Ashcroft Infants’ School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy school. Adults go the extra mile to make sure that pupils are well looked after. Parents value this support.

One parent summed up the views of many in describing the school as 'a lovely nurturing school, with lovely caring staff'.

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils say that they are kind to one another.

Adults teach pupils how to keep themselves safe in personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons. These lessons include learning about online safety. Bullying is rare.

On the odd times pupils misbehave, pupils say that adults sort it out straight away. As a result, pupils say they feel safe.

Adults want all pupils t...o do the best they can.

This means preparing pupils to be good active citizens as well as achieving well in their schoolwork. Adults do this by teaching pupils how to behave responsibly. For example, by wearing a jumper to raise money for the Save the Children charity, or by litter picking in the local area.

Pupils speak with pride about the roles they can take on. This includes being a member of the school council or being a line leader.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about the curriculum that pupils follow.

All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), follow a broad and balanced curriculum. Subjects are well planned and sequenced. Leaders consider what to teach in each key stage.

This means that pupils build on what they know year on year.

Children in Nursery get off to a good start. Learning focuses on teaching children through the prime areas of learning in the early years foundation stage.

Clear learning routines begin in Nursery. For example, during 'wake up and shake up' adults show children the behaviour they expect from them. As a result, children follow instructions and listen to adults carefully.

Reading is a priority for the school. Every classroom has a reading corner. The school library is an inviting area.

An effective reading programme is in place. It begins in Nursery when adults teach children to recognise letters and the sounds they make. Pupils read every day.

Leaders regularly check how well pupils are learning to read. If pupils fall behind, they act quickly to give them extra help. As a result, pupils are becoming confident readers.

In early years and Year 1, adults use resources effectively to support pupils' learning. For example, in mathematics the use of number lines helps pupils to count on or back successfully. Adults assess how well pupils are learning.

This includes asking pupils questions about their work. However, at times adults miss the opportunity to check how well pupils understand the answers they give.

Pupils with SEND achieve well.

Adults provide them with resources that support their learning effectively. This includes the use of visual timetables. Pupils who need extra help have individual learning programmes (ILPs).

These identify learning targets for pupils. However, sometimes these targets are not precise enough. For example, some are difficult to measure.

When a pupil achieves their target, it is not always recorded in their book.

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. For example, in religious education lessons, pupils talk about skin colour and how we are all different.

Staff value the support that leaders give to them. Leaders are considerate of staff workload. They help staff to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

A comment made by one member of staff reflects the views of many, 'the culture here is invaluable'.

Governors are committed to the school and its pupils. They effectively hold leaders to account for their work.

For example, they challenge leaders about what support pupils are having who have fallen behind in their work because of COVID-19.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know their pupils well.

They take their welfare seriously. Leaders make sure that staff know how to report a concern. Staff do this confident in the knowledge that leaders will take the appropriate action.

This includes referring pupils to external agencies. As a result, pupils and their families get the right help when they need it.

All staff have up-to-date training.

Child protection records are detailed and well organised. The school completes the appropriate checks on all adults who work at, or visit, the school. Consequently, parents say their child is safe in school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• At times when adults use assessment in the classroom to check pupils' learning, they miss opportunities to use questioning effectively to fully check pupils' understanding. As a result, adults are not always clear how well pupils have absorbed their learning. Leaders need to ensure that adults use questioning consistently well to help pupils embed and apply their knowledge and understanding.

• Not all targets in ILPs are precise enough. When a pupil achieves their target, this is not always recorded in their books. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils' ILP targets are exact enough and once achieved are recorded consistently in their books.