Ashdene Primary School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Ashdene Primary School Thoresway Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 6LJ

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Outcome

Ashdene Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe in the school’s harmonious and calm environment. The school’s motto of ‘excellence: everyone, everywhere, every day’ is at the heart of Ashdene’s work. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), rise to the very high expectations that the school sets for them. Pupils enjoy academic success and achieve extremely well. They also flourish socially and emotionally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary within and outside the classroom. They speak with high levels of confidence about their learning and value the education that they receive. Pupils are exceptionally proud of their school. They are polite and respectful towards their peers, staff and visitors. The school explicitly teaches pupils how to be confident and resilient learners. This helps pupils to excel and be fully prepared for their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wide range of carefully considered opportunities for all its pupils. Their time at school is enriched by a variety of memorable experiences. Pupils record these in individual books, which document their journey through school. The leadership responsibilities that pupils hold makes them active partners in the school. For example, the pupil finance leaders recently worked with a local supermarket to organise an Easter art competition to raise money for charity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in an array of visits to enhance their learning. They attend an extensive number of clubs to further develop their talents and interests. 25 and 26 March 2025

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

Children in the Reception class have a strong start to their education. The early years provides them with a secure foundation for their learning and development. Children display high levels of engagement. They are expertly taught a curriculum, which promotes a genuine love of learning. Staff support children to follow the school’s rules and routines and explicitly teach the school’s values. This leads to exceptional attitudes and behaviour. Children are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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

There is nothing left to chance at this school. The curriculum has been diligently designed and skilfully refined so that teachers know how and when to teach the key knowledge, from the early years to Year 6. The relentless focus on revisiting prior knowledge ensures learning is secure. Pupils understand and benefit from this approach. For instance, when discussing English work, pupils explain exactly how their knowledge and skills in writing improve year on year. The deliberate opportunities for talk within lessons, and the direct teaching of vocabulary, gives pupils the language to speak and understand their learning confidently.

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

Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and supported well. The calm classrooms and explicit routines, alongside effective adaptions to learning, help pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as their peers. This enables pupils with SEND to achieve well.

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

The school has set out explicit guidance on the delivery of the curriculum. Staff are skilled at identifying pupils’ misconceptions or any gaps in their knowledge. Staff take the time to address these issues so that they do not persist. Pupils are confident in recalling the content that was taught previously and connecting this with new learning. High-quality continuous professional development ensures that staff deliver the curriculum effectively.

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

The school has further refined the teaching of phonics since the previous inspection. Staff are well trained and deliver the phonics programme to a consistently high standard. Children in early years engage well in their phonics lessons and learn to decode words quickly. Pupils practise reading using books that match the sounds that they are learning. They are immersed in high-quality texts through the curriculum. Pupils are motivated to learn and quickly become confident, fluent readers. They apply their phonics knowledge to their writing and secure strong transcription skills from an early age.

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

Pupils have high rates of attendance. The school monitors absence closely and takes appropriate action to support and challenge poor attendance. Pupils love to learn and want to be in school. Their behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary.

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

The opportunities for pupils’ personal development are extensive. The school has selected carefully considered enrichment activities, clubs and experiences that match the school’s curriculum. Visitors are invited into school to provide pupils with meaningful real-life experiences. For instance, members of the local community visit regularly to promote career opportunities. As a result, pupils are able to make links between what they are learning and opportunities for future employment, for example as game designers. 25 and 26 March 2025

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The school has embraced a culture of continual reflection and improvement. Leaders at all levels engage with appropriate educational research when making decisions about the school’s development. Staff feel valued and supported. They are incredibly proud to work at the school. Governors share the school’s high expectations. They offer effective support and challenge, which contributes to the highest standard of education and care. Parents and carers speak very positively about the school. They are highly appreciative of the work that it does to help their children thrive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school outstanding for overall effectiveness in March 2019.

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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.

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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. 25 and 26 March 2025

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision for pupils.  The school has had some changes in governance since the previous inspection.

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Information about this inspection

◼ Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. ◼ This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school. ◼ The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. ◼ The inspector listened to pupils read. ◼ The inspector spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff. 25 and 26 March 2025

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◼ The inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority. ◼ To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector reviewed a range of documents, including records of governing body meetings, the school’s evaluation of its strengths and areas for improvement and documents relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance. ◼ The inspector met with the leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development. ◼ The inspector spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school and observed their behaviour at playtime and lunchtime. There were no responses to

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Ofsted’s online survey for pupils. ◼ The inspector spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. She considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online survey. ◼ The inspector met with parents at the start of the school day. She took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Emily Morris, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 2025

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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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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