Asterdale Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly and caring school. They feel safe and know they have trusted adults with whom they can talk if they have a concern. Pupils know the school values of 'together we can be confident, be excellent, nurture and build' well.

Pupils show their confidence during lessons and when talking to visitors.

The school environment is calm, and pupils behave well. Most pupils are ready to learn in lessons, including children in the early years.

Pupils show respect to their peers and adults.

Leaders aim that all pupils should achieve their best. This is not yet realised for all pupils.

The teaching of the curriculum does no...t support all pupils to know and remember what they learn. Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not supported well enough in lessons. They do not always achieve as well as they could.

Leaders do not have a good enough understanding of the quality of the provision. They have not correctly identified the school's weaknesses, to bring about the necessary improvements in a timely enough manner.

Parents and carers say the school has a strong community feel.

They do not always receive information following any incidents or information about how well pupils achieve.

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

The curriculum is in the early stages of implementation. Most subjects' curriculums are well sequenced in that they build up in an appropriate order the knowledge pupils should know over time.

However, not all subjects start building this knowledge from the early years. Some teachers do not teach the intended curriculum in full in some subjects. In some classes, pupils have large gaps in their learning in science, mathematics and personal, health and economic education.

There are inconsistencies in how well teachers teach the curriculum. Not all teachers have strong subject knowledge and present information clearly to pupils. Pupils do not always have the resources or receive the support they need to help them understand what they are learning well enough.

The strategies for checking what pupils know are in the early stages of implementation. They are not used in all subjects or by all teachers. When teachers do check what pupils know, they do not routinely use the information to plan pupils' next steps.

Most pupils struggle to remember, or make links with, any of their previous learning.

All staff who teach phonics have strong subject knowledge. Pupils read books which broadly match their phonics knowledge.

Those who struggle to read get extra support. However, they are not yet supported well enough during the daily phonics lessons. As a result, the weakest readers are not yet reading with confidence or fluency.

Most pupils say they enjoy reading and know they will get better with more practise. Pupils look forward to visiting the vibrant and inviting library area. Leaders ensure that pupils have access to their own books to read at home.

The early years provision has undergone significant improvements with support from the trust. Children in the early years now have a positive start to school life. Communication and language are at the heart of the early years curriculum.

Children have good attitudes to their learning and engage well with their peers and with adults. Most children's writing is becoming well developed for their age and stage of learning. Most children in Reception achieve well in reading.

Children are well prepared for Year 1.

Pupils with SEND receive support from adults when they ask for it. Beyond this, in most lessons, teachers do not adapt what they are teaching well enough, nor is there sufficient support, to help these pupils in their learning.

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum extends beyond the academic. The strong culture of nurture is evident through the engagement of pupils in the forest school. They care about the environment and understand the importance of respecting nature.

Pupils understand fundamental British values and protected characteristics well. They show respect for each other's differences. Pupils do not yet have a good enough understanding about different faiths and cultures.

Pupils' well-being is important to leaders. The pastoral support the school offers, including through Bertie the school well-being dog, helps pupils to feel calm and talk about their worries.

Leaders, including governors, have not acted quickly enough to make the necessary improvements to the curriculum or how it is taught.

The recent change in leadership has significantly improved the early years provision. Some of the systems and processes are not robust enough to identify well enough weaknesses in the provision. For example, the current behaviour strategy does not make clear the expectations for recording behaviours.

Therefore, leaders do not record or report behaviour accurately to governors.

Staff feel leaders support them well with their workload and well-being. Some subject leaders lack the necessary skills and confidence to lead their subjects well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. These pupils are closely monitored and get the support they need.

Leaders work well with external agencies to support pupils and families. All staff receive regular safeguarding updates and training to keep them informed. Staff know who to speak to if they are unsure about anything related to safeguarding children.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is at the early stages of implementation and does not yet support pupils well enough to remember what they learn. Some teachers lack the necessary subject knowledge to be able to teach the subjects' curriculums well.

Some do not provide pupils, including those with SEND, with the necessary resources or sufficient support to help them achieve as well as they should. Some subject leaders lack the necessary skills and confidence to ensure that the curriculum in their subject is taught well throughout the school. As a result, pupils, including those with SEND, do not build their knowledge and skills well enough over time.

Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders and teachers have the necessary knowledge and skills to be able to teach the curriculum in all subjects consistently well, including by providing the necessary support, so that all pupils, including those with SEND, know and remember more of what they learn and achieve as well as they should. ? Leaders, including governors, have not acted quickly enough to make the necessary changes to improve the school. Their processes for checking on the quality of all aspects of the provision are not developed well enough to identify any relative weaknesses.

This includes weaknesses in the reporting and recording of behaviour, the monitoring of the support pupils receive, including in reading, and the use assessment in most subject areas. Leaders should ensure that their checks on the quality of all aspects of the school's provision are robust and precise in the identification of any weaknesses. They should ensure that their actions to address weaknesses in the provision are timely and effective in bringing about the necessary improvements and have a positive impact on pupils' education.