Castlebar School

Inspection of Castlebar School Hathaway Gardens, Ealing, London W13 0DH

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding 21 and 22 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This exceptional school is highly valued by pupils and their parents and carers. Staff and leaders ensure consistently high-quality provision for pupils. They are deeply proud of their school and pupils’ achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All staff work together to make sure that pupils are safe and that they feel safe at school. Relationships between staff and pupils, and staff communication with pupils, are excellent. At rare moments when pupils become upset or angry, skilled support to help pupils feel calm is provided. For instance, therapeutic strategies are used effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Through the curriculum and staff interactions across the school day, pupils develop their communication and independence. Pupils learn to do daily tasks like putting on and removing their coats themselves. They also learn to communicate politely and show regard for others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Ambitious and determined school leaders and governors have driven continuous improvement. As a result, pupils gain secure knowledge across a well-designed curriculum. Pupils receive the right support, at the right time, to learn to read. Pupils’ enjoyment of their learning is clear to see.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum is very well designed and delivered. The school has identified the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn, and how this builds over time. This means that pupils develop strong knowledge and achieve well. Teachers make careful checks of what pupils have understood. They use this information well to inform the next stages of learning. For example, the school uses precise strategies to help pupils learn to count by specifically practising assigning each number to an object. This helps pupils count correctly and not to skip an item. Pupils build well on what they already know and can do. The school uses pupils’ personalised targets to effectively inform teaching.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff have the knowledge they need to teach phonics extremely well. They gather and use precise information about how well individual pupils are learning to read. This means that pupils receive the right help to improve their reading. For instance, staff may model a mouth shape to help a pupil form the right letter sound. Pupils practise reading through books matched to their level of knowledge. Staff are quick to identify pupils that need additional help with reading, or those that require different help to meet their learning needs. As a result, these pupils’ reading improves. Due to the school’s superb support, pupils find joy in reading and achieve well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff are expert in developing pupils’ communication. For instance, staff use photographs, symbols, gestures, sign, and/or language to support their communication with pupils. Pupils are skilfully supported by staff to use similar aids to express themselves. This range of communication support is well matched to individual pupils’ needs. Communication support, strong staff-pupil relationships and clear routines help pupils to be consistently calm and happy. Well-implemented guidance from specialists, such as speech and 21 and 22 January 2025

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language and occupational therapists, also helps create readiness to learn. Staff and leaders work closely with parents to improve attendance, for instance helping pupils overcome anxiety about attending school.

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The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Pupils learn how to interact politely and respectfully with others. They learn cooperative play. Pupils gain appropriate knowledge of diversity through accessing stories from a range of cultures. The curriculum is enriched by theatrical and musical performances and activities, including dry slope skiing and horse riding. For older pupils, a range of overnight stays are offered. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education.

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Leaders ensure the voice of pupils, staff and parents are considered when implementing change. Governors make effective checks to ensure that the actions of leaders are having the impact they intend. Teachers are positive about the support that leaders provide with workload. The school’s work is deeply valued by families. One parent commented, ‘Castlebar School has taught me not to underestimate my son.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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How can I feed back my views?

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’ 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). 21 and 22 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 November 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school caters for primary-aged pupils, many of whom have severe learning difficulties and autism. Some have moderate learning difficulties.  All pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 21 and 22 January 2025

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy and assistant headteachers and other leaders.  Inspectors met with the chair of the governing body and other governors.  The lead inspector met with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: communication and early reading, mathematics, personal and social development, and physical development. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s confidential survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Barney Geen, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jacquie Fairhurst Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 January 2025

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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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