Ashwater Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Ashwater Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Ashwater Primary School model the 'Carey Qualities' to 'aim high, be resilient and take care of each other'.

They are happy to come to school and love to learn. Parents and carers who responded to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, commented that their children receive effective support and nurture from staff.

Pupils understand what is expected of them.

They are calm, well mannered and considerate of others. Pupils value the rewards they receive for their conduct, their learning and for reading regularly. They say that bullying is rare and that everyone gets... on well together.

Pupils know that staff would quickly sort out any worries or incidents, and this helps them to feel safe.

Pupils take part in a range of extra-curricular visits and clubs which enhance the curriculum. Pupils value these opportunities, as do parents.

Pupils spend time in their local community. For example, they visit a residential care home and the parish church. They also sing at the nearby cathedral.

Most pupils attend an extra-curricular club, such as gardening in 'The Secret Garden'. They proudly represent their school at sporting competitions.

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

Leaders ensure that reading is a priority.

Pupils read widely and often. Staff deliver a well-sequenced phonics curriculum that supports pupils to learn new sounds and letters. Children learn to read as soon as they start school.

The books they read are carefully matched to their reading ability. Teachers make regular checks on the sounds pupils remember. They use this insight to make adaptations to the curriculum.

As a result, all pupils become confident, fluent readers. This helps them to learn successfully across the wider curriculum.

Leaders are ambitious for what pupils should learn.

In many subjects, they have considered what they want pupils to learn and by when. Pupils use ambitious vocabulary in each subject. Staff support pupils to share their views and speak in full sentences.

For example, in history, pupils in key stage 1 talk confidently about Mary Seacole. In mathematics, pupils use the vocabulary they know to answer worded problems successfully. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the support they need to learn the same ambitious curriculum.

Despite this, in some subjects, the curriculum is not broken down into small enough steps of learning for some pupils in mixed-age classes. When this happens, pupils do not remember what they have learned well enough.

Leaders provide well-thought-out professional development for staff.

This ensures that staff present knowledge to pupils clearly. They consider pupils' starting points and use what they know to address any gaps in learning. The youngest children get off to a flying start.

Staff provide opportunities for these children to practise what they have learned. For example, children accurately draw and name two-dimensional shapes.

At lunchtimes, pupils eat together as a whole school family.

The school hall has a 'buzz' of friendly conversations. Older pupils have responsibilities to support games at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Pupils play well with each other.

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. This is because leaders ensure that they learn about life beyond their village. Pupils meet people from a range of different religions and cultures through regular school visits or online conversations.

For example, pupils had the opportunity to speak with a photographer living in Asia. They have also visited a local mosque and cathedral. Pupils demonstrate respect for others.

They also learn about their own cultural heritage and are proud of where they live.

Leaders, including governors, continually strive to improve the school further. Senior leaders have strengthened wider leadership roles across the school.

Leaders communicate with parents regularly, which parents value. Staff comment that leaders are 'supportive and understanding' of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have developed a culture of vigilance towards safeguarding. Staff understand that 'it could happen here'. Leaders provide regular training for staff and governors.

This supports staff to report any concerns swiftly. Leaders follow up on concerns so that pupils get the help that they need to be safe. Governors monitor the school's approach to safeguarding regularly.

Leaders make the right checks when new staff join the school.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They respect each other's personal space.

Pupils participate in regular safeguarding assemblies. For example, a local charity recently visited pupils to talk about animal safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the curriculum is not sequenced well enough to meet the needs of pupils in mixed-aged classes.

This means that the curriculum does not take into account the starting points of some pupils sufficiently. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is broken down into small steps of learning and sequenced carefully so that all pupils can build successfully on what they know.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2012.