Castleview Primary School

Castleview Primary School

Address: Woodstock Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, SL3 7LJ Unique reference number (URN): 138659

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils are generally well prepared for their next stage of education. Across year groups, most pupils progress securely through the curriculum. They produce work of a high standard across a range of subjects. Pupils recall their learning with confidence. This includes in wider curriculum areas such as music and computing. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils typically make appropriate progress from their starting points. They access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Published outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are consistently positive. These reflect pupils’ secure knowledge in English and mathematics. However, some of pupils' essential early foundations are less secure. For example, some younger pupils do not master handwriting fundamentals, such as pencil grip and accurate letter formation. In addition, where adaptations to the curriculum are not as precise as they need to be, a small proportion of pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established an effective, proactive approach to improving attendance. They track patterns and analyse trends against national and local benchmarks. The school works with local and external agencies to improve practice. Staff give carefully tailored help, including compassionate pastoral support. Leaders take decisive action where concerns persist. Attendance is improving.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Across the school, pupils behave respectfully and engage positively with their learning. Staff greet pupils warmly. They apply behaviour policies consistently and make adjustments for pupils who need additional support. There is a calm atmosphere in classrooms and at breaktimes. Pupils demonstrate mature, kind attitudes towards staff and each other. Bullying is rare and there are very few incidents of unkindness. Pupils trust staff to deal with any issues promptly. Older pupils model positive conduct for younger ones, contributing to a culture of mutual respect. Occasionally, some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) present more challenging behaviour. This happens when their needs are not identified clearly. Leaders have put actions in place to help staff understand how to identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum to ensure that it is well designed and sequenced. They have a precise understanding of what works well in subjects and the refinements that are needed for further development. Leaders make informed decisions that lead to improvement. An example is enhancing the support for pupils in receipt of education, health and care plans so that it is effective across the curriculum. Leaders support staff well in developing the subject knowledge they need. Teachers use this knowledge to explain concepts and model learning clearly. They check pupils’ understanding through well- considered questioning. The curriculum helps pupils build knowledge securely over time. This is particularly evident across key stage 2. However, on occasion, the curriculum is not implemented consistently, especially in the early years. This is affected by aspects of the school’s inclusion work that are less successful. Leaders recognise that further work is needed. Mostly, there is a

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

suitable emphasis on the essential knowledge that pupils need. For example, the school’s approach to phonics supports pupils learning to read well. Staff teach phonics clearly, question pupils and check their understanding effectively. Pupils typically keep up with their peers. If any do fall behind, they catch up quickly.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a secure and accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priority areas for development. This includes governors and trustees. They understand their statutory roles and responsibilities. They support and challenge leaders effectively. Leaders and governors take swift action to address any weaknesses. For example, leaders have recently introduced a writing scheme to support pupils’ essential early knowledge and skills. There are new, clear systems and processes to help identify pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders are clear about the rationale for these changes. They show evidence of the emerging positive impact on pupils’ learning and staff practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff and governors feel valued and fully involved in shaping the strategic direction of the school. Staff appreciate how leadership is supportive, strategic and focused on their professional growth. Staff value the well-planned training. This helps to improve their consistency in classroom practice. Leaders are attentive to staff's workload and wellbeing, ensuring that staff workload remains manageable.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders engage well with parents and carers. Collaborative work to improve attendance illustrates how leaders balance their high expectations with compassionate partnership approaches. Governors and leaders maintain deep, constructive relationships with the wider community. Parents are confident about the recent improvements and the quality of the curriculum and teaching overall. Leaders work proactively with external agencies and local schools to develop and share best practice. This ensures that the curriculum and teaching and achievement are typically effective. The school's provision continues to evolve in response to leaders' robust monitoring and evaluation processes.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils feel safe and are confident in the school’s 'TRACK' values. They speak clearly about what these mean in practice. They enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities, such as French, gymnastics, ukulele and choir. These help to develop their interests and talents. Pupils sing with enthusiasm and confidence. They perform harmonised parts that allow individuals to showcase their vocal strengths while contributing to a collective performance. The atmosphere around school is purposeful and joyful. This supports pupils’ personal development and sense of belonging.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s personal development programme is coherent and suitably planned. Leaders use resources effectively to deliver relationships and health education. They map this carefully against statutory guidance to ensure the curriculum equips pupils with the essential knowledge that they need. The programme includes explicit teaching of fundamental British

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Needs attention

values, such as the rule of law. Pupils learn general themes such as road and water safety. Leaders place a strong emphasis on online safety. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They understand the importance of not sharing personal information or clicking on unfamiliar links. Leadership opportunities promote pupils’ confidence and sense of responsibility. Often, leaders identify opportunities within wider activities to reinforce and strengthen pupils’ understanding of the curriculum.

