Great Casterton Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 March 2025

Pupils flourish at this nurturing and welcoming school. Staff know the pupils and their families incredibly well. They have positive and warm relationships with them. Pupils say that they feel safe in school. They know that staff will listen if they have a problem or a worry and that they will help them. Pupils behave very well. The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported to access learning with their peers effectively. Pupils know what is expected of them and work hard to be successful. Children in early years quickly understand the routines and expectations. They demonstrate highly positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils show a deep understanding of respect. They feel empowered to support others, for example, through leading nurture activities and helping younger children. Pupils are proud of their leadership roles and are keen to represent the school at sporting events. The school ensures that pupils access a breadth of opportunities to enhance their time in school. These include residential visits, school trips and creating stage performances. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Typical comments include, 'My child is happy and excited to attend school.'

What the school should improve

• In a small number of subjects, the processes for checking pupils' learning are not fully established. This means that pupils can have gaps in their knowledge that are not identified and resolved. When this is the case, this prevents pupils from developing a secure understanding over time. The school should ensure that the processes for checking pupils' knowledge are clear and that any gaps in their knowledge are addressed effectively, so helping pupils to recall content consistently.
• A small number of subjects are in the early stages of implementation. The impact on pupils' ability to articulate secure knowledge is not fully realised. As a result, pupils do not always demonstrate the same level of understanding as in other areas of the curriculum. The school should ensure that the quality of the curriculum is consistent across all areas. How can I feedback my views? You can use Ofsted Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school, or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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