Lift Ashingdon

Inspection of Ashingdon Primary Academy Fambridge Road, Ashingdon, Rochford, Essex SS4 3LN

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Charlotte Leasure. This school is part of the Academies Enterprise Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rebecca Boomer-Clark, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Hall. 26 and 27 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are determined that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), succeed academically and personally. Pupils enjoy the learning that their teachers provide, particularly the ‘launch,’ which introduces new topics in an engaging way. The school is committed to helping each pupil achieve their best. Pupils respond well. This is reflected in the quality of their work. Many pupils do well in national tests and assessments.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. Kindness is highly valued. Pupils look after each other. They are happy and safe, as they know they have an adult they can share any concerns with. Pupils talk maturely about the importance of equal opportunities and of treating everyone fairly. Pupils are polite and considerate. They hold doors open for each other and greet visitors warmly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have fun with the extra activities like choir, sports, and drawing club. They enjoy visits linked to their learning, such as from history groups and trips to places like Colchester Castle to learn about the Romans. Their residential visit to the Isle of Wight is a highlight. Pupils also get chances to learn about responsibility through a range of roles, such as school councillors or junior leaders.

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better?

The school has raised expectations of pupils and staff. Careful thought has been given to what pupils should learn and remember in many subjects. Teachers make sure that pupils review what they have learned before so that they can use this knowledge to help them tackle new learning. In reading lessons, for example, pupils regularly revisit key reading skills to help them read new books.

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better?

Teachers usually break down new knowledge into manageable steps to help pupils learn. Teachers encourage pupils to discuss what they are learning and to develop a sense of curiosity. For example, in Year 5 history, pupils study pictures of Roman and Anglo-Saxon settlements and debate what sources reveal about people’s lives and occupations.

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better?

Teachers spot when pupils require extra support, which they provide promptly. This strategy is especially effective for pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND are supported to learn the same curriculum as their classmates with similar success. Overall, pupils steadily build their knowledge and skills across the curriculum.

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better?

Teachers use different ways to check how well pupils understand what is being taught. Teachers use these checks to adapt their lessons to meet pupils’ needs and to try to address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. In many subjects, the school makes good use of these checks to judge how well pupils are learning what is intended. In a few subjects, this is not as well established. In these subjects, the school is less clear about how well pupils are faring or how effective teaching is. 26 and 27 September 2023

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge. Occasionally, teachers’ explanations and presentation of new information are less clear. This means that pupils sometimes find learning new knowledge harder and struggle to build on what they already know.

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The school ensures that reading has a high priority. Staff are well trained, so they teach reading effectively. They make sure pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. This helps pupils in the early stages of learning to read, and those who are falling behind, to quickly gain the knowledge needed to become confident readers. Pupils rise to the challenge of reading at home regularly. They relish the chance to win a prize from the ‘Book Vending Machine’.

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Harmonious relationships between staff and pupils create a strong foundation for learning. Pupils are cooperative and keen to participate. Pupils follow routines well. Their strong attendance reflects their positive attitudes to learning.

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In the Reception class, children are supported well to develop social interactions and make progress in their learning. Adults plan activities that stimulate children’s interests and provide meaningful opportunities to learn. Adults show children how to behave towards others, so they are polite to others.

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Pupils are well equipped for life beyond primary school. They have aspirations and exciting plans for their future careers. Clubs and other experiences broaden pupils’ interests and help them to be active citizens. Pupils helped to organise the recent harvest donations in aid of a local foodbank, for example.

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Trustees and members of the academy council are knowledgeable about the school. Trust leaders have a detailed and accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities. The school takes staff workload and well-being seriously. Staff are very positive about how the school ensures that changes do not get in the way of teaching.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, the school does not have an accurate overview of whether pupils have learned the key curriculum content successfully. This means that leaders are not able to use this insight to adapt the curriculum accordingly. The school should ensure that assessment is used to evaluate how well pupils are learning the knowledge, skills and vocabulary intended in all subjects. 26 and 27 September 2023

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 Occasionally, there are inconsistencies in how effectively teachers present information to pupils. When this happens, pupils are not as successful in their learning as they could be. The school should ensure it provides the guidance teachers need to fine-tune their skills and teach the full curriculum equally well.

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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). 26 and 27 September 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 May 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There is an early morning childcare club and an after-school childcare club, which are run by school staff.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  The school is part of the Academies Enterprise Trust.

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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.  Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with members of the school’s leadership team, including the principal, the acting principal, the interim executive principal and the assistant 26 and 27 September 2023

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vice principal. Inspectors also met with the trust’s regional education director and the trust’s national director of education.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with the subject leader, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including development plans, curriculum documents, academy council minutes, trust visit reports and minutes of trust meetings.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  To gather and consider the views of parents, inspectors spoke to parents on the

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playground at the start of the school day. Inspectors considered the 110 responses made by parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, including 70 free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the 25 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for pupils.

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Inspection team

Nick Rudman, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sue Cox Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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