Ashley College

Inspection of Ashley College Ashley Gardens, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 8NP

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 13 and 14 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Ashley College is an inclusive and welcoming environment. Pupils are proud of their school. They appreciate the way adults care for them. Most pupils have not had a successful experience in their previous schools. The school has highly effective transition programmes that helps pupils settle in quickly. Parents and carers speak highly of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement and behaviour, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils live up to these aspirations. They are respectful of adults and each other. Pupils take pride in their achievements. Pupils flourish in the calm learning atmosphere. They enjoy making new friends with no bullying. They participate in many indoor or outdoor games and sports together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school prepares pupils, exceedingly well, for their future lives. The bespoke range of programmes, careers advice and activities help pupils secure further training and work experience. Pupils gain confidence and become more independent. If they are struggling to learn or have disagreements with others, staff respond quickly to help resolve problems or concerns.

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better?

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum designed to meet the wide range of pupils’ interests and needs. Pupils of all ages study a wide range of subjects. The essential knowledge and skills required across the curriculum are carefully planned by staff. Many pupils have significant gaps in their learning due to absence from previous schools. Teachers use assessment strategies skilfully to support pupils to understand and address missing knowledge.

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better?

Adaptions to curriculum plans ensure that pupils catch up and build their knowledge and skills rapidly. The school identifies and meets the needs of pupils with SEND. It supports pupils tutored at home or in the specialist mental health unit, effectively.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised the development of reading across the curriculum and for pleasure. Pupils have confidence to use a wide range of texts across the curriculum and appreciate many styles of literature.

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better?

Pupils are highly motivated to learn. Staff apply the school’s behaviour systems consistently. They are very well trained to meet pupils’ different needs so that lessons continue uninterrupted. The school provides highly effective support to pupils who need help to sustain their improvements in attendance. Leaders ensure that pupils’ attendance is a high priority. They support pupils and their families to overcome any barriers to good attendance. Attendance and punctuality information is carefully analysed to understand the main reasons for any absences from school. As a result, pupils’ attendance improves significantly over time. This allows for some pupils to return to mainstream schools or move to specialist schools. 13 and 14 March 2024

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Older pupils achieve many academic and vocational qualifications. This prepares them well to move on to further education, training or employment. Pupils take pride in these achievements. They spoke with enthusiasm about their improvements in subjects, such as English, mathematics and science.

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The school provides many opportunities for pupils to expand their interests and experiences to support their personal development. For example, pupils learn to climb at the climbing wall and develop music performance and composition skills. Pupils learn about healthy relationships, including sexual health in an age- appropriate way. They benefit from an extensive careers programme. Pupils are supported to become active citizens through charity days. They also learn about the community they live in. Staff encourage pupils to develop their knowledge of different faiths and fundamental British values.

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Leaders have robust systems to evaluate the curriculum, pupil safety and outcomes. Members of the management committee have a detailed strategic oversight of the school. They provide suitable challenge to school leaders. Staff workload and well- being are a priority, and they feel well supported and cared for.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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). 13 and 14 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The management committee

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committee

Date of previous inspection 6 December 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school provides educationally based specialist provision for pupils with medical needs all of whom have SEND.  The school provides education provision for four pupils at the NHS in-patient mental health unit – Crystal House.  The school provides home tuition for those pupils that cannot leave their homes due their medical needs.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 13 and 14 March 2024

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 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics and food technology. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects, including science and personal, social and health education. They spoke with pupils and reviewed samples of their work.  Inspectors observed home tuition sessions and lessons at the NHS in-patient mental health unit online.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders. The lead inspector spoke

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with representatives of the local authority. He also met with members of the management committee, including the chair of the committee.  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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. Inspectors also spoke with parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for pupils and for staff.

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Inspection team

Phil Garnham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nell Nicholson Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 March 2024

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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, schools, 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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