Aston Lodge Primary: Sheffield school where pupils 'dream big and aim high' celebrates ‘Good’ rating

A Sheffield school that four years ago was told their teaching was “weak” is celebrating after being praised as “a vibrant and exciting school where children thrive” in a new Ofsted report.

Aston Lodge Primary School has been rated as ‘Requires Improvement’ since 2015, with a coldly worded assessment by the education watchdog in 2019 calling it “weak”, “inconsistent” and a place where “teaching and pupils’ outcomes are not good”.

But now, the school in Lodge Lane has thrown away those old labels in light of a glowing new report by Ofsted published yesterday (July 11) that has upgraded it to ‘Good’ and even ‘Outstanding’ in some areas.

Inspectors said: “Pupils ‘dream big and aim high’ at this vibrant and exciting school...Pupils are positive about their education. They know that what they are learning now will help them to achieve the ambition they have for the future.

“Behaviour is exemplary. Everyone in school understands the clear behaviour routines and expectations. These are consistently applied by all staff. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere around the school, in lessons and at playtime. Pupils play and learn well together. They co-operate, share and encourage each other.”

Although the school was graded ‘Good’ overall, Ofsted also rated both ‘Behaviour & Attitudes’ and ‘Personal Development’ as Outstanding, with inspectors noting the number of career days, seaside visits and days out that tie into what children learn in class.

The report bears comparison to the visit in 2019. Where one criticised the school repeatedly for failing to embed and analyse children’s knowledge, the new report praises Aston Lodge for checking children’s progress ‘every three weeks’, helping those who are behind catch up, and creating a setting where “pupils’ personal development is exceptional.”

The report reads: “Teachers are clear about the knowledge that pupils need to learn. They make regular checks that pupils are doing so. Pupils enjoy the ‘big 6’ check which takes place at the end of each lesson. In this check, they recall knowledge from past and present learning. This helps pupils to see how new learning fits into a bigger picture.”

Headteacher Sarah Cronin told The Star: “We could not have achieved this without the support of our students, parents, staff and Wickersley Partnership Trust.

“The rating recognises the dedication of the staff to provide an excellent environment for the students to learn and grow, and that the school is committed to the Aston Lodge Way to do the absolute best for our the students.

“We are especially proud that the school has been graded outstanding in personal development. We have worked relentlessly to provide our pupils with a variety of opportunities and experiences.

“I am so proud of everything Aston Lodge Primary School has achieved over the last few years. We are dedicated to our students and passionate about their learning environments, how they learn and how they can apply it to their lives. The staff at the school and Wickersley Partnership Trust have worked tirelessly to give our students the education they deserve and that’s something that we, and the community of Aston, should be very pleased with."