Our School
Ashbury with Compton Beauchamp CE(A) Primary School
Ashbury with Compton Beauchamp CE (A) is a small village school with around 70 pupils in the heart of Ashbury, a rural village that nestles on the edge of the Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty.
We are very proud of all that goes on here and our motto, “United in a love for learning, we will grow and succeed together" which was created in partnership with our governors, parents and pupils.
Click here for a virtual tour of our school
(photography credit www.professional-images.com)
Leaders, governors, staff and parents and carers have a clear determination to make sure that all pupils achieve. Staff have high expectations both academically and socially for all pupils.
OFSTED December 2019
Ashbury is a nurturing school, and this encourages pupils to successfully develop their independence.
OFSTED December 2019
We are a caring school with a Christian ethos in which every child and adult is respected, encouraged and assisted towards their full potential in every sphere of their lives. The children are fully supported in their learning by dedicated staff, governors and parents.
Our boys have loved being back at school and have been thriving in their new year groups and with their respective teachers and TA's. The boys seem to have a great attitude to learning and understand what the expectations from school are. School seems to have the right balance between work and fun and our children talk fondly about what the activities in school are each day.
Parent, Parent Survey, November 2020
A happy school that welcomes each child no matter what stage of learning they are at. There is attention towards ensuring each child grows with confidence and with respect for others.
Year 4 Parent, Parent Survey, September 2019
Our History
Ashbury School has been educating local children for nearly 300 years and has a tradition in the village that is second to none.
The first school in Ashbury was set up in 1724 as a charity school formed from subscriptions by Ratepayers Tenant Farmers. The school was set up for the poor children of the village.
In 1777, a man named Reverend Thomas Stock was the Curate of Ashbury in Berkshire.
Revd. Thomas Stock was passionate about sharing stories in the bible and strengthening the community around him. He was keen to encourage more people into the church, which is when he came up with a brilliant idea!
Revd Thomas Stock began to gather children each Sunday and offered them a free education in the Chancel of St. Mary’s Church in Ashbury.
It was not long before the numbers grew and grew and grew. Each Sunday morning, more and more children joined Revd. Thomas Stock to learn more about Christianity. Soon there were too many children to fit in the Chancel at St’ Mary’s Church.
Revd. Thomas Stock needed a bigger space to teach. He discussed this with the Craven Estate who lent a cottage in the village for Revd. Thomas Stock to continue educating the local community for free. This was called Eastwood Cottage. He couldn’t believe his luck! This was the first Sunday School to be run outside of a Church in England.
Revd. Thomas Stock began to develop his educational offer and taught children how to read and write as well as basic arithmetic. The children thrived in their lessons and developed many new skills and knowledge to go on and achieve great things.
In 1778, Revd. Thomas Stock moved to Gloucester to unite with Robert Raikes, leaving behind a well-established Sunday School, which continued to grow.
In 1818, Sunday School and the local Charity School (set up in 1724), both taught in Eastwood Cottage. There was a Master and Mistress teaching the children throughout the week. The Village continued to grow and more children were keen to join the school.
In 1863, the community became excited as plans were drawn for a new, 3 classroom, school building in the village; costing £600. There were celebrations in the village when this opened on 1st January 1865.
The village school continued to educate children and for nearly 100 years in this building until there were too many children to fit inside. In 1959, our current school opened and was named: Ashbury with Compton Beauchamp Church of England, Voluntary Aided Primary School.
1st February 2023, Ashbury with Compton Beauchamp Church of England, Voluntary Aided Primary School joined Cambrian Learning Trust (previously Faringdon Learning Trust) where a new journey begins.
In 2024 Ashbury School celebrated its 300th birthday. We enjoyed welcoming back past pupils and Headteachers as well as the local community who all join in the celebrations.
Our Church
The school aims to serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice.
The Church encourages and develops the understanding, meaning and significance of faith and promotes all Christian values. The school celebrates its dedicated partnership with the Church and Parish at Diocesan Level.
All children enjoy various worship throughout the week with Collective Worship on a Thursday, which is led by local clergy and members of the congregation. This embeds our Christian Value focus for the term and delivers clear messages through bible stories and reflection time.
There are regular visits from the vicar of St Mary’s and the children enjoy their role in church services at Harvest, Christmas, Mothering Sunday, Easter, Leavers’ Service and many others.
Our Community
Our school is an integral part of Ashbury village, so we believe we have a role to play in sharing with the children many of these traditional village qualities: a sense of community and respect for each other, responsible behaviour and tolerance and consideration of others.
Wonderful to see children from the school at the war memorial this morning. They did a great job. Really special.
Ashbury Resident, Community Facebook Page, November 2022
The children enjoy taking part in the village events; parents and other members of the community are welcome to become involved in the day to day life of the school.
Spirituality
We aim to develop children's awareness both of themselves and the wider world.
Spirituality is not something we can see; it is something we feel inside ourselves. It is about awe and wonder, asking questions, inspiration and being aware of something ‘bigger’ outside of ourselves.
May our roots go down deep into the soil of God’s love and make us strong Ephesians 3 v 17
I was very impressed by [the pupils] willingness to share and support one another.
Rev'd Norma Fergusson, email October 2022
