir. They are proud of their opportunity to sing in front of the Mayor of Camden. Pupils enjoy being responsible, for example by being a school councillor or an eco warrior.

They are keen to share their views and know that staff will value these.

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, understand the school's strengths and weaknesses well. This enables them to prioritise areas for improvement.

For example, leaders have successfully addressed the weaknesses identified in the previous inspection.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They feel part of a 'family' and well supported by leaders and each other.

Leaders are considerate of staff's workload and have taken positive steps to help with this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is well managed.

All staff receive regular and up-to-date training. This ensures that they are clear about how to record and report any concerns they may have. As a result, pupils and their families receive the help they need.

Pupils feel well looked after at school. They are taught how to stay safe, and they know what to do if they have any concerns.

The curriculum has been designed to help pupils understand and respond to the potential risks they may face.

For example, they learn about keeping themselves safe online. The governing body performs its statutory duties effectively.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2017.

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