Castletown Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 22 March 2022

Pupils embody the school values. They are welcoming, respectful, hardworking, caring and kind. Pupils are proud of their school and its grounds. They say behaviour is good. Teachers deal with any issues, including bullying, immediately. Pupils cannot remember bullying happening in the recent past. Pupils work hard in class. They respond to teachers' ambitious expectations of them. They also behave well in lessons and want to succeed for themselves. Days are full of fun. Most pupils play happily together with a range of equipment at break and lunchtime. The 'crafty cabin' is a particular favourite. Music is everywhere. Pupils play a variety of wind and stringed instruments. After school clubs have good attendance. These include a variety of sports, the choir and the citizenship club. The citizenship club recently planted sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine, when discussing world-wide issues. Pupils feel safe in school. They know how to raise a concern and feel comfortable sharing it with an adult. Some ask to speak with the school counsellor. Pupils learn what is right and what is wrong. They show tolerance and respect. They learn about different cultures, faiths and family structures.

What the school should improve

• Curriculum thinking in some foundation subjects is muddled and the curriculum lacks structure in these subjects. Essential knowledge is not clearly identified and key ideas that link learning are unclear. Pupils are unable to make connections to what they already know. They cannot apply their knowledge into larger concepts. Leaders should implement their plans to ensure that the school's curriculum is sufficiently well planned and sequenced in all subjects.
• Assessment systems in some subjects are not sharp enough. Checks are not made to discover if the knowledge pupils should have acquired is transferred to their long-term memory. It is not clear whether pupils have the essential knowledge needed for future learning in these subjects. Gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills are not being consistently identified. Leaders must continue to develop and implement a consistent approach to assessment in every curricular subject so that pupils' skills and knowledge are checked accurately.

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