Castle Hill High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school The headteacher, with the support of other leaders and governors, has inspired and motivated his staff to manage a tremendously successful move to a new location and premises.

There have been changes in leadership, staffing, pupil intake as well as the development of a new sixth form during the past three years. These achievements are exceptional. Staff morale is very high because there has been an excellent shared vision and strategic direction of travel to which they all subscribe.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has been consistently good or better to ensure that pupils make the best possible progress from thei...r starting points on entry to the school. Many pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve GCSE grades in subjects including English and mathematics. All leavers at the end of Year 11 move successfully to further education, employment and training.

The sixth form is outstanding due to strong direction and leadership. Learners develop work-based independence and learning skills to achieve further qualifications. They, too, move successfully to their next steps.

Pupils' attitudes and engagement in lessons are outstanding, as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Their behaviour in and around school is exemplary. Pupils with more complex needs make outstanding progress in their social and personal skills due to excellent support from the school's inclusion team and from staff working in the specialist classroom called 'The Hub'.

Leaders ensure that they systematically monitor the quality of teaching and support across the school. There are strong and effective systems in place to check pupils' progress because of the high-quality teaching and support that they receive. Governors have an agreed process for making sure that they are up to date with leaders' work through a programme of focused visits.

Governors are knowledgeable and play an outstanding role in ensuring that leaders are held to account. Leaders and governors recognise that further refinements of the curriculum are necessary to ensure that pupils with more complex needs benefit fully from the school and sixth-form provisions. E curriculum to

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

The school relocated to its current site in September 2014. There have been numerous staff changes, including to the senior leadership team, but there is now stability. There is now a sixth form that caters for 24 learners in total.

There is a hearing impairment unit on site that is overseen by the local authority. The school benefits from this provision. The school is part of the Altius Teaching School Alliance group.

The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The school provides mostly for pupils who have moderate learning difficulties, many of whom have complex social, emotional and mental health needs, autistic spectrum disorders or speech, language and communication needs. A small number have more-severe learning difficulties, hearing impairments or physical disabilities.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by pupil premium funding is just above the national average. All pupils have an education, health and care plan. The school does not use any alternative providers.