Ashfield Primary School

Ashfield Primary School

Address: Weston Lane, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 2DF Unique reference number (URN): 149735

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils attain outcomes that broadly match national averages. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children make a positive start in the early years, developing important skills that are built on as they move through the school. An ongoing focus on important reading, writing and mathematics skills helps pupils to secure the foundations they need for later learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

While in the past, attainment at the end of key stage 2 in mathematics has not been as high as it could be, pupils' current achievement across the school is much better. Leaders have focused intently on improving the curriculum. They have particularly worked effectively to improve pupils' understanding of mathematical concepts. Pupils now typically have secure knowledge and can build effectively on what they know and understand in mathematics.

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Achievement Expected standard

More widely, while there is some variation in the depth of pupils' knowledge across subjects, teachers regularly help pupils to practise important skills and revisit previous knowledge. By the end of Year 6, pupils are typically well prepared for secondary school.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and strategic oversight of attendance. They understand the school’s context and the barriers that some pupils face. Leaders use detailed analysis, targeted support and appropriate challenge to improve attendance. They take a tenacious approach to increasing the proportion of pupils who attend regularly. Leaders align this work closely with their wider approach to inclusion and help pupils to develop a deep sense of belonging. Attendance is improving, including for vulnerable pupils and those who face barriers to attending school. Leaders and staff make the expectations of high attendance a reality.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The relationships between staff and pupils are highly respectful. Staff take shared responsibility for promoting positive conduct. Leaders have established a clear and consistent approach to behaviour and have made further improvements recently. Staff make reasonable adjustments to support pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, so that they can meet expectations and engage positively with school routines. Pupils know that bullying is unacceptable. It rarely happens and is dealt with effectively by staff. Leaders ensure that there is a warm and calm environment around school. Pupils learn well in settled classrooms. They demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and enjoy their social time together at breaktimes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders provide clear strategic direction for the curriculum and teaching. They have successfully developed the curriculum, particularly in mathematics and writing. Pupils, including children in the early years, are helped to build and embed their foundational knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics. Clear and consistent teaching of phonics secures pupils' foundations in early reading. Pupils learn to accurately decode unfamiliar words and develop reading fluency. Staff help pupils to understand texts through reinforcing phonics knowledge and using pertinent questioning. Reading is prioritised across the school. Leaders have made changes to how pupils are taught to understand and grasp the foundations of writing. Teachers support pupils to plan, discuss and improve their work. Consequently, pupils use accurate grammar and vocabulary increasingly well. However, teachers do not consistently ensure that pupils apply these

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

writing skills, in particular transcription, across the wider curriculum subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers provide pupils with clear explanations. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils benefit from adaptations and additional support. For example, teachers provide appropriate, practical resources that support pupils as they learn. Teachers encourage pupils to explain their thinking and fix any errors. The wider curriculum is broad, engaging and well-designed to help pupils learn the important knowledge identified across curriculum subjects.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have put in place a curriculum that sets out clearly what children should learn across the 7 areas of learning. They have strengthened staff's expertise in the teaching of the curriculum. As a result, staff know the curriculum well and adapt it effectively. Children build the appropriate knowledge and skills securely over time. For example, staff create opportunities for children to develop their fine motor skills in preparation for writing.

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Early years Expected standard

