Castle View Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a nurturing school. Pupils are proud to attend. Leaders are determined that pupils make a positive contribution to their community and are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Pupils behave well. They are motivated by the 'Castle coins' that they can earn for good behaviour. They relish spending these in the pupil-run shop.

Pupils understand what happens when behaviour is poor. They know how the 'fix it face', the 'sad face' and reflection help them to behave.

Pupils enjoy helping out around school.

Older pupils are proud of the jobs that they undertake. The work of the school council is held in high esteem. The recent initiative to inst...all coat pegs on the playground was much appreciated by pupils.

Playtimes are happy and sociable occasions. Pupils get on well with one another. The school field, with the impressive view of the local castle, provides lots of opportunities to explore and play.

Pupils make the most of the tunnels, the 'willow dome' and the mud-kitchen areas.

While there is much to celebrate, significant changes in staffing have affected the leadership of the curriculum, as well as its design and implementation, which are not yet wholly effective. As a result, pupils do not receive a good quality of education.

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

The school uses two phonics programmes. This results in inconsistent teaching. Not all teachers have been trained effectively to teach phonics well.

In some classes, pupils are not given sufficient opportunity to practise the sounds that they are learning. In a few cases, the books that pupils read do not match the sounds that they know. As a result, some pupils do not learn to read as well, or as soon as they could.

Leaders are in the process of introducing a new phonics curriculum. However, they have been slow to recognise the need to do so.

Beyond phonics, the reading curriculum is not yet fully sequenced.

It sets out what pupils should achieve by the end of each year. However, leaders are not sure that content is being taught in the best order. They are not yet checking closely enough how well pupils are learning the reading curriculum.

Other parts of the school's curriculum are at different stages of implementation and the impact on pupils' learning is varied. For instance, some subjects, including mathematics, are well planned and sequenced. Content is taught well.

Pupils learn and remember subject matter over time. In other subjects, the curriculum is well planned and sequenced, but it is not taught in its entirety. In other subjects, the curriculum does not make clear enough the precise things that pupils are expected to know and remember.

As a result of these inconsistencies, pupils do not learn and remember the full breadth of the curriculum.

Children in the early years are well looked after. Staff know children well.

The majority of staff are skilled at helping children to improve their language and communication skills. Although leaders articulate a clear and ambitious vision for early years education, at this stage, the early years curriculum is not consistently applied. Some staff require additional training in order to implement it effectively.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the help they need. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a fully rounded view of these pupils' needs. The help pupils receive is regularly reviewed to ensure that it is working well.

If changes are necessary, they are made quickly.

The schools' personal, social and health education curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn about people from different backgrounds and cultures.

They recognise and value difference. They understand that everyone must be treated equally.

The small number of senior leaders work tirelessly.

They are passionate and highly ambitious for pupils. However, recent and significant changes in staffing have resulted in a lack of leadership capacity. Too much of senior leaders' time has been taken up by teaching and leading too many subject areas.

Consequently, leaders have not been able to address the inconsistencies in the curriculum and its implementation.

Governors and trustees share leaders' ambitious vision for the school. However, they are not fully aware of how new staff will be supported to bring about the much- needed leadership capacity within the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff know how to keep pupils safe. They know the signs to look out for.

All concerns are recorded and followed up. Records are detailed and fit for purpose.

Leaders know pupils and their families well.

They are able to provide a wide range of support for the community. Pupils know that they can turn to leaders, or any other trusted adult, should they need help or support.

Pupils know how to keep safe online and in the community.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school uses two phonics programmes. This results in inconsistent teaching. In some cases, the books that pupils read do not always match the sounds that they have been taught.

Consequently, some pupils do not begin to read as soon or as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that they implement a well- planned and sequenced phonics curriculum that is taught and applied consistently. ? Beyond phonics, the reading curriculum is not fully sequenced.

Leaders are unable to check how well pupils are learning the reading curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the reading curriculum sets out what pupils should know and be able to do, at each stage of their education. ? There are inconsistencies in the school's curriculum.

In some subjects, the curriculum is not taught in its entirety and in others it does not make clear enough the precise content that pupils are expected to know and remember. Some pupils do not learn and remember the full breadth of the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is well planned, sequenced and implemented effectively across all subjects.

• The early years curriculum is not consistently applied. Some staff require additional training in order to implement it effectively. Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum is fully implemented, and that staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to teach it well.

• A recent and significant turnover in staff has resulted in in too much of senior leaders' time being taken up by teaching and leading too many subjects. As a result, leaders have not been able to address the weaknesses in the curriculum and its implementation. Those responsible for governance should ensure that there is sufficient capacity at the school for shared and distributed leadership.