Castleton Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 May 2026

Pupils know that they belong and are welcome at Castleton. Relationships between pupils, staff, parents and carers are positive. Pupils benefit from the school’s values of kindness, courage and curiosity. These values help pupils feel well cared for and safe. Staff know pupils as individuals. They understand their needs, interests and aspirations. Barriers to pupils’ learning and wellbeing are carefully reduced. This is especially the case for pupils who are new to the country and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils take great pride in their achievements. They are especially delighted when staff celebrate their hard work and contact their parents through the Friday phone call. Pupils beam with pride when this happens. This motivates them to be the best they can be. Across the curriculum, most pupils achieve well. They are generally well prepared for the next stage of education. Pupils respond well to the school’s high expectations of behaviour. They behave appropriately and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. The school’s sharp focus on the rights of each individual helps pupils understand right and wrong. As a result, bullying is rare. Pupils know they have the right to speak up and share their views. Staff deal with any issues quickly. Pupils are keen to attend school and most do so regularly. When attendance rates dip, particularly for pupils who are persistently absent, staff work with families to reduce the barriers that lead to absence. Pupils contribute positively to their school community. For example, the eco-monitors run an ‘eco-shop’ to reduce plastic use, while attendance champions review class attendance and share the number of days of learning lost with their peers. Pupils benefit from a range of visits and experiences. They enjoy learning in the school’s forest area, and they work with local councillors on issues such as traffic congestion. This helps pupils understand the wider world beyond the school gates and prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should embed the approach to attendance and punctuality so that pupils' attendance continues to rise and persistent absence reduces.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils secure their knowledge across the curriculum and have opportunities to apply and embed this learning in lessons so that they can achieve well.
• Leaders should ensure that staff within the early years continue to secure children’s foundational knowledge, especially in early writing, to further prepare them for the demands of the key stage 1 curriculum.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)