Great Casterton Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Great Casterton Church of England Primary School Pickworth Road, Great Casterton, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 4AU

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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The headteacher of this school is Sally Gooding. This school is part of the Rutland Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Rob Gooding, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Richard White. The headteacher is responsible for this school and one other.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Great Casterton Church of England Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Great Casterton Church of England Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as Great Casterton Church of England Primary School as a result of conversion to academy status. The school received an ungraded inspection under section 8 of the Act on December 2021. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this nurturing and welcoming school. Staff know the pupils and their families incredibly well. They have positive and warm relationships with them. Pupils say that they feel safe in school. They know that staff will listen if they have a problem or a worry and that they will help them. Pupils behave very well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported to access learning with their peers effectively. Pupils know what is expected of them and work hard to be successful. Children in early years quickly understand the routines and expectations. They demonstrate highly positive attitudes to their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show a deep understanding of respect. They feel empowered to support others, for example, through leading nurture activities and helping younger children. Pupils are proud of their leadership roles and are keen to represent the school at sporting events. The school ensures that pupils access a breadth of opportunities to enhance their time in school. These include residential visits, school trips and creating stage performances.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Typical comments include, ‘My child is happy and excited to attend school.’

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

The school is passionate about fostering a love of reading from the very beginning. Children begin learning to read as soon as they start in the Reception Year, where early reading is a high priority. All staff are trained to teach early reading effectively. They ensure that pupils have sufficient practice when they learn new sounds so they can apply these to their reading. Staff check effectively how well pupils are learning. If pupils fall behind, staff ensure that they are supported well to catch up and become fluent readers.

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

The school constantly reviews its ambitious curriculum. Some subjects have been reviewed effectively. In these subjects, key knowledge is clearly identified, allowing teachers to create successful sequences of learning. As a result, pupils build their understanding and make connections between key concepts. Pupils apply this knowledge and talk about it in depth, demonstrating a secure understanding. In a small number of subjects, the knowledge that pupils need to learn is not always defined clearly. This means that pupils are not able to recall and remember important knowledge over time.

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

Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They focus during lessons. The school’s provision to support pupils with SEND is highly effective. Teachers swiftly identify pupils’ needs. They adapt learning through adult support and practical activities. The school regularly checks how well pupils with SEND are achieving. Pupils with SEND do well.

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

In many subjects, teachers revisit learning with pupils and remind them of what they have learned before. Pupils are familiar with retrieving prior learning and making connections. They are able to practise effectively what they have learned. However, in a 18 and 19 March 2025

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few subjects, the school does not accurately check what pupils already know. This means that sometimes it does not always have the information needed to identify and address specific gaps in pupils’ knowledge. As a result, pupils have gaps in their learning.

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Children in early years get off to an exceptional start. The curriculum is meticulously planned. Teachers provide high-quality learning activities to ensure that children learn the intended curriculum. As a result, children are focused, deeply engaged in their learning and achieve well. Children support one another well, including, for example, through sharing resources and offering advice on how ‘mud soup’ could be improved through the addition of ‘herbs’ (freshly cut grass). Children are highly motivated to learn. They are extremely independent. They put their learning into practice, for example, through reading to the chicks.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is well considered. Pupils develop an understanding of a range of faiths. They understand the need to treat all people fairly. This was exemplified during an assembly when pupils used sign language to communicate. The school places the highest priority on mental well-being. Reflecting the school rules of ‘ready, respectful and safe,’ leaders ensure that pupils are ready to learn. Some pupils benefit from ‘meet and greet’ sessions before the learning begins. Younger pupils engage in structured peer activities designed to help them focus before lessons begin. Pupils understand the importance of looking after their body and mind. Children in the early years fully engage in a whole-class ‘teeth cleaning’ session after lunch. Pupils are proud of the work they do to raise money for charities or when litter picking in the local community.

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Leaders, including governors and trustees, know the school well. They know what is effective and what needs to improve. Staff respect the consideration given to their workload and well-being. Staff are proud to work at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the processes for checking pupils’ learning are not fully established. This means that pupils can have gaps in their knowledge that are not identified and resolved. When this is the case, this prevents pupils from developing a secure understanding over time. The school should ensure that the processes for checking pupils’ knowledge are clear and that any gaps in their knowledge are addressed effectively, so helping pupils to recall content consistently.  A small number of subjects are in the early stages of implementation. The impact on pupils’ ability to articulate secure knowledge is not fully realised. As a result, pupils do not always demonstrate the same level of understanding as in other areas of the 18 and 19 March 2025

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curriculum. The school should ensure that the quality of the curriculum is consistent across all areas.

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How can I feedback 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 feedback 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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Website www.greatcastertonprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 December 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Diocese of Peterborough. It was last inspected under Section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in January 2023. The school’s next section 48 inspection will be within eight school years.  There is a before- and after-school club managed by the school.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a graded (section 5) inspection under the same Act. 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. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and the leader for early years.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, and art and design. 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.  The lead inspector met with two members of the governing body, including the chair, and with the CEO and the deputy CEO.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text

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responses, and to Ofsted’s survey for school staff.  An inspector spoke informally with parents outside the school.  An inspector visited the breakfast club that pupils attend.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime. They scrutinised the school’s records for attendance and behaviour.

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Inspection team

Donna Chambers, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ruth Hurcombe Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 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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