Scawthorpe Castle Hills Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher and governors provide determined leadership. Together, they have coordinated good improvements in the quality of teaching and learning. Leaders, including governors know the school's strengths and areas for improvement.

They have a shared ambition to continue raising standards. Subject leaders are highly involved in leading school developments. They have made positive contributions to the improvements seen since the previous inspection.

Teaching and support staff operate as a committed team. They have strong subject knowledge across the whole curriculum. This has led to better learning outcomes for pupils.

The maj...ority of pupils achieve well in relation to their different needs and varied starting points in English and mathematics. Current pupils, including the most able, make good progress. Pupils say that they feel safe and are happy at school.

They are motivated by an interesting new curriculum and enjoy a wide range of visits and extra-curricular clubs. Pupils' conduct as they move around school is impeccable. They are helpful to one another, showing respect and tolerance for peers, staff and visitors.

Exclusions are becoming less frequent. Pastoral care and support are very effective and behaviour and welfare are managed carefully. The school works closely with many partners to ensure pupils' safety and well-being.

The quality of leadership in the early years is a clear strength in the school. Children make excellent progress in the Reception class and are well prepared for their move into Year 1. It is not yet an outstanding school because : While the teaching of reading is good, outcomes for pupils are not yet as high or consistently as good as in mathematics and writing.

Pupils do not apply their good knowledge of punctuation consistently within their own writing. Some of the targets set by leaders do not link sharply enough to the improvements that they are intended to make for pupils.

Information about this school

Castle Hills is an average-sized primary school.

The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average. The pupil premium is additional government funding provided to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds.

The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average. The proportion of pupils with additional school support for their special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average. The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is below average.

The school meets the government's current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. There have been a number of changes to staffing and the governing body since the previous inspection in 2014. A new headteacher was appointed on a permanent basis in September 2015.

Children attend the Nursery provision for 15 hours per week on a part-time basis in the morning or afternoon sessions. In their Reception Year, children attend on a full-time basis. The school meets the Department for Education's requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.