Ashurst Primary School

Ashurst Primary School is a happy, inclusive school where pupils feel safe and part of the 'Ashurst family'. Safeguarding standards are met. Inspectors found strong standards in attendance and behaviour and in personal development and wellbeing. Attendance is improving and persistent absence is declining because leaders work closely with families and external agencies. Pupils behave exceptionally well, are supportive and self-controlled, and benefit from a notable wellbeing and enrichment offer that prepares them well for life in modern Britain. The school also has a specially resourced SEMH provision for up to eight pupils, which is integrated into its inclusive approach. The school is fulfilling expected standards in achievement, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, and leadership and governance. Pupils achieve well overall, current pupils are progressing, early years provision is strong, and leaders and governors are ambitious. However, there are areas to develop: older pupils have gaps in writing, especially spelling, handwriting and grammar; in subjects beyond English and mathematics, pupils' recall of prior learning is not secure enough and checks sometimes miss the most important knowledge. Attainment dipped in 2025, particularly for disadvantaged pupils in mathematics and combined reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders are taking the right action to address these issues.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture where concerns are actively identified and managed.
• Attendance is improving and persistent absence is declining through systematic work with families and agencies.
• Pupils' behaviour is extremely positive; they are independent, motivated and highly supportive of one another.
• Personal development and wellbeing provision is a notable strength, helping pupils manage emotions and build resilience.
• Pupils are exceedingly well prepared for life in modern Britain and show respect for diversity and others' views.
• Early years provision is calm and consistent, with strong routines, language development and most children ready for Year 1.
• Inclusion is effective; pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are identified early and supported to access the full offer.
• The specially resourced SEMH provision is well integrated and leaders act on guidance to meet those pupils' needs.
• Leadership and governance are ambitious and accurate, with governors providing support and challenge.
• The curriculum is well sequenced from early years and prioritises core reading, writing and mathematics skills.

Areas for Improvement

• Older pupils have gaps in writing knowledge, particularly spelling, handwriting and grammar.
• Pupils' recall of prior learning in subjects beyond English and mathematics is not secure enough to build on what they have been taught.
• Checks in some non-core subjects do not focus sharply enough on the most important knowledge pupils need to secure.
• Attainment dipped in 2025, with disadvantaged pupils' mathematics and combined reading, writing and mathematics outcomes below national.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Ashurst Primary School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.9% of pupils at Ashurst Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Ashurst Primary School had 20.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 18.5% of pupils at Ashurst Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Ashurst Primary School received £8,910 and spent £9,403 for each of its 199 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £1,000 (-£5 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

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What is Ashurst Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ashurst Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Ashurst Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ashurst Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Ashurst Primary School have?

Ashurst Primary School has 216 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ashurst Primary School cover?

Ashurst Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Ashurst Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ashurst Primary School?

Ashurst Primary School is at New Glade Hill, Off Chain Lane, Blackbrook, St Helens, Merseyside, WA11 9QJ.