Dear parents and carers.

I am delighted to inform you that the full Section 5 Ofsted Report from our two-day inspection in February is now available on the school website and will be released on the Ofsted site within the next 10 working days.

We are delighted to confirm that the school has been graded

‘Good’.

The process was very detailed and rigorous and I am very pleased that this is acknowledged. I would like to thank all those who took part in the inspection, staff, governors, parents and pupils alike.

The school’s grading is ‘Good’, a benchmark that is high under the current Ofsted framework. We are very pleased that the hard work undertaken by all in the school community has been recognised, including the systems in place, the reflective and driven nature of staff/governors, the commitment of the pupils and the rate at which the school makes progress beyond that seen nationally.

The report itself is very detailed and highlights the many elements of good provision at Ashgate Primary School as well as the next steps needed to take the school forward. What is very satisfying is that all the areas listed were within the development plan prior to the inspection and some were already at action stages.

I do hope that parents and carers take the time to read the inspection report in full as it represents a school that is not only good, but one that aims to improve further and with the children at the heart of its work.

Grades

Grading explained: A grade is based on the Ofsted framework, where an assessment is made to establish whether criteria are met. These grades are then used to decide the overall school grade which is referred to as ‘Overall effectiveness’. Our school was graded ‘Good’ in its overall effectiveness.

A note on absenteeism (behaviour grading):

The Ofsted Framework 2018 clearly states that behaviour cannot be graded good if:

1. Attendance is consistently low for all pupils / or groups of pupils and shows little sign of sustained improvement.

For our school, there remains a persistent group who continue to be absent below 90% and are not showing sustained improvement (2 years or more).

Had those parents responded appropriately to the needs of their children, and reacted to the key message I have reiterated time and time again, behaviour would have also been graded good.

This is of course disappointing and I cannot hide my frustration that the report highlights that, ‘despite senior leaders’ best efforts, some parents have not engaged and do not understand the importance of regular school attendance’.

Parents should expect this to become an increased focus by leadership and management at the school.

To summarize:

This is a very good report and it is pleasing that the school is securely graded as ‘Good’. The Ofsted inspection was thorough, led diligently and was professionally undertaken. We were open and transparent around all aspects of school life and had much evidence to support the process. The outcomes match the criteria for a ‘Good School’, and all should be proud of this achievement.

I am particularly pleased that Ofsted recognised the journey of improvements made at the school over the last three years and I would like to thank the parents who have supported the school during this time. We will of course address, as we already are, any areas for improvement.

Once again, may I thank all those involved in the inspection itself, especially the staff, governors and children who continue to provide a positive to school life.

To read the report in full, visit: www.ashgate.derby.sch.uk <click> ‘About us <click> ‘Ofsted Report 2018 information for parents’.

If you would like a paper copy of the report, please contact the school office.

Mr Seargent

Headteacher