Ashdown Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 22 November 2023

Leaders ensure that pupils experience a broad curriculum offer. The school has high expectations of pupils' achievement from early years onwards. Staff make sure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), usually achieve well. Pupils learn to celebrate difference so that everyone is welcomed. The school's ambitious physical education (PE) curriculum helps pupils to appreciate the challenges of having a physical disability. Behaviour in lessons is calm. This supports pupils to focus on their learning. Staff use the school's behaviour curriculum to help pupils understand how to behave responsibly. The school ensures that all pupils have a trusted adult to speak to about any worries. This helps pupils to feel safe. Pupils engage in a variety of events and roles to help them become confident members of the community. This includes extra-curricular clubs to build enthusiasm for lifelong learning. Pupils enjoy visits and benefit from guest speakers and workshops to bring the curriculum to life. They are proud of their many leadership roles, including the 'Ashdown Actioneers', who are elected by their fellow pupils. They raise issues with leaders on behalf of the pupil body. Pupils also relish other roles, including peer mediators, digital leaders and Fairtrade ambassadors.

What the school should improve

• The teaching of mathematics needs further refinement. As a result, pupils from Year 1 onwards are not as fluent in number as they should be and so learning is slowed. The school should support staff to accurately check pupils' understanding and use this information to design precise tasks and adapt their future teaching so that pupils achieve highly.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)