Ashfield Park Primary School

Inspection Report Ashfield Park Primary School

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116731 Unique Reference Number Herefordshire LEA 279881 Inspection number 30 March 2006 to 31 March 2006 Inspection dates Hazel Callaghan AI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Redhill Road School address Primary Type of school Ross-on-Wye Community School category Herefordshire HR9 5AU 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01989 562738 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01989 762089 Fax number 410 Number on roll Dr Sarah Aitken Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Hilary Hines Headteacher 25 September 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279881 30 March 2006 - 3 to 11 31 March 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Ashfield Park Primary is a large school. Most of its 380 pupils come from families of White British descent, a small number are from minority ethnic groups and a few pupils are in the early stages of learning English as an additional language. Children are admitted to school with a range of abilities. On entry to the Nursery, standards are broadly average. An average proportion of pupils are identified as having learning difficulties and disabilities. The headteacher has only been in the school for a year. During that time there have been many changes, including a reorganisation of staff and classes.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Ashfield Park Primary School, 30 March 2006 to 31 March 2006

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Grade: 3

Ashfield Park Primary provides a satisfactory education for its pupils but it is improving very quickly because of the new headteacher’s very positive influence over a short period of time. Teaching and learning are now satisfactory. Pupils’ achievement and standards are improving because teachers’ expectations have risen and pupils’ motivation to learn is good. There are strengths in the teaching and the curriculum in the Foundation Stage, particularly in the Nursery, where the provision is outstanding. Pupils’ personal development through the school is good. Subject managers are eager to develop their subjects further but the lack of accessible information about standards and progress is slowing the process. Information gained from assessing pupils’ work in English, mathematics and science is poorly collated, making analysis difficult. Teachers’ judgements of standards are not always accurate and so their advice to

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Grade: 3

pupils does not sufficiently help them to improve. The headteacher’s evaluation of the school’s strengths and weaknesses has been confirmed by the inspection. Improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory, having moved forward significantly this year. Under her strong leadership there is a secure capacity for improvement. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Develop a whole-school system for collating information about pupils’ work so that the progress of different groups of pupils across subjects can be analysed and effective support and guidance provided so all are able to make better progress. • Provide the training and support required so that managers at all levels are capable of carrying out their leadership roles.

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Grade: 3

Standards are broadly average by the end of Year 6 and pupils’ achievement is now satisfactory through most areas of the school. This is a considerable improvement over the inadequate progress evident last year in many subjects and across year groups. Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ achievement and attainment have risen significantly under the very good leadership of the headteacher and this has led to better progress. Pupils make a very good start to their education in the Nursery and, this year, the effective start is continued in the Reception classes. Whereas progress in the past has been slow, pupils in the Reception classes are now well on their way to attaining the standards expected in all areas of learning by the time they enter Year 1. The school has successfully implemented strategies to improve teaching and learning across the school. Pupils who are capable of high standards are now more effectively challenged

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Grade: 3

and standards are rising. In 2005, pupils in Year 6 did not meet their targets for English and mathematics. However, sufficient progress has already been made this year for most pupils to achieve better standards and so meet the satisfactory targets set for them. The process by which pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are identified 2 Inspection Report: Ashfield Park Primary School, 30 March 2006 to 31 March 2006 has improved and there are now more pupils through the school some of which have significant learning difficulties. They make satisfactory progress from their relative starting points. Vulnerable pupils and those with English as an additional language are enabled to make often good progress because they are given lots of support and encouragement.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. The personal, social and emotional development of the children in the Nursery and Reception classes is very good because of their many opportunities to develop cooperative skills and independence. Pupils say they like school and enjoy lessons, particularly when activities are interesting. Behaviour is satisfactory overall and good when lessons challenge and motivate pupils. Parents have expressed their concerns about the bad behaviour of some pupils in the past but this is improving. Pupils say that some bullying does take place but they now feel more confident than in the past that staff will take positive steps to deal with it. Relationships are good and pupils show care and consideration towards others. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils develop a good awareness of how to keep themselves healthy and safe. They

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Grade: 2

enjoy the wide range of sports available and try to make healthy choices about what they eat. They recognise the possible dangers around them and use this knowledge to keep safe. Pupils play a positive part in the community, both locally and further afield. They offer their views and ideas confidently, knowing that they will be listened to. They organise and carry out their own fund-raising activities, such as supporting ‘Water Aid’. Pupils are satisfactorily developing a range of skills to help them in their future education and the world of work.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Evidence from pupils’ work shows that teaching and learning have improved this year. Teaching is outstanding in the Nursery and good in the Reception classes. Activities in the Foundation Stage very successfully meet children’s learning needs, promote their curiosity and develop their skills. Throughout the school, lessons are now better organised and an increasing range of activities are planned that stimulate pupils’ interest and motivation to learn. For example, in mathematics lessons in Year 6, pupils were fascinated by their practical investigation and in a Years 4 and 5 class, pupils were practising their measuring skills by making their own measuring equipment. Teaching assistants are now well informed and work alongside teachers, providing valuable additional support, especially for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. High attaining pupils are increasingly

