Ashwood Park Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 June 2024

Ashwood Park is a school where everyone is made to feel welcome and valued for who they are. This is particularly noticeable in how deaf pupils from the Resource Base for the Deaf (RBD) are actively involved in all aspects of school life. Many pupils and staff use sign language to foster a strong culture of inclusion. The school has raised its expectations around pupils' behaviour. Pupils understand why the '4 Rs' rules are important and are keen to follow 'The Ashwood Way'. They learn how to behave and interact well from Nursery onwards. Pupils of all ages play happily together at social times. Pupils are keen to learn and are attentive in lessons. Many take pride in the work they produce. However, a significant number of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, do not achieve well by the time they leave the school. Pupils are proud of their contribution to school life, including as 'Ashwood Ambassadors' and being part of the school council. They enjoy the clubs on offer and trips that take place, such as the Year 6 outdoor education residential. From the 'toddler library' to the diverse book selection around the school, pupils learn the enjoyment to be found in reading.

What the school should improve

• There is variation in how well the curriculum is designed and implemented at class level. Key learning is not always clearly identified or sequenced in a way to support the cumulative building of knowledge. Assessment does not always align with the key knowledge pupils need to master. As a result, pupils do not always secure each stage of their learning. Some gaps in learning or misconceptions go unnoticed. This impacts how well pupils achieve. The school should ensure that all staff know how to implement the intended curriculum effectively.
• Not all leaders know their areas of responsibility well enough. In some subjects, there is not a secure understanding of how the intended curriculum is being implemented. Assessment information is not always used regularly enough to know how well pupils are learning and if any changes to the curriculum are needed in response. The school should support all subject leaders in strengthening their knowledge about the pedagogy and assessment specific to their subject area.
• The school knows that pupils' outcomes at the end of Year 6 are too low. Improvement plans often lack the precision needed and a sense of urgency. As a result, outcomes for pupils are not improving quickly enough, especially for those who are disadvantaged. Governors should ensure that the school improvement strategy is more precise, more rigorously monitored, and that there is a greater sense of pace to improving outcomes for all groups of pupils.

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