Ashton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Ashton Primary School Ainsdale Drive, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston, Lancashire PR2 1TU

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Outcome

Ashton Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to attend Ashton Primary School. They arrive each day with positive attitudes. Pupils are friendly to each other during lessons and at playtimes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils explained that leaders deal with poor behaviour and bullying so that these do not reoccur. This helps pupils to feel safe in school. Pupils try hard to follow the school rules. They know that leaders have high expectations of them. They enjoy earning rewards and points for modelling good behaviours and attitudes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between adults and pupils are positive. In class, pupils listen to each other respectfully. Pupils learn how to create and maintain healthy relationships. They understand the qualities that secure strong friendships.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the need to develop active and healthy lifestyles. Many take part in the wide range of sports clubs and activities that are on offer. Others enjoy learning to play brass or percussion instruments. Older pupils take on a range of extra responsibilities. These include becoming eco-warriors, school councillors and play leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Pupils leave Ashton Primary School well prepared for the challenges of their secondary school.

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

Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. They have identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Teachers and support staff receive regular training. This helps them to deepen their subject knowledge. As a result, they deliver the curriculum with confidence and expertise.

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

Governors know the school well. They have strengthened their knowledge of subjects beyond English and mathematics. They are challenging leaders about the quality of education across all curriculum subjects. 2 and 3 February 2022

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In most subjects, teachers plan new learning that builds on what pupils already know. In these subjects, pupils deepen their learning. They make secure links with what they have learned in the past. That said, in a small number of subjects teachers’ checks on what pupils know are not well established. This stops teachers from identifying gaps in pupils’ learning. Sometimes, teachers do not use assessment strategies well enough to plan new learning that meets pupils’ needs. This hinders pupils’ progress.

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Leaders have well-tested systems in place to identify the specific needs of pupils with SEND. Leaders work with a range of external agencies to ensure that the correct support is in place. Across the school, pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their friends.

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The teaching of reading is a priority. Teachers provide pupils with opportunities to read and expand their subject vocabularies. Children begin their reading journey as soon as they enter the early years. The teaching of phonics is consistent and systematic. Pupils learn new sounds in a logical order. Pupils who fall behind or who have gaps in their phonics knowledge receive the support that they need to catch up. Most pupils quickly become fluent and confident readers. Older pupils talked confidently about their favourite books and authors. That said, sometimes the books that children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 read are too difficult. These books do not enable pupils to practise the sounds that they already know. This hinders them from becoming confident readers.

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Pupils behave well around school. They engage in their lessons and respect the views of others. They can get on with their learning without interruptions.

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The wider curriculum provides pupils with rich experiences. Pupils develop their citizenship skills by engaging in a range of local initiatives. These include planting seeds in the local park and taking part in litter-picking with members of the local community. Pupils learn about the wide and diverse religions present in the United Kingdom. They demonstrate high levels of tolerance and deep respect.

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Staff feel very supported by new leaders. They appreciate that leaders have taken positive steps to reduce their workloads around marking and assessment.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have received appropriate and relevant training to help them fulfil their safeguarding duties. Staff are aware of how to record and report safeguarding concerns. The members of the safeguarding team are proactive in their roles. They know the families well. Leaders engage successfully with several partner agencies. This helps them to put early support in place for vulnerable pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe. They are aware of the dangers associated with the use of social media and online gaming. They know a range of strategies to keep themselves safe in different situations. 2 and 3 February 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, staff do not make sure that the books some pupils take home to read build on the sounds that they already know. This is hindering these pupils from becoming confident readers. Leaders should make sure that pupils can access books that help them to practise the sounds that they know.  In a small number of subjects, the checks that teachers make on pupils’ learning are not well established. This is hampering some teachers in identifying gaps in pupils’ knowledge. It hinders pupils from making connections with what they already know. Leaders should make sure that teachers are well equipped to check what pupils know, so that they can plan suitable next steps in pupils’ learning.

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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 a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour, or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2012. 2 and 3 February 2022

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 2 and 3 February 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211235 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher, a new deputy headteacher and a new key stage 1 leader have been appointed since the previous inspection.  A new chair of the governing body has also been appointed since the school was last inspected.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken this into account in his evaluation of the school.  During this inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team. He met with four members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. He considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys. The 2 and 3 February 2022

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inspector spoke with parents and carers before school, to gather their views and opinions about the school.  The inspector examined a range of safeguarding documents. He made checks on staff recruitment, and spoke with staff to check how well they understood their safeguarding responsibilities. As well as this, the inspector explored the staff’s views about their workload and well-being.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at playtimes and in lessons. He spoke with pupils to gather their views about behaviour and safeguarding in their school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and computing. He met with subject leaders, visited lessons and spoke with teachers. The inspector spoke with pupils and looked at examples of their work. The inspector also scrutinised the curriculum in a range of other subject areas. The inspector observed pupils read to trusted adults.

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Inspection team

John Donald, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 February 2022

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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