Ashby Hastings Primary School

Inspection of Ashby Hastings Primary School School Lane, Ashby-De-La-Zouch LE65 2AX

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Rachel Mckeown. The school is part of the Symphony Learning Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Tim Sutcliffe, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nigel Harrison. 11 and 12 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Ashby Hastings is a happy and inclusive school where everyone is made to feel welcome. The school prides itself on its strong community ethos. Pupils are proud members of this caring school. They enjoy strong, positive relationships with their teachers and with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers appreciate the commitment from staff and the friendships their children develop. Reflecting the views of many, one parent commented: ‘I would recommend this school a million times over! I feel privileged to be a part of it.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils eagerly apply for roles and responsibilities through the ‘Ashby Hastings job centre.’ The ‘classroom greeters’ proudly tell visitors about the learning that is happening in their classrooms. The ‘house point leaders’ share their team’s successes. They know that winning will mean rewards, such as teddy bears’ picnics, discos and movies with popcorn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school rules of ‘be safe, be kind, be your best’ are well understood. Pupils were inspired to write these rules after sharing a book where the key characters created their own rules to promote social cohesion and harmony.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident, polite and curious. This is a key focus for the school. It wants to ensure that all pupils are self-assured, poised and ready to enjoy learning.

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better?

Despite not having all primary-aged classes currently, the school has considered what pupils will need to know by the end of Year 6. The foundation for this curriculum starts in the early years. For the mixed-aged class, the school has carefully constructed opportunities to ensure that these pupils receive a curriculum that is as equally ambitious as the single-aged classes. This paves the way for their next stage in learning. This is particularly successful in subjects such as mathematics. In the wider curriculum, the school continues to make checks on how well all subjects are being implemented. Occasionally, the activities pupils are given to complete are not as well matched to the school’s planned curriculum as they could be. When this occurs, learning slows. The school and the trust are working together to ensure that the curriculum is consistently implemented at all times.

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better?

Every opportunity is taken to ensure that pupils read across the whole curriculum. Pupils fondly talk about books they have shared, re-read and enjoyed. Parents relish coming into school to be their child’s weekly ‘reading buddy’. Pupils eagerly recite memorised poems about British values or about ‘how donkeys bray’. In the early years, children share books that develop their understanding of time and changes within their lifetime. This helps them to develop early historical concepts.

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better?

The school’s early reading programme enables most pupils to learn to read precisely. Where a few pupils struggle to sound out words, precise support is put in place to 11 and 12 June 2024

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help them to catch up. This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Adults know exactly how to support pupils with the small steps of learning to read.

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Any barriers to learning that pupils with SEND may face are carefully considered. Teachers break down the key knowledge from the school’s curriculum for pupils with SEND into smaller, manageable chunks. Where needed, adaptations are made to the physical environment. All pupils with SEND access clubs and activities.

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Children in the early years learn the routines and access the resources and the environment with independence and confidence. The school has prioritised communication and language in its early years curriculum. There is a clear focus on ensuring children develop their confidence in writing right from the very start. This has had a positive impact for the children as they progress into Year 1.

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The school has worked hard to ensure families understand the importance of pupils’ attendance and being punctual. A few families continue to be supported to meet the school’s ambitions for coming to school every day and arriving on time.

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Pupils have a strong sense of equity, equality and fairness. They enjoy learning about different groups in society and they understand how everyone should be treated with respect. All pupils are taught how to regulate their emotions. They associate being ready to learn and feeling emotionally regulated as being in the ‘green’. This helps adults identify pupils who may need more support with their mental health. Pupils know that should they have any worries or concerns, these need to be shared. They enjoy their visits within their local community, including laying wreaths for remembrance events and singing at the nearby residential home.

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Trustees, and the school governors, use their detailed knowledge of the school to ask supportive and challenging questions. Staff told inspectors that they felt ‘trusted and respected’ as professionals. They appreciate the actions taken by the school and trust to support their well-being. Morale in school is high.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, the activities that pupils are given to complete are not precisely matched to the school’s planned curriculum. In these subjects, pupils’ knowledge is not as secure as it could be. As the school continues to grow, it needs to ensure that its systems, policies and procedures for the whole curriculum are fully embedded and followed consistently. 11 and 12 June 2024

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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). 11 and 12 June 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Symphony Learning Trust.  The headteacher took up post in August 2023.

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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.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, the early years leader and the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator. 11 and 12 June 2024

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 The lead inspector met with those responsible for governance, including the chair of trustees, the CEO and representatives of the local governing body.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, geography and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to groups of pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also sampled pupils’ work in history, art and design, English and computing. They visited provision in the early years foundation stage.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the view 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’ interest first.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site,

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including during breaktime and lunchtime.  The inspectors spoke with groups of pupils and with staff. Responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, and to the staff surveys were also considered.

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Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jackie Stirland Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 June 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, 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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