Castle Hill Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is at the heart of its community. Strong relationships based on mutual respect are evident between staff and pupils.

These relationships help pupils to feel safe and secure. Adults focus on understanding each pupil's individual needs and adapting provision to meet these. The vision for every pupil to be fully included in school life is realised and is recognised by stakeholders.

Parents comment positively on the caring and nurturing environment where pupils can flourish.

Leaders have a genuine desire to show pupils that they can aim high and be aspirational for the future. Pupils' horizons are broadened through the wealth of trips, visits and visi...tors that the school provides.

Pupils are eager to talk about these experiences, such as the trips to the areas that their class names represent. They fondly recall the Dymchurch railway ride and their trips to the local beach.

The curriculum is designed to prepare pupils for future learning.

The school is determined to give every pupil the best chance of future success. Pupils genuinely believe that staff want the best for them and will help them to achieve their goals. A passion for improving pupils' life chances is ingrained in the school's ethos.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Since the last inspection, the school has worked hard to develop the curriculum. Using external support, leaders have successfully ensured a clearly sequenced curriculum which shows what pupils will learn from the early years to Year 6. In addition, the school has carefully considered the professional development opportunities for staff so they have the skills needed to deliver the ambitious curriculum.

Outcomes in mathematics last year were below the national average. Consequently, mathematics provision has been reviewed and developed and is now designed to prepare all pupils for future learning. Currently, there is variation in how well staff implement this new curriculum.

Across the curriculum, staff have a firm understanding of any gaps pupils have in their knowledge. In lessons, adults show pupils what they need to do to complete activities and they check that pupils have grasped the key content. There are robust systems for the early identification of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

This helps staff to offer precise support for pupils with SEND in a swift manner. Where possible, pupils from the school's specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND work alongside their peers in mainstream classes. This helps to promote the school's inclusive culture.

The help that pupils get is tailored to their specific needs. In the early years staff understand children's needs well but do not always use every opportunity to deepen children's knowledge.

Reading is given the highest priority in school.

The school supports all pupils to learn to read as quickly as possible, so they can access the curriculum. Staff have strong subject knowledge, which helps them to support pupils who are learning to read. The school promotes a love of reading.

Adults motivate pupils to read by sharing books and celebrating those who read frequently. Pupils love choosing new books to take home and are excited to have their reading efforts noticed.

The school has ensured that the behaviour policy is understood by everyone.

All staff apply this with consistency. As a result, pupils understand and rise to the high expectations for how they will conduct themselves in school. From the nursery onwards, children are supported to know the routines.

Consequently, children are well prepared for the move into reception and beyond. Staff are excellent role models. They teach pupils how to persevere when they find things difficult and the importance of being honest.

These core values help pupils to develop exceptionally positive attitudes towards learning. Pupils' enthusiasm for their learning is apparent throughout the school. In Reception, for example, children talked eagerly about the dinosaur eggs which hatched and happily wrote letters to the dinosaur's family.

Pupils' character is developed deliberately through the curriculum and wider opportunities the school has designed. There is an emphasis on tolerance and inclusion. Pupils are certain that everyone is treated fairly.

They are proud to celebrate what makes them special. The school places great importance on building pupils' understanding of the world beyond Folkestone. The annual careers day helps older pupils to recognise future roles that are available to them.

The school further supports this raising of aspirations by providing opportunities for pupils to be leaders in school as well as representing the school in tournaments such as the Herald Cup. The school's relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education programme helps pupils to understand how to be a good friend and what to do if they feel uncomfortable in a relationship.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? The newly developed mathematics curriculum is not fully implemented in line with the school's expectations. This means that pupils do not always learn as deeply as they could. The school should continue to ensure that the agreed approaches are used throughout the school, so that pupils' knowledge of mathematics equips them well for future study.