Ashperton Primary Academy

Inspection of Ashperton Primary Academy Ashperton, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 2SE

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 January 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act of 2005.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Ashperton Primary Academy as an academy school under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection of the predecessor school. 10 and 11 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are really proud to belong to Ashperton Primary Academy. They value the opportunities they have. Pupils attend many trips and visits that enrich the curriculum. They visit places of worship, take part in sports activities, participate in rehearsals of a regional chamber orchestra and perform in school plays and musicals. Pupils contribute widely to the life of the school. They know that their roles on the school council or as house captains, eco warriors and digital leaders make a difference to other pupils, and they take these responsibilities seriously.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. They expect them to do their best and behave well. Pupils work hard. Their behaviour is exemplary. Leaders address any incidents of bullying quickly and effectively. In nearly all subjects, leaders have made sure that the curriculum is expertly planned.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have placed the sustainable development goals of the United Nations at the heart of the work of the school. This helps pupils understand the importance of their actions and the consequences their actions may have. Pupils say, ‘We all have a part to play in making the school a better place.’

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better?

Leaders are ambitious for their pupils. They have designed a curriculum to meet the needs of pupils. The curriculum includes a rich understanding of sustainable development goals. This provides pupils with a unique preparation for their next steps and for adulthood. In many subjects, leaders have developed well-planned and well-sequenced subject curriculums in which the important knowledge that pupils need to know is clearly identified. In these subjects, teachers make effective choices about how they deliver the curriculum and assessment is strong.

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better?

In early years, leaders have designed a curriculum with ambitious end points. They want children to achieve well. Some activities, particularly those outdoors, are designed to reflect children’s interests and to encourage them to think creatively and to show resilience. In these cases, children show sustained effort and concentration and learn well. However, some activities are not as well focused on the needs of children. On occasion, this can limit the opportunities that children have to meet the ambitious learning goals of leaders.

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better?

Children and pupils enjoy being read to frequently. Pupils can borrow books from their class library. Leaders select these books carefully to reflect the topics that pupils are learning about as well as to match their interests. Pupils are eager to read. Leaders have designed their own phonics reading scheme. The scheme is carefully sequenced. However, books do not match the sounds that pupils are learning precisely enough. This means that a few pupils do not have the opportunity to practise the sounds they have just learned often enough to become fluent readers. 10 and 11 January 2023

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Pupils behave exceptionally well. They say that adults teach them to be kind to each other. Pupils help each other if they have a problem. They understand that sometimes other pupils may have worries that they do not know about.

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Leaders make sure that pupils’ talents and interests are developed and that they learn about life outside of the local area. Pupils learn about different religions and cultures. Leaders use the extensive school grounds to enrich the curriculum, for example by pupils learning to build dens. The school’s link with a school in Tanzania enhances pupils’ learning across the curriculum. Pupils are taught to take responsibility for what they do. They have recently been learning about ‘zero hunger’ and collected food for the local food bank.

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Leaders work with staff to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly. Staff receive good-quality guidance about how to help pupils and, as a result, teachers support pupils with SEND well in lessons.

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Leaders prioritise working with parents, and parents are positive about the education that their children receive. Staff are supported very well by leaders. They say that their workload is well managed. They are proud to work in the school.

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Governors are fully committed to making sure that the school is the best it can be. They focus on the areas of the school that matter most. They provide effective challenge to leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work hard to make sure that they keep pupils safe. Recruitment checks are rigorous and staff training is extensive. Staff are vigilant. They pass on even the smallest concerns they may have about pupils. Safeguarding leaders are assiduous about following these up. They are tenacious in challenging other agencies if they do not think that pupils are getting the help that they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are very clear about how to keep themselves safe. They talk with confidence about the risks they may face. They have been taught about online risks, positive relationships and how to keep themselves and their friends safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not made sure that pupils have access to a range of phonically decodable books that exactly match the sounds they are learning. This means that pupils do not have the opportunity to practise the sounds that they are learning often enough and so some pupils fall behind. Leaders should review their 10 and 11 January 2023

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scheme to make sure that books precisely match the sounds that the pupils are learning so that all pupils can become fluent readers.  The curriculum in the early years is not planned and delivered as effectively as it could be. Some activities are not well focused and not all key stage 1 foundation subjects build on effectively from learning in the early years. Leaders should make sure that the curriculum in the early years prepares pupils well for their learning in key stage 1.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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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. 10 and 11 January 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Ashperton Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in April 2011. When its predecessor school, Ashperton Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors held discussions with the headteacher and other senior and middle leaders.  Inspectors held discussions with teachers and representatives of governors. 10 and 11 January 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science and music. For each of these subjects, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with members of staff individually and in groups and spoke to pupils at various points during the inspection.  Inspectors took account of responses to staff and pupil surveys, as well as to Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors looked at records relating to behaviour, bullying, attendance and safeguarding.  Inspectors reviewed safeguarding arrangements by checking the school’s approach to staff recruitment, scrutinising policy documents and meeting with the designated safeguarding lead.

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Inspection team

Claire Price, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Vanessa Payne Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 January 2023

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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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