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Needs attention

Pupils work well together and build positive relationships. They understand how to make healthy food choices and show growing independence in managing their routines. Pupils learn to debate respectfully, consider multiple perspectives and give reasoned arguments. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum helps pupils to make links, such as between the school’s values and wider British values. Leaders recognise that developing these connections further will deepen pupils’ understanding.

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Early years Needs attention

The support in early years is inconsistent. Sometimes children do not get the help with learning they need. The interactions children have with staff do not extend their knowledge and vocabulary as effectively as they should. Early handwriting is not taught consistently well. Staff do not routinely model or check pencil grip, or address children's misconceptions quickly enough. This limits how well prepared children are for key stage 1.

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Early years Needs attention

Leaders do, however, have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the early years. They have reviewed and developed the curriculum. It is beginning to support children’s learning more effectively. Relationships between staff and children are positive, particularly in Nursery. Staff consider children’s starting points. However, the school's systems to identify and support children with additional learning needs are inconsistent.

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Early years Needs attention

Routines in the early years help children to settle quickly. Many children demonstrate sustained attention during staff-led and independent tasks. For example, children collaborate purposefully to build a water trail using drainpipes outdoors. Children listen attentively during story times. Hygiene routines, such as toileting and handwashing, are well established.

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Early years Needs attention

Reading is prioritised. Staff teach phonics and early reading confidently. Leaders promote positive partnerships with parents and carers through regular meetings and community activities.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Pupils sometimes do not have their needs identified early or accurately enough. This is particularly the case for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school does not apply its systems to identify and assess needs consistently. Leaders have introduced targeted interventions and clearer systems for recognising pupils’ needs more quickly. However, these changes are at an early stage. The quality of provision for pupils with SEND varies across the school. Adaptations to teaching do not always remove pupils’ barriers to learning as successfully as they could. This means that some pupils do not receive support that is precisely matched to their needs.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders want all pupils to be successful, and work to improve the school’s inclusion. Staff understand the principles of how to adapt support for pupils with SEND. Staff assess pupils’ progress. However, staff's confidence and expertise are inconsistent.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders use additional funding for disadvantaged pupils appropriately. Leaders track disadvantaged pupils’ engagement in wider opportunities. Leaders draw on relevant evidence and monitor uptake of clubs and enrichment activities closely. This helps them to target more focused support and participation for vulnerable pupils. However, their work to monitor interventions and the impact of adaptations is new. Leaders are seeking to establish a more consistent whole-school approach. There is more to do to implement this successfully.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are happy and feel safe at school. They talk confidently about the school’s 'TRACK' values and demonstrate them in their day-to-day interactions. For example, pupils speak confidently about the value of ambition as ‘setting a goal for yourself and then working hard to achieve it, step by step’. They are ambitious for themselves. They can articulate their dreams and ideal careers clearly. Pupils enjoy their learning. In music, they sing with pride and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. Pupils value the wide range of clubs, educational visits and residential stays, which help them to build friendships and broaden their experiences beyond the classroom.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Behaviour across the school is consistently positive. Pupils cooperate well and show respect for each other. They understand the well-established routines. Bullying is uncommon. Pupils trust staff to deal with any worries quickly. Although attendance is still below national figures, pupils understand why attending school matters, and leaders’ robust work with families is helping more pupils to attend regularly.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Most pupils achieve well and recall their learning with enthusiasm. This includes those who are disadvantaged or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They are well prepared for their next steps. However, variability in aspects of teaching and support means that a small proportion of pupils, including some with SEND and some in the early years, do not always receive the precise help they need. As a result, sometimes pupils have gaps in important knowledge.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from strong relationships with staff and each other. This helps them feel included and known as individuals. Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities such as being house captains and digital leaders. They value opportunities to represent their school. Leaders have started to improve early years provision and support for pupils with additional needs. However, this is not sufficiently embedded for pupils to experience a positive impact.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that high-quality interactions in the early years support children in extending their vocabulary and building on their prior knowledge consistently and effectively. Leaders should further enhance the school’s systems and processes to identify pupils' needs and ensure there are consistent approaches to helping all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils, to overcome barriers to their learning and wellbeing. Leaders should sustain their work with pupils and families to improve attendance so that attendance is high for all pupil groups. Leaders should ensure that pupils strengthen their foundational knowledge and skills in handwriting, making sure that any gaps are addressed and close quickly.

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About this inspection

This school is a single academy trust. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rebecca Austin, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mehrunissa Shah.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, and other school leaders and staff. Inspectors also spoke with the chief executive officer and the chair of the board of trustees.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke to pupils throughout the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school runs an on-site nursery provision. Children can currently join the nursery from age 3.

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About this inspection

The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

Darren Aisthorpe, Ofsted Inspector Martin Dyer, His Majesty's Inspector Nic Browne, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 70% 62% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 73% 75% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 71% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 80% 74% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 15.7% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 17.6% 14.6% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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