INSPECTORS say pupils are proud to attend The Castle School in Thornbury, and have praised their “warm respectful relationships” with staff.
Ofsted visited the school, which has 1,449 students aged from 11 to 18, in March – the regulator’s first visit in more than four years.
It was also the first inspection under a new more complex assessment system, brought in after overall judgements were scrapped.
In their report, published at the end of June, the team of six inspectors said the school in Park Road had met Ofsted’s expected standard in all areas: achievement; attendance and behaviour; curriculum and teaching; inclusion; leadership and governance; personal development and well-being; and post-16 provision.
The inspectors said: “Pupils are proud to attend The Castle School. The warm respectful relationships between pupils and staff are the foundation of this school community.
“Pupils feel safe and trust staff to help them with any concerns. Bullying is rare and never tolerated.
“Older pupils act as positive role models for younger pupils. The junior leadership team works alongside school leaders to give pupils a voice in how to improve their school.”
The inspectors said pupils enjoy their learning, with well-planned lessons and trips and guest speakers to “bring subjects to life”.
Support is given to any pupils who have “barriers to their learning or well-being”.
As a result, the inspectors said, pupils achieve well in national examinations such as GCSEs, with outcomes rising over time and above the national average in many subjects. They said that “the gap is closing” between disadvantaged pupils and other students.
At post-16, students achieve “in line with their peers nationally” for qualifications such as A-levels.
‘High expectations’
Leaders’ “high expectations for attendance and punctuality” mean attendance is rising and persistent absence falling, and there are also high expectations for behaviour.
The inspectors said: “Leaders, with the support of the trust, have planned a broad and ambitious curriculum for pupils in each key stage.
“Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum successfully. They typically present information clearly and check pupils have understood concepts before moving on.”
Staff ensure that individual needs are identified, the report said, with a new facility to support pupils who have been off school and use of “pupil premium” grants for disadvantaged pupils to make sure they can go on trips and attend clubs.
The inspectors said the study programme for sixth formers was “both ambitious and aligned with students’ needs and aspirations,” adding: “The curriculum extends well beyond the academic, so that students have opportunities to develop their individual characters and life skills.”
‘Tremendous work’
Departing head teacher Jessica Lobbett (pictured, top), who is taking over a school in Somerset from September, said the inspection “highlights the tremendous work taking place across all areas of the school”.
She said: “As a community we feel very proud of this collective achievement.
“We are hugely grateful to all students and parents/carers who responded to the Ofsted surveys.
“The uptake was incredibly strong and overwhelmingly positive: 94% of parents stated that they would recommend us to others, and students were overwhelmingly clear that they are proud to be students at The Castle School.
“Such feedback is indicative of the continued support within the school and wider community.”