Milecastle Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

This is a good school. There are outstanding outcomes for pupils because, for example, they demonstrate good achievement, outstanding behaviour, an exceptional awareness of how to stay fit and healthy and make an outstanding contribution to the school and the wider community.

All staff provide exceptionally sensitive care and support which ensure that pupils' well-being and personal development are promoted extremely well and pupils are happy and feel extremely safe. Pupils make good progress because good teaching makes learning fun and the effective curriculum offers many stimulating experiences, including the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance pupils' research and writi...ng skills. In lessons which are consistently good, teachers make clear what pupils will learn, check their progress through skilful questioning and involve them in interesting activities.

There are outstanding procedures to involve parents and carers in their children's learning so that progress is enhanced at home. The school has much useful information about pupils' skills and abilities which is used well to measure their overall progress. It is used less effectively to plan work that is well-matched to the abilities of individual pupils and so occasionally the pace of learning drops and work lacks challenge for pupils of all abilities.

Marking is also used effectively to tell pupils how well they have achieved in individual tasks. However, it does not ensure that pupils are always clear about how to improve their work or how to take the next steps in their learning. Self-evaluation is accurate, if occasionally over-cautious, and includes all staff and governors in planning and monitoring.

Accordingly, the school has initiated appropriate and successful strategies which have returned attainment in writing and mathematics to above average levels after a slight dip. Given its track record, the good quality of provision and outstanding outcomes for pupils, the school's capacity to improve is good and it provides good value for money. Above-average attendance and above-expected attainment overall, allied to well-developed skills in team work and in ICT, contribute to pupils being prepared well for their lives beyond school.

Pupils have an extremely strong sense of how to help others and a very clear understanding of life in different faiths and cultures. This understanding, together with the school's development of pupils' interest in the historical and geographical richness of the local area, enhances pupils' outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness.

Information about the school

This school is of a similar size to others of the same type.

Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is average.

The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The school has achieved the Activemark and Healthy School status. The school is in its third temporary home this year, following a planned move to allow refurbishment of the school and two forced moves after major structural damage to the original temporary school in December 2010.

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