Ashburnham Community School

Inspection of Ashburnham Community School 17 Blantyre Street, London SW10 0DT

p.1

Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

p.1

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since March 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 28 and 29 January 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school, playing with their friends and learning. Pupils are taught to respect each other and demonstrate the school’s values in their interactions. Beginning in early years, children are taught to check in on their emotions so they can be ready to learn. As a result, pupils behave well. Pupils are taught to stay safe and know who their trusted adults are. The school prioritises the pastoral care that children receive. Pupils are kept safe in their school community.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the wide extra-curricular offer at the school. All pupils can develop their confidence and teamwork through the clubs available, including taekwondo, circus skills, fencing and table tennis. They enhance their leadership skills through a range of roles as class monitors, buddies and school councillors. Pupils contribute to the local community through different fundraising initiatives alongside their teachers.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils. They, in turn, are keen to rise to these. Over their time at school, pupils achieve in line with their peers nationally, supporting them to be ready for the next stage of their education.

p.2

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Beginning in early years, the school has planned an ambitious and broad curriculum. This is sequenced so that pupils return to and embed key ideas. For example, in art and design, children in the Nursery experiment with mark making using different materials. Older pupils build on this foundation knowledge by creating different lines and patterns using a greater range of tools. By the end of Year 6, pupils are able to create their own portraits in the style of the Renaissance using precise line, form and shape.

p.2

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading is a high priority. Staff are well trained to deliver the school’s chosen phonics programme. Books are well matched to the sounds that pupils know. Pupils who need more help with their reading receive effective support to keep up and catch up with their peers. Leaders work closely with parents and carers, including those new to the school and who speak English as an additional language, to further encourage a positive reading culture. Beginning in early years, language and vocabulary are prioritised. For example, children sing familiar songs as they begin each day and as they transition between activities. This helps newer children to be inducted into routines and for key vocabulary to be emphasised.

p.2

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

While the curriculum is designed to revisit key ideas, at times, pupils struggle to apply their learning to more complex tasks. This is because they have not had sufficient practice in the foundations before being moved on. In some subjects, assessment is not used as consistently to check that concepts and vocabulary are secure before pupils are asked to apply these to the next stage in their learning. This means that pupils are not connecting ideas to larger concepts and deepening their understanding across the curriculum as well as they might. 28 and 29 January 2025

p.2

3

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including in early years, are cared for in a nurturing environment. Staff identify pupils’ needs appropriately and provide the necessary support. Leaders engage positively with parents and external agencies. Where needed, additional interventions are put in place and reviewed carefully. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well from their different starting points.

p.3

3

Pupils behave well, and lessons are rarely disrupted. Pupils typically focus on their learning. When needed, pupils are supported to adjust their behaviour. Some pupils are being helped to develop their resilience further through a range of approaches in class and a programme of wider pastoral support. Pupils are aware of what bullying is, and incidents are rare. Currently, not enough pupils attend school well enough. This means that they do not benefit from the opportunities the school provides. The school is working closely with pupils and their families to identify the barriers to effective attendance. This work is contributing to improving rates of attendance.

p.3

3

Pupils’ wider personal development is carefully considered through the school’s ‘hidden curriculum’. Pupils are taught how to stay physically and mentally healthy through lessons and assemblies. For example, children in early years have daily teeth brushing sessions, which helps to reinforce important lifelong habits. This is further supported with relevant themed experiences for older pupils, with visits from specialists such as dentists and gardeners to help pupils develop their understanding of nutrition.

p.3

3

Staff are very proud to work at the school. Teachers, including those at the earlier stages of their careers, are supported by leaders to develop professionally. For example, the school supports newer teachers to shadow and be mentored by leaders across the federation so that they can develop their skills in different subjects and year groups. Governors fulfil their statutory duties well and share teachers’ high ambitions for pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, assessment is not used as effectively to check what pupils know, identify misconceptions and inform the next steps of teaching. As a result, some pupils are not given sufficient time to practise and embed ideas before they apply them to more complex concepts. This means, at times, pupils struggle to connect their learning to larger ideas. The school should ensure that assessment routines and information are used consistently to adapt teaching and to help pupils deepen their knowledge across the curriculum. 28 and 29 January 2025

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 28 and 29 January 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Headteacher Jonathan East (Head of School) Paul Cotter (Executive Headteacher) Website ashburnhamcommunityschool.org.uk

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 March 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this school

 Ashburnham Community School is part of the Fox Federation. In September 2024, a new head of school and deputy head were appointed. An executive headteacher oversees all schools in the federation. The schools share a single governing body.  The school runs its own breakfast and after-school clubs.  The school currently does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 28 and 29 January 2025

p.5

6

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school, senior leaders, teachers and support staff. The lead inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body. She also spoke with the local authority school improvement partner.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work. The inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.

p.6

6

 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.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation provided by leaders, including about their priorities for improvement.  The inspectors considered the views of parents, pupils and staff through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Matea Marcinko, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Diana Valcheva Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 January 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7