Ashley Down Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders have not maintained an outstanding standard of education for the school's pupils. However, as a result of current leaders' actions, the school has improved well after a dip in its performance since its last inspection.

Pupils' attainment at the end of key stage 2 has improved to be above the national average. The current governing body provides strong strategic leadership for the school. Governors hold core responsibilities; they challenge and hold leaders to account rigorously.

Leadership is distributed. Phase and middle leaders understand their roles and responsibilities well. Leaders' self-evaluation of the school's effectivene...ss is accurate.

Action plans are focused on the right aspects for improvement. Leaders are successful in ensuring that pupils make good progress across a wide range of subjects, including English and mathematics. Teaching is good.

Large proportions of pupils leave the school with the skills and knowledge that are expected for their age. However, on occasions, teaching does not challenge some pupils well enough. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as highly as they could.

Pupils experience a wide range of subjects. Pupils are usually well motivated and focused on their learning. Teachers' assessments are usually accurate.

Most teaching builds on what pupils already know, can do, and understand. However, on occasions teachers do not adjust their teaching or systematically and effectively check pupils' understanding. Consequently, teachers do not deal with misconceptions when they arise.

So, pupils' learning slows. Teaching in the early years is good. Children have positive relationships with their peers and adults.

Children enjoy their learning and attend well. As a result, children are making good progress from their different starting points. The strategic leadership of the provision and teaching for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) does not enable these pupils to make consistently good progress.

Leaders' guidance and advice about the impact of teaching for these pupils is not yet effective. Pupils enjoy school and attend well. Pupils' attendance is consistently above the national average.

Few pupils are persistently absent. Safeguarding is effective. Administrative weaknesses identified at the beginning of the inspection were rectified.

Almost every parent who responded to Ofsted's online questionnaire, Parent View, would recommend the school.

Information about this school

Ashley Down Primary School is a larger-than-average primary school. The school has added a key stage since its last inspection.

In 2015 Ashley Down Infant School and Ashley Down Junior School amalgamated to become a primary school. The school is part of a hard federation with Brunel Fields Primary School. Each of the schools has a separate headteacher.

There is one governing body over both schools. Phase leaders work across both schools in the federation. Phase leaders are non-class based.

Currently, one of these phase leaders is seconded to another infant school. Some teachers from both schools form overarching teams. This arrangement applies to science, English, mathematics and the curriculum.

The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with SEND or who are supported by an education, health and care plan is below average.

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