Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 1231231 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566934 Direct F 01695 729320 gtunnicliffe@cfbt.com www.cfbt-inspections.com

p.1

Miss L Torrance Headteacher Castleton Primary School Hillcrest Road Castleton Rochdale Lancashire OL11 2QD

p.1

School

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 28 June 2011, for the time you gave to our planning meeting and for the information which you and your senior leadership team provided during the inspection. Please pass on my thanks to the Vice Chair of the Governing Body, the representatives of the local authority and the group of pupils who took time to speak with me.

p.1

School

As a result of the inspection on 19 November 2009, the school was asked to address the most important areas for improvement which are set out in the annex to this letter. Since the inspection the school has experienced a significant turnover of teaching staff and has managed a number of long-term absences. This year all the teachers in Key Stage 2 are new to the school.

p.1

School

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time the school has made satisfactory progress in making improvements and satisfactory progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement.

p.1

School

In 2010 attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 in mathematics improved to be broadly in line with the national average and was above the school’s target. However, standards in English declined to below the national average and the school narrowly missed its targets. Early unvalidated results of the 2011 national key stage tests show that the decline in attainment in English has been halted and attainment is now broadly average. Performance in reading is stronger than in writing which the school has identified as an area for improvement. Pupils’ attainment at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 has also improved. However, results at the end of Year 2 remain below average.

p.1

School

The school’s comprehensive tracking systems show that the rate of pupils’ progress is improving. However, assessment is not fully secure, particularly in writing, which means that the picture of pupils’ achievement indicated by the school’s data may be overgenerous. The January 2011

p.1

School

Page2 school is aware of this issue and is undertaking a process of moderation to ensure greater accuracy in teachers’ assessments.

p.2

School

Observations of teaching conducted with the headteacher during the visit show that the overall quality of teaching is not as good as at the previous inspection. In lessons pupils are well behaved, they enjoy their learning and relationships with adults are strong. In particular, older pupils showed great enthusiasm and maturity in their dress rehearsal for their end of term musical. However, in the lessons seen, teachers were often not clear enough about how activities enabled pupils to achieve the intended learning. As a result, opportunities were missed to address misconceptions and move learning forward at a faster pace. The school is working successfully with the local authority to improve the quality of teaching and to ensure greater continuity of learning in lessons.

p.2

School

The school’s improvement plan indicates clear priorities and includes statements of intended impact and success. Some of these are concise and measurable but the school recognises that some could be sharpened further to enable better monitoring of improvement. Members of the governing body have undertaken training to develop their role. They are aware of the need for greater rigour when monitoring the progress against actions in the school’s improvement plan to provide greater challenge and support and ensure the school continues to improve.

p.2

School

The headteacher has an honest and accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of teaching and learning across the school. The school is managing a period of staffing instability satisfactorily and has maintained pupils’ progress with effectively targeted support and intervention from the senior leadership team. Together with resources and strategies for raising attainment, leaders have benefited from the support of the School Improvement Partner to ensure a determined focus on pupils’ learning and progress. This has been particularly useful in enabling school leaders to secure satisfactory progress in relation to the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection.

p.2

School

I hope that you have found the inspection helpful in promoting improvement in your school. This letter will be posted on the Ofsted website.

p.2

School

Mr Adrian Guy Her Majesty's Inspector January 2011

p.2

19 November 2009

 Raise attainment for all pupils, particularly in mathematics, by at least maintaining the current good quality of teaching in order to meet the challenging targets that it has set for itself by June 2010.  Improve pupils' achievement by ensuring that the current good progress seen in lessons becomes evident over time in performance data.  Improve the quality of development planning by defining more sharply intended outcomes.

p.3