Castle Hill Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at Castle Hill Infant School. They know that staff care for and respect them.

This is an inclusive school where all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn alongside each other. Parents are full of praise for the school, describing it as, 'an amazing school that has fostered a love of learning'.

Pupils benefit from a broad range of wider opportunities, including sports clubs, and opportunities to learn outside in the exciting outdoor environments.

They enjoy the responsibilities on offer, such as acting as class ambassadors. Pupils learn about different cultures and beliefs from around the world in... lessons and from each other. As a result, they understand, appreciate and respect difference.

Pupils' behaviour is excellent. Everyone has high expectations of behaviour. Pupils are kind and considerate.

They are highly motivated and work hard in lessons. From the very start children respond to clear routines in Reception. All adults continually promote positive relationships in all aspects of school life.

Incidents of unkind behaviour are rare and when they do occur, adults deal with them swiftly. Pupils are happy and rightly say they feel safe.

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

Leaders and governors are highly ambitious for all pupils.

They have developed a curriculum underpinned by the 'Castle Hill Values' of community, aspiration, self-worth, trust, learning and excellence that nurtures pupils' enthusiasm for learning. Subject leaders know and understand their curriculum areas. Their planning sets out what pupils should learn at each stage of their education precisely, including in the early years.

Leaders ensure that staff have the necessary expertise to deliver the curriculum.

Pupils gain a great deal of knowledge and skills as they move through the school. Staff use a range of assessments to pinpoint what pupils have learned and any additional needs.

This helps ensure that pupils with SEND are identified early and then supported effectively. During lessons, teachers constantly check pupils' understanding and provide support where required. However, teachers' checks are not always precise enough beyond English and mathematics.

Leaders have not made sure that guidance about what to assess is linked closely to the essential learning identified in the curriculum planning. This mismatch means that teachers are not consistently checking that pupils are remembering the key knowledge they need to build on in the future.

Leaders prioritise reading.

Pupils learn to read well through the consistent and effective approach to the teaching of phonics. Staff are well trained and have the skills they need to teach early reading successfully. Pupils read books that are closely matched to the sounds they know.

Careful assessment means that pupils at risk of falling behind are quickly identified and helped to catch up. Pupils enjoy listening to the wide range of stories read to them by adults.

Early years leaders have established a curriculum that prepares children well for the move to Year 1 and beyond.

Children's early language is prioritised well. They settle quickly into the routines of school life and high expectations of their teachers. Children love the chance to learn and explore through well-planned learning activities.

However, some support staff are less knowledgeable about how young children learn than others. This means that some adult-led activities do not deepen children's understanding.

Leaders have developed a comprehensive range of opportunities that encourages children to become independent and responsible members of their community.

Leaders emphasise pupils' right to learn and to be listened to. As a result, pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong. Pupils say everyone is welcome in their school.

They are clear that everyone is treated equally and why this should be the case.

Governance is effective. Governors are highly committed and provide robust challenge, as well as considered support.

Leaders use this to improve the outcomes for all pupils. They prioritise professional development for all staff. As a result, the staff feel valued.

They share leaders' aspiration to provide the very best education for all pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils feel safe in the school.

They have an appropriate understanding of the risks they may face. Pupils can talk about how to stay safe, including online. They know who to talk to if they are worried.

Staff are well trained to spot the small signs that a pupil may need help. They record their observations diligently, sharing these with leaders without delay.

The designated safeguarding leads are skilled, well trained and are known by staff, pupils and their families.

Systems and processes are clear, established and understood. Records are kept well. Leaders are tenacious in their expectations when working with other agencies.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Beyond English and mathematics, the use of assessment does not always match well enough with the planned curriculum. As a result, teachers' checks do not identify precisely enough how well pupils are remembering key knowledge. Leaders need to ensure that teachers' assessments are focused on the important building blocks of knowledge that the school has identified pupils need for future learning.

• Some early years staff do not have the same depth of understanding about young children's learning as their colleagues. This hampers their use of questioning when interacting with children and impacts on children's learning in those activities. Leaders need to ensure that all staff working in the early years have the same high-quality understanding of the early years curriculum and pedagogy.

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