Children learn in a language-rich environment, which prepares them increasingly well for key stage 1. Staff ensure that children benefit from listening to stories and, through these, broaden their vocabulary. Children start to learn to read as soon as they start school. Staff identify anyone who falls behind in their learning and they provide support for children to catch up. More widely, staff plan activities carefully to deepen children’s understanding, including in the outdoor spaces. For example, children enjoy developing their gross motor skills, while extending what they have learned about numbers and friendships.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff work in partnership with parents and carers to ease the transition into school. They form positive bonds with children, which helps them to settle quickly. Staff maintain effective communication to ensure that parents know how well their children are progressing through the curriculum. Typically, children achieve well through the curriculum from their starting points and are well prepared for Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders place great emphasis on being inclusive. It is at the heart of the school. Leaders ensure that they identify pupils' needs effectively and swiftly. Leaders use an appropriate and broad range of external professionals to help reduce the barriers that pupils face. Staff receive regular training, and they are typically deployed well to provide timely support in lessons. Leaders track pupils' progress through the curriculum carefully and are skilful in selecting the right strategies to meet pupils' needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders prioritise additional support and resources to overcome any barriers to pupils' learning and/or wellbeing. This starts effectively with the youngest children in the early years. Leaders ensure that they know all pupils well, identifying any potential barriers that they might face. They ensure that information about how best to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is clear. This results in pupils with SEND receiving the support that they need to access the curriculum. They are included in lessons and receive extra help as required. Parents and carers appreciate these adaptations.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school uses additional funding effectively to support disadvantaged pupils and those known, or previously known, to social care. Leaders have implemented several strategies successfully. For example, they ensure that pupils receive high levels of pastoral support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, with support from the trust, have made considerable improvements to aspects of the curriculum in recent years. The changes that leaders have made, for example, in mathematics and the early years have had a significantly positive impact on pupils’ learning and development. Leaders are effective role models. For example, their kindness, expertise and respectful approach reflect the school’s ethos.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees, governors and leaders in school are ambitious for every pupil. They evaluate the success of their work carefully. Together, they ensure that there is a culture of belonging in school, where pupils benefit from positive experiences. Trustees and governors know their different roles well. They strike an appropriate balance between the challenge and support that they offer leaders. They meet their statutory responsibilities effectively.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders provide a well-planned and continuous programme of professional learning for all staff. This strengthens staff's confidence and expertise. Pupils clearly benefit from this. Staff appreciate the way that leaders and governors are supportive of their workload and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Pupils’ interests are at the centre of the decisions that leaders make. They work constructively with external professionals, including the local authority, to secure additional help when it is needed. These working relationships support pupils to move forward in their education. This is particularly true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and accurate view of the school. They understand what the school does well and they prioritise areas that need further work. Parents and carers are very supportive of the school. They value its inclusive and nurturing environment and appreciate the approachable staff.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The personal, social, health, and economic education at Ashfield is well structured. It incorporates a suitable relationships curriculum. Leaders ensure that topics are revisited, so pupils build their knowledge in an age-appropriate way as they move through the school. Pupils are taught how to stay safe, particularly when they are online. Leaders have made thoughtful additions, such as purchasing specific books, to support and enhance pupils’ understanding of themes within the personal development programme. Children in Nursery and Reception are well supported to understand their feelings and those of others. Pupils understand difference and that everyone has the right to be treated equally. Older pupils talk confidently about the importance of the fundamental British values, such as democracy. Leaders promote cultural awareness and diversity. Pupils understand that supporting each other and holding different opinions are typical features of positive

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

friendships. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders' approaches to developing pupils' character include offering pupil leadership responsibilities. Pupils value roles such as ‘eco leaders’ or membership on the school council. They enjoy being able to represent the larger pupil voice, which contributes positively to decisions about school life. Pupils enjoy building on ideas from previous pupils in these roles. Responsibilities such as these help to create an aspirational atmosphere in school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils are enthusiastic about the well-considered educational visits on offer. These carefully match what pupils are learning in the curriculum and help them to grow in their understanding of the world around them. Pupils enjoy the range of additional activities that they can take part in. Sporting activities and a wide range of clubs, such as computer coding, gardening and music, support pupils to develop their talents and try new experiences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders use a range of approaches to check and support pupils’ wellbeing. This helps staff to identify emerging needs quickly. Where pupils have additional needs or vulnerabilities, staff respond to these with extra support.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Ashfield is a school of happiness and calm where pupils engage positively with their learning. Pupils feel safe and thrive both in the classroom and at breaktimes. In lessons, they engage positively with the ambitious curriculum and respond well to teachers’ high expectations. They benefit from clear routines and positive relationships with staff. They enjoy coming to school and attend very well. Across the school, pupils behave well, are polite and respectful, and move calmly between lessons. They say bullying does not happen and staff respond quickly and consistently to any concerns. Parents, carers and staff strongly agree that pupils are safe and well cared for.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils value leadership opportunities, such as supporting their peers at breaktimes and contributing to wider school life. Older pupils help younger pupils settle in to the school. 'Mental health ambassadors' enjoy supporting pupils’ wellbeing and are very proud of the ‘Calm Club’ that they run at lunchtimes. Pupils feel a deep sense of belonging. They talk positively about the school’s values and show respect for others. They participate in a wide range of experiences that enrich their learning, including educational visits, community projects, safety education and wider curriculum activities. Pupils appreciate the pastoral support that they receive. Pupils are confident that trusted adults will listen to them and help them, when needed.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Both in the early years and across the school, pupils with additional needs are fully included and access learning successfully. Any barriers to learning are reduced in a range of different ways. This enables the majority of pupils to make significant progress through the curriculum, from their starting points. Pupils achieve well. They build secure foundational knowledge, particularly in reading, phonics and mathematics. While pupils have not achieved well in mathematics at the end of key stage 2 in recent years, the current picture of achievement in mathematics across the school is much better. Overall, pupils are ready for each next stage of their education.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that recent improvements in curriculum and teaching are sustained so that pupils deepen their knowledge further and so that they are consistently well prepared for the next stages of their learning. Leaders should ensure that pupils are supported to improve their writing, particularly transcription across the curriculum subjects so that it is consistent and progressive across the school.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Collaborative Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Janet Sheriff OBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ian Bond.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, trust leaders, CEO, trustees and local governors during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke to staff, pupils and parents.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. The headteacher joined the school in September 2025.

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Lead inspector:

Richard Wakefield, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Louise Greatrex, Ofsted Inspector Alison Oxtoby, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 14 July 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (final) 75% 75% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 71% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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gap

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.3% 5.5% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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