Ofsted praises primary school in Halifax as "safe, caring place" where pupils feel "valued and supported"

Head teacher Mungo Sheppard with pupils at Ash Green Primary School

Ash Green Community Primary School's latest Ofsted report says it is a safe, caring place for pupils and that children feel valued and supported there.

Inspectors say that pupils at the school achieve well and have high expectations of them regarding learning and behaviour.

It also says pupils are polite and respectful, and enjoy coming to the school and are proud to take on leadership roles.

Staff are praised highly in the report for the relationships they build with parents from early years.

The school's special educational needs provision is highly commended, and the report says the curriculum includes teaching pupils about local history like the Piece Hall and the Halifax Gibbet.

Teachers build pupils’ interest by engaging them in real life tasks, the report says, such as pupils writing a letter to the director of the British museum to explain their knowledge of the Romans.

The reading and maths curriculums are praised, while the report says reading is a high priority at the school.

Extracurricular activies support pupils' personal development, inspectors say, through personal, social, health and economic education lessons, assemblies and trips to local museums, residentials and a visit to London.

The report says the school works closely with families to improve rates of attendance, but also says that some pupils do not attend school often enough and miss out on essential learning.

Head teacher Mungo Sheppard said: "We are delighted with the report.

"It rightly recognises the high quality education and care that our children receive from an incredibly hard working and highly skilled staff.

"It was refreshing to be part of such a positive and collaborative inspection and the HMI was very impressed with the behaviour and attitudes of our children throughout the school day.

"The report makes it clear that children thrive here despite having to overcome many barriers and that they make a great start in our Early Years settings, whatever their needs.

"We want to ensure every child here develops to reach their potential academically and socially, and it was very pleasing that Ofsted recognised that here at Ash Green."