Castle Hill Junior School

Inspection of Castle Hill Junior School Dryden Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 6QD

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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 Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Jennifer Smith. This school is part of the Asset Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Clare Flintoff, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Simon Evans-Evans. 5 and 6 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Castle Hill Junior are happy and safe. They know that the adults in school are there to help and support them. The school’s ‘learning knights’ encourage pupils to develop behaviours for effective learning, for example perseverance. Routines and expectations are consistent. Classrooms are calm and purposeful so that learning time is maximised.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know and understand the school’s values of pride, ambition and respect. They are proud of their work and the school. They love to learn outside and use the discovery den.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning a broad range of subjects. The curriculum builds on what they have learned at the infant school. For pupils in Year 3, the transition into the junior school is seamless. Teachers encourage pupils to do their best in all activities. Pupils achieve well over their time in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between pupils and staff are respectful and positive. Pupils show empathy and understanding towards each other. Pupils apply for, and take on, leadership roles such as house captains, anti-racism ambassadors and school prefects. These roles ensure that pupils have a voice and that they can contribute meaningfully to the school community.

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better?

The school has constructed a broad and well-planned curriculum. In most subjects, the school has identified the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and when they need to learn it. This is particularly so in English, mathematics and science. Pupils receive well-targeted support that helps them to catch up. As a result, standards are improving. In a few subjects, pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. This is because the subject-specific knowledge that pupils should learn in these subjects is not sufficiently detailed. Leaders have not checked that the curriculum is being taught as intended in these subjects.

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better?

Reading is a priority. The school has considered the range and quality of books that pupils read. They reflect the school’s diversity and ethos. Pupils who struggle with reading get effective support to help them catch up quickly. Skilled staff identify what makes reading tricky. They provide precise teaching to help pupils become fluent, confident readers. By the time pupils leave the school, they have read a rich menu of classic and modern texts, including playscripts.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in the life of the school. Staff know when to step back and encourage pupils to develop independence and when to provide support. The school works closely with parents and other agencies to provide a coordinated approach to meeting the needs of pupils. This ensures that pupils have the support they need to be able to learn. Pupils with SEND make good progress. 5 and 6 March 2024

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Some pupils with SEND attend the school’s special educational needs unit. All pupils in the unit have education, health and care plans (EHC plans). Pupils follow a curriculum tailored to their needs. This helps them to make progress with their learning and independence.

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There are clear and consistent routines in classrooms. These ensure that pupils know and understand teachers’ expectations. Pupils behave well. They talk about how they demonstrate resilience and what they need to improve to become better learners. Pupils appreciate the range of opportunities at playtimes.

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The school’s support for pupils’ mental health and well-being is effective. The school has rooted its curriculum in the community, starting with what pupils know and have experienced. The school helps pupils to expand their experiences beyond the locality. Careers fairs and visits inspire pupils to consider ambitious futures. The diversity of the school community is celebrated and valued. Outdoor learning and time to play are important parts of the curriculum.

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Leaders and trustees have steered the school through a period of change. They know the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Leaders ensure that teachers, including those at an early stage in their career, get the support they need to develop their expertise.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, there is a lack of clarity about what pupils need to learn and when they need to learn it. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that the subject knowledge that pupils should learn is identified precisely and appropriately sequenced in all subjects.  In some foundation subjects, leaders have not checked that the curriculum is implemented consistently well across classes and year groups. This means that some pupils do not achieve the ambitions of the curriculum and have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented effectively so that pupils learn what is intended in all subjects.

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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 5 and 6 March 2024

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Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 5 and 6 March 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 May 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a special educational needs unit for pupils with cognition and learning difficulties. All pupils attending the unit have an EHC plan.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.  The school uses the services of two registered alternative provisions.  The school shares a headteacher and members of the leadership team with Castle Hill Infant School.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 5 and 6 March 2024

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pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with school leaders, the chief executive officer, the deputy chief executive officer, trustees and members of the local governing body.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and art. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed pupils read to a familiar adult. The inspectors also looked at pupils’ work and discussed the curriculum in other subjects with leaders.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that keeps children safe.  The inspectors considered the 61 responses and free-text comments made by parents to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils. Inspectors gathered views of staff, pupils and parents by speaking with them during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Oriana Dalton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lorraine Ratcliffe Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 March 2024

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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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