Welcome to Ashby Willesley Primary School

We are a 2 form entry primary school, located on the outskirts of the popular town of Ashby de la Zouch, overlooking the beautiful 

Leicestershire countryside. We are the largest primary school in Ashby and pride ourselves on the welcoming ‘family feel’ that it has. This stems from our close family community including staff, pupils and families of our children. Everyone is made to feel valued and welcome, resulting in a happy, safe and positive place to learn. Our pupils are known for their exceptional behaviour and kindness and are role models both in the local community and beyond. Our dedicated staff are committed to ensuring that every child reaches their full potential. We have extremely high expectations which are reflected in our consistently high academic standards, behaviour and attitudes. 

Our aim at Ashby Willesley is to nurture happy, well-rounded individuals who are equipped to achieve their full potential during their time with us and beyond. Our high expectations, challenging curriculum and positive ethos all contribute towards this.

We believe that children deserve a curriculum that is rich  in the experiences, knowledge and skills that builds on what they have learnt in EYFS. At Willesley we offer : A well-sequenced curriculum that allows children to build on  prior knowledge. The teaching of subject specific skills and knowledge to allow  success in school and life. Opportunities to learn inside and outside of the classroom. A curriculum of diversity where differences are celebrated. A curriculum where all children can achieve and be proud  of themselves.

Our children performed 16% higher than the national average in reading, writing and maths (SATs 2023).

Sport

We are extremely proud of our excellent reputation for sport. We have won Primary School of the Year at the NW Leicestershire Sports Awards on several occasions, in recognition of our excellent attendance and engagement in sporting events. Our PE curriculum offers two hours of quality provision ranging from the learning of throwing and catching skills to outdoor and adventurous pursuits. Through our PE curriculum, our pupils also learn about perseverance and resilience and the benefits that sport brings to their physical and mental health. ME Sports coaches support our teaching and learning as well as offering a variety of high-quality sports clubs after school. We aim for every pupil to experience a sporting enrichment opportunity, each year.

School Grounds  

Our unique location provides us with the best opportunity to explore what Ashby has to offer as well as benefitting from the wellbeing associated with the countryside. We are fortunate to have a large outdoor space and newly appointed buildings, carefully designed to suit our pupils’ learning and cognition. Year 6 have a dedicated, air-conditioned learning space in the tree tops building. We have a recently landscaped sensory garden overlooking the neighbouring fields, a dedicated outdoor play area for children in EYFS and a Garden of Dreams where children can use their imagination for play.

OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning Programme)

Our new programme improves opportunities for physical activity, socialisation, co-operation, coordination, resilience, creativity, imagination and enjoyment through improved play. It is the result of 17 years testing and development in over 250 schools.

In 2018 OPAL won first prize in an EU funded award for the best active school’s programme in Europe.

It is based on the idea that as well as learning through good teaching, children also learn when they play, and as 20% of their time in school is playtime, we want to make sure that this amount of time (equivalent to 1.4 years of primary school) is as good as possible.

Music

We provide music lessons for a range of instruments, including piano, flute, clarinet, guitar, saxophone, and recorder. Our school has dedicated specialist tutors who conduct these lessons during the school day. In Year 4, all pupils learn to play an instrument eg clarinet and our curriculum is challenging, engaging and offers plenty of opportunity to play instruments. Our school choir attends Young Voices on an annual basis and regularly performs at school events.

Wellbeing 

At Willesley, we prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of our pupils and staff. We recognise that children of any age can experience wellbeing or mental health issues at any time and make it our aim to offer support as early as possible. 

Our schools are a supportive community where everyone helps each other grow and succeed.

Each school brings its own special strengths and by working together, we share ideas, resources and encouragement. Our close partnership means that staff and students all benefit from the collective experience and support, making sure that every child has the best chance to thrive. The Symphony Learning Trust Lead Schools have a proven track record of devising and leading national initiatives and highly effective School to School support. We are proud of the impact we have upon outcomes for children across schools.

To find out more about about the Trust please click here

Collaboration ★ Accountability ★ Expertise sharing ★ Improved outcomes