Ascot Heath Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's ambition of 'preparing our children for all of their tomorrows' features prominently.

Everyone feels welcome, regardless of their differences. This helps all pupils feel happy and safe. The school is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils rise to these expectations and achieve well.

Pupils value the opportunities to develop their talents in clubs such as drama, well-being and judo. Everyone can represent the school in a sporting activity and pupils love the range of activities they can participate in at breaktime.

Many enjoy using the climbing equipment. Younger childr...en take part in outdoor activities to help them learn about the natural world. Some pupils relish the chance to grow vegetables in the school garden.

The house system, named after famous horses, brings the school together. Everyone loves taking part in house competitions such as the recent art event. Pupils are thoughtful and kind to each other.

They told inspectors that the 'friendship meeting point' on the playground is a safe place for anyone to go to if they have no one to play with. Pupils said it rarely gets used, but if it does then friends rush there to support their peers.

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

Starting in the early years, the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND.

Staff have the right expertise. In most subjects, the knowledge and skills that pupils learn builds progressively from the early years to Year 6. However, in a small number of subjects the curriculum does not precisely identify the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn.

In these subjects, the curriculum is not delivered as effectively as it is in others.

Expert staff identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND swiftly and accurately. This means that throughout the school, staff know pupils' different needs in detail.

Teachers use their expertise to make careful adaptations to their teaching to support these pupils to learn well.

No time is wasted in the early years. Children are highly engaged in their learning.

They learn to share and take turns in a collaborative way. Carefully designed activities help children develop language and communication skills. Staff use stories and nursery rhymes to support this skilfully.

The school's mantra of 'by learning to read you can read to learn' is evident in the high priority placed on teaching early reading. Children begin to learn to read from the minute they join. The school has ensured that staff teach phonics effectively.

Books are closely matched to the sounds that children are learning. Staff check pupils' learning regularly and, if needed, help them catch up quickly. Inviting book corners and a vibrant library encourage pupils to read widely.

Pupils take great pride in keeping these spaces tidy and well organised. This shows how much they value reading.

In most subjects, teachers' checks of pupils' learning provide useful feedback.

Teachers use this information to identify and address pupils' misconceptions and adapt their future teaching. The school has more work to do to ensure this is the case in all subjects.

The provision for pupils' wider development is a strength.

Pupils embrace the school's values of hope, courage and respect. The personal, social and health education curriculum is carefully designed to build pupils' knowledge in an age-appropriate way from the early years to Year 6. Pupils learn how to develop healthy relationships, including online.

They understand that they live in a diverse society and embrace each other's different beliefs and values. Pupils display positive attitudes to learning and behave very well in lessons and in between. Younger pupils learn to work in teams and participate in class and year group competitions.

Older pupils enjoy opportunities for leadership, including as house captains and as part of the school council. They value the skills that they develop in carrying out their responsibilities and feel that they make a positive contribution to improving their school.

There have been a number of challenges and changes since the amalgamation of the infant and junior school, not least the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite this, the school has remained positive and focused on providing a good experience for pupils. Governors understand their statutory duties and they fulfil their responsibilities effectively. They routinely challenge and hold the leadership team to account for the quality of education that pupils receive.

Staff are very positive about the support that they receive from leaders. Many embrace the opportunity to receive specialist training to improve their knowledge to support pupils more effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, teachers do not check pupils' understanding of the curriculum accurately enough. Feedback given to pupils does not always focus precisely enough on what they need to do to improve. The school must ensure that teachers' checks on pupils' learning inform future teaching so that gaps in pupils' learning are addressed effectively.

• In a small number of subjects, the curriculum design does not support pupils to learn and remember key knowledge and skills. This means that sometimes pupils cannot integrate new knowledge into larger ideas. The school needs to continue to develop the curriculum sequence to ensure that pupils embed the important knowledge and skills that they need to be successful at each stage of their learning.

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