Richmond Avenue Primary and Nursery School

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
• Personal development and wellbeing are a clear strength, with a programme tailored to the community.
• The 'My Future, my Southend' project builds life skills, careers awareness and aspirations.
• Pupils learn about different cultures, beliefs and keeping safe, including through local beach visits.
• Pupil leadership is strong, with roles such as head boy and girl, councillors, sports captains and prefects.
• Pupils behave well, are polite and friendly, and bullying is uncommon.
• The school is calm and orderly, so learning is rarely disrupted.
• Attendance systems are effective, and persistent absence is reducing, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• The curriculum is ambitious, logically sequenced and builds knowledge cumulatively with a strong vocabulary focus.
• Reading is prioritised, with high-quality texts and effective structured phonics teaching.
• SEND identification and support are strong, with precise adaptations and calm spaces such as the ocean room and boost bubble.
• Early years provision is nurturing and inclusive, with warm relationships and good phonics and language development.
• Overall Year 6 achievement compares favourably with national outcomes and has remained so over time.
• Pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those known to social care progress well from their starting points.
• Leaders and governors have a clear, accurate view of the school and are ambitious for all pupils.
• Trust leaders provide challenge and support, and staff value professional development and wellbeing consideration.
• Pupil premium funding is used effectively to remove barriers and ensure access to enrichment.
• Pupils have a strong sense of community and belonging, and most parents are supportive.

Areas for Improvement

• Achievement in the Year 4 multiplication check remains consistently below national averages.
• Some pupils struggle with handwriting, so written work does not always reflect the depth of their knowledge.
• Teachers do not consistently challenge poor handwriting or incorrect pencil grips.
• Transition information from early years does not always give enough detail about children's foundational skills, so Year 1 progress is slower than it could be.
• Strategic improvement planning and target-setting lack precision and are not tightly aligned with key priorities.
• Self-evaluation and tracking of improvement impact could be sharper.
• Leaders are working to regain the trust of a minority of parents after a period of staffing upheaval.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools