Castle Hill Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Lou Anderson Headteacher Castle Hill Primary School Buckland Road Chessington Surrey KT9 1JE

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Short inspection of Castle Hill Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 16 January 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the predecessor school was judged to be good in February 2014.

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Short inspection of Castle Hill Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education since the inspection of the predecessor school. Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I am of the opinion that the school has demonstrated strong practice and marked improvement in certain areas. This may indicate that the school is improving towards being outstanding. Therefore, I am recommending that the school’s next inspection be a section 5 inspection.

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Short inspection of Castle Hill Primary School

Pupils at the school are making strong progress. The dip in pupils’ achievement at the end of key stage 2 in 2017 was anticipated by the school and specific to that cohort. As shown by the evidence of this inspection and the school’s robust assessment information, the great majority of current pupils, including those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, make progress from their starting points in line or above their peers nationally. The strong progress translates into consistent high attainment in reading, writing and mathematics for most pupils, relative to their starting points.

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Short inspection of Castle Hill Primary School

Pupils are respectful of each other and appreciate the support from adults at the school. They embrace their learning and understand exactly what is expected of them. Pupils enjoy school life, make every effort to produce their best work and are committed to the school’s ethos and values.

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Short inspection of Castle Hill Primary School

You work in tandem with the staff and governors, sharing your high expectations and promoting teaching and learning so that they are the best that they can be. School improvement is your overriding goal. You continually assess and improve the school’s systems with the aim that every pupil receives the education they deserve. You monitor teaching and learning to ensure that resources are used well and have the desired impact. You have invested heavily in middle leaders, an approach that has brought about significant improvements in outcomes for all pupils. You are aware that there remain some small variations in the performance of disadvantaged pupils and that this needs continuing vigilance.

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Short inspection of Castle Hill Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and that records are detailed and of high quality. Safeguarding training is frequent and staff use the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures appropriately and effectively. The school rigorously follows up concerns over children and ensures that external agencies fulfil their obligations for pupils and their families.

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Short inspection of Castle Hill Primary School

The governing body supports and challenges the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding arrangements. Governors ensure that all staff are assessed for their suitability to work with children and that the school keeps accurate records of these checks. Pupils told me that they feel safe in school. For example, they said that assemblies give them the information they need to stay safe online.

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Inspection findings

 At the beginning of the inspection we agreed on three key lines of enquiry. The first was to examine how well leaders respond to any underachievement. This is because an identified group of pupils made slower than expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics in 2017.  The middle leaders responsible for key stages now have an influential role in identifying underperforming pupils and ensuring that appropriate intervention has been put in place. They consistently challenge and support teachers through frequent pupil reviews, setting measurable targets and reviewing pupils’ progress.  We looked in particular at current pupils’ progress in Year 6 to test out the impact of this work and the quality of teaching. We noted teachers’ high expectations, strong subject knowledge and the supportive feedback given to pupils. For example, the work set in a lesson on sentence styles promoted good progress for

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Inspection findings

all pupils regardless of their starting points and needs. Where pupils had any misconceptions, teachers and teaching assistants ensured that they were addressed so that pupils had no barriers to their learning.  Lesson observations, work in pupils’ books and the school’s assessment information show that pupils are now making good progress, with only small variations in the performance of particular groups.  The second key line of enquiry was to evaluate the school’s work to raise pupils’ attendance. This was chosen as absence levels had been increasing recently.  As a direct result of a whole-school focus, pupils’ attendance has quickly improved and is currently above national averages. You have invested in a reward system that encourages parents and carers and pupils and to work together towards high attendance. Persistent absence has fallen and is now consistently in line with national averages. The school’s detailed records also

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Inspection findings

show that pupils’ punctuality has also improved.  Finally, we agreed to look at the effectiveness of the school’s communication with parents. This was because I noted the omission of some required information on the school’s website.  Leaders are aware of the statutory information that the website should publish and the positive effect good communication with parents has on the school community. Parents, staff and pupils are well informed and have access to all statutory documentation. Parents told me how much they appreciate the work that you do to make sure the school is the inclusive place that it is. One parent made a comment that was typical of others: ‘My two children always come home happy and share their learning.’

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Next steps for the school

 Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that all groups of pupils continue to make progress in line with their peers nationally.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Kingston upon Thames. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

 held meetings with senior leaders, a group of middle leaders and governors  observed teaching jointly across the school with the headteacher  heard pupils from Year 2 and 6 reading  scrutinised school documents, including the safeguarding records and policies, governors’ minutes, the school website, and a wide range of school policies  reviewed pupils’ books during lessons  held discussions with pupils  analysed pupil and teacher surveys  considered 70 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View  also held conversations with parents and pupils in the playground.

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