Castle View Enterprise Academy

Inspection of Castle View Enterprise Academy Cartwright Road, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear SR5 3DX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 27 and 28 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Castle View Academy is a school built on positive relationships and high expectations. There is a respectful warmth between staff and pupils. Pupils are proud of their school. They thrive in an environment where leaders and those responsible for governance know the community well. The overwhelming majority of parents would recommend the school to others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from personalised pastoral care within an inclusive environment. Pupils are safe and enjoy coming to school. Bullying is rare. When it does happen, staff deal with it swiftly and effectively. Pupils who make mistakes are supported through the school’s ‘twin-track’ system. Staff help pupils to reflect on any instances of unacceptable behaviour so that they rarely make the same mistakes again.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The personal development of pupils is a strength of the school. Pupils have access to a wide range of opportunities. These include cadets, sporting activities, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and extra-curricular clubs. Many of these clubs are set up in response to pupils’ interests. The ‘pathways programme’ is an integral part of the school. The ‘pathways’ allow pupils the chance to engage in an additional curriculum relating to football, cricket or performing arts. Within this programme, leaders prioritise skill development but also develop pupils’ character through activities such as teamwork and coaching.

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better?

Over recent years, leaders have led a review of the school’s curriculum. As a result, the quality of education has improved. In subject areas, staff have designed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. The curriculum is organised so that it builds pupils’ understanding over time. Leaders place high importance on pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). These pupils benefit from a curriculum that is as ambitious as that of their peers. In mathematics, where the curriculum is embedded well, pupils’ secure recall of important knowledge ensures they are ready for the next stage of learning.

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better?

Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. In the classroom, teachers break learning down so that pupils know how to reach their goals. Teachers know their pupils well and ensure the learning meets their needs. However, in some lessons, teachers do not systematically check pupils’ understanding. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their learning that are not quickly addressed.

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better?

In some subjects, teachers explain and model important content well. They support this with regular questioning. For example, in GCSE art, skilful questions ensure pupils understand what makes a successful sketchbook. However, these effective approaches to teaching and assessment are not secure across all subjects.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised reading across the curriculum. Reading support for those with reading difficulties is developing well. Pupils who have weak reading skills are 27 and 28 June 2023

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helped to catch up through an individual programme of support. Trained support staff teach phonics programmes to pupils who need this help. In addition, Year 10 mentors listen to Year 8 readers to build their reading confidence. Wider strategies to help pupils engage with the specific reading demands of their subject, including help with specialist terms, are less well embedded. Leaders are trying to develop a wider culture of reading for pleasure. Despite this, many pupils still do not read widely and often.

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Leaders set high standards for behaviour, and pupils meet them. Pupils are respectful and tolerant of each other. When disruption does occur, staff deal with it well. Leaders ensure pupils are taught how to behave. As a result, instances of poor behaviour are low.

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Improving pupils’ attendance is a focus of the school. There are clear systems in place for tracking attendance information and intervening to provide support where necessary. Leaders’ decisive actions are beginning to have an impact for some pupils.

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Leaders have established a high-quality careers programme, enhanced by close links with local businesses. Pupils benefit from a wide network of employers across the local area. Pupils also learn about a range of further education pathways, including colleges, apprenticeships and training.

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Leaders consider the workload and well-being of staff. Staff are positive about the support they receive to do their jobs. Staff also benefit from targeted professional development . As a result, they are highly motivated about their roles within the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff are knowledgeable about identifying potential signs of harm. Leaders work closely with other agencies, including the police and local authority, to ensure families get the help that they need. Leaders have clear processes for recruiting staff and checking their suitability to work with children. Leaders’ knowledge of local safeguarding risks is detailed and this informs school-wide policies and practice. Where concerns occur, leaders act quickly to educate pupils. For example, pupils have a good understanding of how to report concerns to a trusted adult. Due to leaders’ actions, pupils feel safe in school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not fully embedded how the curriculum is implemented in all subject areas. On occasion, the tasks that teachers set and the checks on pupils’ 27 and 28 June 2023

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learning do not help pupils to learn the intended curriculum. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. Leaders should continue work to develop the curriculum so that pupils learn well across all subjects.  Work has begun to prioritise subject-specific reading support and wider reading strategies. However, this is not well embedded. Leaders should work with staff to develop pupils’ subject-specific reading skills and their wider enjoyment of reading.

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How can I feed back my views?

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.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 27 and 28 June 2023

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,016

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School details

Website www.castleviewenterpriseacademy.co.uk / Date of previous inspection 22 March 2017

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Information about this school

 The school is a sponsor-led academy. The sponsor is Northumbria Water.  A very small number of pupils access alternative provision. This provision includes three registered providers and one unregistered provider.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the principal and other senior leaders over the course of the 27 and 28 June 2023

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inspection. The lead inspector also held a meeting with the chief executive officer.  The lead inspector held a meeting with the vice-chair of the board of trustees and two other trustees. They reviewed documentation relating to governance, including minutes from local governing body meetings.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: English, science, mathematics, geography and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also visited a sample of lessons in other curriculum areas.  An inspector met with the special educational needs coordinator and visited lessons to look at the support given to pupils with SEND.  To inspect the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements, the lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and two deputy designated safeguarding

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leads. They reviewed safeguarding records and the school’s single central record. They also held a telephone conversation with the trustee responsible for safeguarding. Inspectors spoke with staff and pupils about safeguarding in school.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for personal development and visited tutor sessions.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils and students formally throughout the inspection and spoke with them informally at social times and in lessons.  An inspector held telephone conversations with staff from two alternative provisions.  A range of school documents were reviewed, including the school’s self-evaluation and the school improvement plan.  Inspectors considered the views of pupils, parents and staff gathered through Ofsted’s questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Hannah Millett, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stuart Mcghee Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 June 2023

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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