Pupils, staff and governors at Castle Academy are celebrating the outcome of their recent Ofsted inspection.
Inspectors visited the school during January 2022 and found that Castle Academy continues to be a good school.
They found that pupils at Castle Academy feel happy and safe and understand that they are expected to work hard and uphold the school’s rules. Their report also notes that pupils demonstrate the school’s values of respect, hope, pride and trust through their actions and say that they enjoy learning.
The report also recognises that leaders want to give all pupils the best possible start to their education, including ensuring that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive additional help to access the same curriculum as other pupils. Teaching of early reading is a strength of the school, with those pupils who need extra support with reading receiving the right support quickly.
Safeguarding at the school was found to be effective with regular training and robust procedures in place.
The report also notes that staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school and say that workload is managed well.
Head of school Daniel Lugg said: “It’s really great news that we have retained our Good rating and that Ofsted has recognised all the fantastic things that are happening at Castle Academy. The report makes reference to a comment by one of our pupils, who told inspectors “good things happen here” and that definitely sums up life at the school.”
Executive headteacher Zoe McIntyre said: “I am very proud that the efforts of everyone at Castle Academy have been recognised with another Good rating from Ofsted. We have fantastic pupils, a very hardworking and dedicated staff team and we’re well-supported by the East Midlands Academy Trust so we are well-placed to continue to develop and thrive.”
The Ofsted report also included areas for improvement, recommending that teaching methods are monitored so that pupils are able to develop a deeper understanding of a subject over time and that although pupils enjoy the range of clubs on offer, leaders should increase the opportunities for music and cultural learning.
The full report is available via https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/140362