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Grade: 3

encouraged to produce work of real quality. Although much of the teaching is good, teaching overall is just satisfactory because teachers’ assessments of pupils’ 3 Inspection Report: Ashfield Park Primary School, 30 March 2006 to 31 March 2006 understanding are not sufficiently accurate. All teachers collect information about pupils’ standards but they do not use it well enough to plan work that consistently builds on what pupils already know. Consequently, progress is satisfactory rather than good. Pupils’ work is marked regularly but marking does not sufficiently show pupils how to improve.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. It is outstanding in the Nursery, and good planning in the Reception classes builds on this very successful start. The curriculum for Years 1 to 6 now meets the range of pupils’ learning needs more effectively. However, further development is needed to ensure better progress. The provision for pupils with statements of special educational need is effective but planning for other pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is variable. The support given by teaching assistants is good and they use their knowledge of the pupils’ needs well to ensure they find success in their activities. The personal, social and health education programme supports progress well and there is a strong focus on developing pupils’ good understanding of healthy lifestyles. There is a good number of after school clubs and activities. Visits and visitors to school are now more effective in supporting the curriculum and

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Grade: 3

promoting pupils’ learning, for example in visiting the local library as part of the strategies to enhance pupils’ reading skills. Some recent improvements, for example the introduction of drama lessons, are enlivening the curriculum and promoting pupils’ good interest.

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Grade: 3

Procedures for the care, support and guidance of pupils are satisfactory. Pastoral care is good. After much discussion, the importance given to valuing and respecting everyone in the school has increased and it now underpins the ethos of the school. Child protection procedures are appropriately applied and health and safety issues have been identified and eliminated. Pupils feel safe and secure at school. The needs of vulnerable pupils, especially those with emotional and behavioural difficulties, are now more accurately identified and a range of positive strategies is used to support them. More focused attention is given to the identification of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities with the result that they are now given better support in class. Targets for future learning are given to all pupils and this helps them understand what they are to learn next. However, these targets are not sufficiently accurate to ensure that

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Grade: 3

progress is good and that pupils clearly understand what they have to do to improve.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher’s very effective leadership has enabled the school to improve significantly. Her rapid and insightful 4 Inspection Report: Ashfield Park Primary School, 30 March 2006 to 31 March 2006 evaluation of the school has identified the key areas for development and she has created a clear sense of direction and purpose. Her planned systematic improvements have covered a wide range of important aspects. She has concentrated primarily on improving teaching by developing the teachers’ skills and raising their expectations for pupils’ learning. Achievement is now satisfactory, whereas last year it was inadequate. Leadership and management in the Foundation Stage are very good. Subject leaders are keen to be more effective but, at this stage, they are unable to manage their subjects satisfactorily because their skills are underdeveloped and there is no readily accessible information on children’s progress. There is lots of data on

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Grade: 3

pupils’ work but no whole-school systems by which this can be effectively analysed so it is difficult to ensure that the best support is given to pupils of all capabilities in all classes. Improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory, having moved rapidly this year. The governors are now well informed and more closely involved. They have evaluated their work and are successfully developing their roles. Parents are generally very supportive of the school, although some concerns that have developed over time are slow to disappear. However, one parent wrote that, ‘the new headteacher has achieved a lot in a short space of time’. The school has coped well with potential financial difficulties and resources for learning are much improved. A lot has been achieved this year and under the clear sighted, strong leadership of the headteacher, the school has a good capacity for improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Ashfield Park Primary School, 30 March 2006 to 31 March 2006

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Ashfield Park Primary School, 30 March 2006 to 31 March 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 3 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 3 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Children I am writing to say thank you for making us feel welcome in your school and for helping us with our questions. We really enjoyed chatting to you and found everything you said very interesting. I thought you would like to know what we found out about your school. What we liked about the school • You are happy at school and enjoy most of your lessons. • You get on well with each other and with the adults in the school. • Most of you behave sensibly and are kind to each other. • We think you try hard to do well in your work. • You understand the importance of keeping healthy and safe. • You are given opportunities to take responsibility and you do it well. • You help lots of other people with your fundraising. • The teachers look after you well and help you feel safe. • There are lots of sporting activities for you to enjoy, and activities, such as drama, help you learn lots of new ideas. What we have asked the school

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

to do • We have asked the staff to keep a close eye on how well you are doing so they know which activities to plan to help you make good progress and can tell you what to do to make your work better. • We have asked that teachers who have the special job of making different subjects interesting have all the information they need to do the job really well. Thank you again for being so polite and helping us. Yours sincerely, Mrs Callaghan Lead inspector

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