Castle Park School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils achieve well.

Most make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. They develop good attitudes to learning. Children get a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

They thrive in a vibrant and highly organised environment. Good, and at times, outstanding teaching gives pupils a great enjoyment of learning. Activities are interesting and reflect the pupils' interests.

Talented staff support pupils with disabilities and special educational needs and those known to be eligible for additional funding through pupil premium. Consequently, these pupils make good progress. Pupils have many opportunities to explore ...the wider world and benefit from a good range of educational visits and interactions with people from a range of different backgrounds.

Outstanding spiritual, social, moral and cultural development leads to good behaviour almost all of the time. Pupils treat each other with respect and are generally eager to learn. Parents are unanimous in their support of the school.

They report that their children are happy, safe and cared for well. The headteacher, senior leaders and governing body provide clear and purposeful leadership. Considerable improvements are under way including raising achievement and broadening the pupils' experience of the wider world.

The school is well placed to continue to improve. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The achievement of the most-able pupils is not as good as that of other pupils. The rate of progress and quality of learning vary slightly between classes.

Information about this school

This is a larger than average-sized primary school. The vast majority of pupils are of White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for additional government funding, known as the pupil premium, is below average.

(The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after by the local authority.) The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion of pupils supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. The headteacher took up post in January 2012. She is a local leader in education supporting another colleague in a nearby school.