Ashford CofE Primary School

Inspection of Ashford CofE Primary School School Road, Ashford, Surrey TW15 2BW

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 September 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 19 and 20 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be a part of this happy and inclusive school. Children in the early years, along with any new pupils, receive a warm welcome. They settle into school life well and learn to uphold the school’s values of kindness and respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils contribute to the school through the different leadership responsibilities offered to them. These include running their own sports clubs, being a house captain and being on the eco-team. They value the wide opportunities that are on offer to them. Trips such as visits to the local library and art gallery help to develop pupils’ interests and talents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships are warm and considerate. Pupils behave well and move around the school sensibly. They also feel well supported by the adults who care for them. Any concerns or worries can be shared in different ways, such as putting a message in the ‘I wish my teacher knew’ boxes. Pupils trust staff to listen to them and to keep them safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are eager to learn and value the rewards they receive for their efforts. High expectations exist throughout the school. Pupils rise to these expectations and are keen to do their best.

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better?

Since the last inspection, the school has put in place a well-planned and ambitious curriculum across every subject. This curriculum identifies the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. In most subjects, there is careful thought on what pupils need to learn from early years through to the end of key stage 2. In these subjects, pupils learn effectively and achieve well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff provide dedicated care to individual pupils who have a number of different and sometimes complex needs. In lessons, teachers make careful adaptations which help these pupils learn alongside their classmates.

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better?

The school has focused on developing the knowledge and expertise of teachers across the many different subjects on offer. However, the curriculum in some subjects is still relatively new. In these subjects, pupils are not always able to remember their learning as confidently. This means that they do not always apply what they have learned to new concepts and ideas. In addition, teachers are not always checking effectively on what pupils know and can remember. This means pupils are not developing as deep an understanding across all subjects as the school intends.

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better?

Reading is prioritised, and children start to learn to read from the start of Reception. Staff teach daily phonics in a consistent way. This is helping pupils to become keen and confident readers. Pupils who find reading more difficult are well supported to enable them to keep up with their peers. The school fosters a love of reading for all 19 and 20 September 2023

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pupils. Teachers ensure pupils have access to and read a variety of different types of stories and books. As a result, pupils are eager to talk about the books they are reading. They particularly enjoy story time when staff read aloud to them.

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Pupils behave very well and respect their peers and adults. Lessons are calm and purposeful. Everyone understands the behaviour policy, and staff use it consistently. The youngest children in Reception are supported well to learn routines quickly. The school teaches pupils how to manage their behaviour. Additional support is thoughtfully given to any pupils who have difficulties communicating their feelings and emotions.

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Strong relationships exist between the school, pupils and their families. There has been an ongoing focus on providing support to any pupils who do not attend regularly. While this has reduced the absence of some pupils, there remains a small minority of pupils whose attendance is too low. The school recognises the need to continue to strengthen this work to ensure pupils do not miss too much of their education.

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The school actively promotes personal development and well-being. There is deliberate planning in the curriculum for wider enrichment opportunities. Fundamental British values are well supported across the school, with a focus on helping pupils to show respect to one another . Pupils value difference, and they celebrate diversity. They are keen to explain their understanding of how to be considerate citizens .

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Governors support the school in their determination to help pupils achieve their best. They provide appropriate challenge and support. Staff are proud to work at the school and appreciate the care for their well-being and workload. Parents speak positively about the changes that have happened across the school and feel part of a cohesive school community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The full implementation of the curriculum in some of the foundation subjects is not yet consistent. Some teachers do not yet have the subject expertise to confidently teach the precise knowledge and then check how pupils’ understanding builds over time. The school is aware of this and should continue to carefully monitor the impact of their planned improvements to ensure that pupils’ knowledge is secure.  Some pupils are not yet attending school as regularly as they should. As a result, they are missing out on vital learning. The school needs to continue to strengthen its actions to support improvement in the attendance of these pupils. 19 and 20 September 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 19 and 20 September 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.ashford-primary.surrey.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the school’s last inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed and further changes have been made to the leadership structure.  Ashford CofE Primary School is located in the Diocese of London. Its last section 48 inspection took place in March 2019.  The school does not currently use any 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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During this inspection, inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior 19 and 20 September 2023

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leaders, teachers and pupils.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair of governors. She also spoke to a representative from the local authority and the diocese.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing and art and design. In each subject, inspectors met with subject leaders, talked to pupils, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to adults they knew. Inspectors also reviewed curriculum plans in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspection team took account of a range of other information, including the

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school’s development plans, policies and governor minutes.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and the free-text comments that were submitted. They also took account of the responses to the confidential staff survey and gathered the views of both staff and pupils throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Numera Anwar, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Clark Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 September 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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