'Aim high, be kind' -- the motto that Ravenshead school lives up to, says Ofsted

Abbey Gates Primary, which has 232 pupils, aged three to 11, on its books, has been given a rating of ‘Good’, both overall and in all individual categories, after its latest review.

In their report, inspectors said the school’s ethos “helps pupils to understand that they should work hard and behave well”.

"Most pupils have excellent attitudes to learning,” the report went on. “A typical comment from them is that the school is ‘amazing’. Many parents hold similar positive views.

“Abbey Gates is a caring and inclusive school. It has high expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they should conduct themselves. Most meet these expectations consistently well.”

This was the first Ofsted inspection of Abbey Gates since 2012 when it was rated ‘Outstanding’. A community school, its head teacher is Abi Quant-Epps, who was appointed in 2021, and its governing body is chaired by Colin Barnard.

The inspectors found that the school “is well-led and managed” and governors “perform their roles well”. Staff “are proud to work at the school” and “feel well supported”.

"There are positive relationships between pupils and staff,” the report continued. “Pupils are polite and well-mannered, and develop their social skills at playtimes when there are many well-organised activities. This means pupils get along well together and enjoy being active.

"Pupils feel safe and also have many opportunities to contribute to the life of the school. Some are proud to be part of the choir and to represent the school in sporting competitions.”

The inspectors found that the school “has designed an ambitious curriculum”, and that teachers “have good subject knowledge”.

It was particularly keen to “develop a love of reading”, holding daily storytime sessions, and early-years children were also “well cared for”.

Abbey Gates was praised for preparing pupils for the modern world, teaching them about healthy relationships, different careers and how to be respectful of others. Children also went on a range of trip and visits.

Although inspectors accepted that pupils with special needs and/or disabilities (SEND) were “well supported”, teachers did not always adapt the curriculum well enough for them. But the school was aware of this and had plans to address it.