Ashton Vale Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well in some areas of the curriculum. However, the quality of education that they receive is too inconsistent across all subjects.

Some pupils struggle to recall prior learning because the curriculum does not enable them to know more and remember more over time.

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming and friendly school which lies at the heart of its local community. They talk positively about the school's values of 'heart, equality and aspiration'.

Pupils say these values help them to be kind, respectful and positive.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' beh...aviour. Pupils feel safe and value the positive relationships they have with staff.

They say that bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that adults would deal with any incidents of bullying quickly if they did occur. For some pupils, absence prevents them from gaining the important knowledge they need to know.

Leaders have put in place systems which are beginning to improve attendance.

Pupils enjoy the range of activities and trips on offer to them, such as football, basketball and chess. They value the opportunities they have to become reading buddies.

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

The new headteacher is ambitious for what pupils can achieve. He accurately understands the school's strengths and areas to develop. Senior leaders have put in place systems which have reduced the number of behaviour incidents.

They have provided training to improve teachers' subject knowledge in reading. However, in other subjects, improvements are at an early stage. Many subject leaders are new to their roles.

They have not been able to check that how well the curriculum is implemented. Some pupils do not build their knowledge well enough as they move through the school.

Leaders prioritise reading.

Pupils read a range of texts and talk positively about the books that adults read to them. Children begin learning to read as soon as they start in Reception. Staff teach phonics well.

Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. Staff regularly check on how well pupils learn new sounds. If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to help them to catch up quickly.

Some subjects, like mathematics, are well organised and important knowledge is carefully sequenced. This starts in the early years, where children develop a clear understanding of 'more' and 'less'. Pupils build on this and use their knowledge of number well when solving problems.

They talk positively about how their 'Do it, solve it, explain it' activities help them to think mathematically.While leaders have designed a curriculum that sets out the important knowledge that pupils need to know, the implementation of this curriculum is at an early stage in some subjects. For example, in French, the curriculum is well planned and sequenced.

However, its implementation is in its infancy. Older pupils have not built on their prior knowledge. They struggle to use more complex words in sentences and in writing.

This hampers the progress they make.

Leaders are ambitious for what pupils with SEND can achieve. There are clear systems in place for identifying the individual needs of pupils.

However, some teachers do not use individual pupil plans well enough to meet pupils' learning needs. This slows the progress that some pupils with SEND make.

Pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning.

They behave well in lessons and during social times. As a result, the school is calm and orderly. In the early years, children are polite and considerate of one another.

They play and learn together confidently, both in and outside the classroom.

Pupils' personal development is strongly linked to the values of the school. Pupils understand how to lead a healthy lifestyle.

They learn about the importance of tolerance and laws in day-to-day life.

Governors are aware of their statutory duties. However, they do not have an accurate view of the quality of education provided by the school.

Most staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the way in which leaders consider their well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a vigilance around safeguarding. They know their pupils and families well. Leaders ensure that staff are well trained to spot children who might be at risk and to respond to this quickly.

They work well with a wide range of professionals to ensure that families and pupils receive the early help they need.

Pupils understand how to keep safe, both in their local area and when online.

Leaders make the right safeguarding checks during recruitment.

However, they do not make sure that they record these checks with accuracy on the single central record.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not fully implemented an effective curriculum across all subjects. The curriculum does not consistently build on what pupils have previously learned and understood.

This slows the progress that pupils make. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is fully implemented so that pupils know more and remember more across all subjects. ? Leaders' work to develop the use of assessment is not yet complete.

Some teachers do not use the information they have about what pupils know and can do to move them on in their learning. Leaders need to ensure that teachers check what pupils know and remember, and then use this to inform future learning. ? Several subject leaders are new to their roles.

They have not yet been able to develop their checks on the curriculum. As a result, they do not know how the curriculum is being implemented in their subject. Senior leaders must ensure that subject leaders assure themselves that the curriculum is well implemented.

• Governors do not have an accurate view of the quality of education. This hinders their ability to identify any areas of weakness and provide leaders with appropriate challenge and support. Governors need to ensure they gain an accurate view of the quality of education provided and then challenge leaders to bring about improvements.