A delighted headteacher Elizabeth Goodyear said: “We are thrilled with the results of our most recent Ofsted inspection, and pleased the report acknowledges our determination to provide a broad and ambitious curriculum for our pupils. A huge thank you goes to our dedicated staff, members of the Local Advisory Board and our close network of partner schools who form part of the Children’s First Learning Partnership.”

The Children First Learning Partnership was formed in 2019 when four local schools – Knypersley, Kingsfield and Oxhey First Schools and The Reginald Mitchell Primary School – joined together. The following year Castlechurch Primary School became part of that partnership.

Abigail Rourke, CEO and national leader of education, said: “We are extremely proud of Castlechurch’s recent inspection. We would like to thank the whole team for their hard work and dedication and for creating a happy school that pupils love.”

The recently-published report states: “Pupils are keen and confident to share their ideas but also respect and listen to others. They value the interesting lessons and trips the school plans to help them gain first-hand experiences of the topics they are learning.

“The school has a clear vision that focuses on raising the aspirations of its pupils and making the school a positive place to learn and work. All work hard to be an integral part of the community they serve. Parents and carers, pupils, and staff are very positive about the leadership of the school. Staff feel that leaders do all they can to support them with their workload.

“The school is determined to provide a broad and ambitious curriculum that helps pupils to do well. The school ensures that pupils who need extra help get the support they need. As a result, most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Pupils learn about how to keep safe, what bullying is, and what to do if it happens”.

“Children in the early years quickly learn the routines and settle into school well. Older pupils know the school rules and try hard to follow them. A few pupils do not attend school often enough, but the school knows who these pupils are. They work well with these families to help improve their child’s attendance.

“The school has thought carefully about how to develop pupils beyond the academic curriculum. They know what they want them to learn so that they can make positive choices. Pupils firmly believe that accepting differences and diversity is an important part of living together.

“Pupils love the many opportunities they have to build their leadership skills. For example, they take on extra responsibilities in school, raise money for charities, and buy resources for their eco classroom.

“There are extensive and well-thought-through systems for checking what the school does. This checking enables all leaders, including those responsible for governance, to proactively identify and secure ways to improve the school. Reading is one of the highest priorities for the school. The phonics curriculum starts in the early years and is well-planned and delivered.

“As a result, pupils make good progress in their phonics knowledge. Older pupils develop their reading fluency and understanding of more complex texts as they move through the school.”