OFSTED Report
‘Low Ash Primary continues to be a GOOD school’
Below is a summary of the report:
- Student Experience: Pupils are happy and safe in our caring school environment. They enjoy coming to school, have good attendance, and participate actively in community events and school clubs. Relationships across the school are warm and respectful, reflecting our motto: ‘learn, achieve, persevere and succeed.’
- Behaviour: The inspectors agreed that student behaviour is very good. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school, and those needing extra help with their behaviour receive the necessary support. Due to a small number of parental concerns raised in the parent questionnaire, the inspector spent a great deal of time observing behaviour across school. We hope her findings will serve to reassure any of you with worries.
- Personal Development: Our personal development offer was highlighted as exceptional in the verbal feedback we received at the end of the inspection. Pupils have opportunities to participate in a wide range of clubs and hold positions of responsibility, such as librarians and digital leaders. They also engage in community work and school events.
- Quality of Education: Reading is a priority at Low Ash, with staff confidently teaching phonics and ensuring pupils gain a secure knowledge of letters and sounds. Pupils achieve well in reading and mathematics. However, there are areas for improvement in adapting writing tasks for pupils at an early stage of writing and for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
- Leadership and Management: The leadership team was recognized for its strong vision and effective management. Governors have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas to strengthen. Staff are committed and well-supported in their roles.
Areas for Improvement:
- Early writing and SEND Support: The school needs to better adapt activities to support pupils at an early stage of writing and those with SEND to achieve independently. (The inspector commented that Low Ash has a lot of adults working with pupils with SEND and questioned whether this hindered their independence.)
- Foundational Skills: There is inconsistency in teaching letter and number formation. The school should set clear expectations and help pupils meet these foundational skills.
The above areas for development were already featured on our school development plan so we are already working towards them. We are committed to continuing to address these areas and striving for excellence in all aspects of school.
