Ashbury celebrates strong Ofsted recognition with “excellent start” for children

Inspectors awarded a Strong standard in both Early Years and Personal Development, recognising the school’s ambitious curriculum, well-organised learning environment and the way in which pupils are supported to thrive both academically and personally.

A key strength identified in the report is the Early Years provision, where children are described as getting an “excellent start” through purposeful teaching, rich language development and carefully planned opportunities for play and learning. The inspection also highlighted the important role of older pupils acting as strong role models, supporting younger children and helping to create a nurturing environment in this small village school.

The report recognises the school’s highly effective pastoral support, with staff knowing pupils extremely well and ensuring that children feel safe, supported and able to succeed. This strong focus on relationships contributes to a calm, inclusive and caring school environment.

The personal development offer is also praised as a strength, with a wide range of opportunities that help pupils develop confidence, character and respect for others. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility and play an active role in school life, strengthening the sense of community.

Safeguarding was found to be effective, with inspectors confirming that arrangements are securely in place and pupils are well cared for.

Headteacher Tim Miller said:

“We are incredibly proud of this report, which reflects the care, ambition and commitment of our entire school community. It is especially pleasing to see recognition of the excellent start our youngest children receive, and the way our older pupils act as strong role models in our small village school.

We are also delighted that the report highlights our highly effective pastoral support and the strength of our personal development offer. These are central to our ethos and ensure children feel safe, supported and ready to learn. While we are proud of these strengths, we remain focused on continuing to improve outcomes for all pupils.”

Richard Evans, Chief Executive Officer of Cambrian Learning Trust, said:

“This is an excellent Ofsted outcome that deserves real celebration across the school community. It reflects the Trust’s mission of ‘Nurturing growth and inspiring minds’ and our commitment to building firm foundations for excellence, empowering all to shine, whilst instilling the values of integrity and kindness. United in this ambitious vision, we are committed to inspiring learners who achieve highly and are equipped to contribute positively to society. By nurturing strong relationships, we create an inclusive community in which every individual is valued, supported, and encouraged to grow in mind, body, soul and spirit.

The report rightly celebrates the strength of Early Years and personal development, and we are delighted with the recognition of the school’s highly effective pastoral care. As a Trust, we are proud of what has been achieved and will continue to support leaders as they build on these strong foundations so that every child continues to thrive.”

The report also identifies achievement as an area for further development, particularly where some pupils have gaps in their learning and where curriculum changes are still being embedded. Leaders have already taken action, with improvements evident in reading and writing and a continued focus on strengthening mathematics.

The school remains committed to ensuring that every child thrives academically, socially and emotionally within its inclusive, caring and ambitious community.

We currently have spaces available across the school, including in our Pre-School, and warmly welcome prospective families to come and see our school in action. If you would like to arrange a visit or book a tour, please contact the school office on 01793 710259 or email office@ash.cambrianlt.org. We would be delighted to show you what makes our school such a special place to learn and grow.