Please see our latest inspection report below.

November 2024

Castel Primary School has received a very positive external inspection report, rating it good across all five categories of the framework.

These are: The Quality of Education; Behaviour and Attitudes; Personal Development and Welfare; Leadership and Management; and Early Years provision. Each category receives a grade of either inadequate, requires improvement, good or excellent.

Ofsted highlighted:

• Castel has developed a nurturing and inclusive environment, with pupils enjoying coming to school.
• The school's new leadership has worked alongside the Education Office to strengthen the curriculum and manage change at the school. As a result, the school has designed an ambitious curriculum that has been well received by staff.
• Castel is continuing to improve its provision for pupils with additional learning needs. When necessary, teachers make adaptations so that pupils with ALN learn the curriculum alongside their peers.
• Clear routines are quickly established to help pupils feel safe and settled in Reception Year. A sharp focus on children's personal, social and emotional development helps to build resilient, inquisitive and creative minds.
• The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Right from the start, pupils in the early years learn to treat people with respect and kindness. Staff help pupils understand how to behave well. Pupils learn to make the right choices. As a result, playtimes are harmonious and the classrooms are calm and orderly.

In the section of the report dedicated to areas the school could improve, inspectors identified that in some subjects and in the early years, teachers do not consistently check that pupils fully understand what they have been taught. Inspectors also found that targets to support pupils with additional learning needs are at times not precise and informative enough. This means the provision for pupils with ALN sometimes does not meet their needs.

Pete Curtis, Headteacher of Castel Primary School, said:

'We are very pleased with the findings of this inspection, which recognises so many of the positive traits of Castel Primary School. I was particularly pleased that all our staff's hard work around developing the curriculum was recognised by the inspectors. As ever with school inspections, there are things for us to focus on and continue improving, which I have no doubt we will collectively work on in the months ahead. To achieve gradings of good in all areas of the inspection is something I am proud of on behalf of the whole school community.'

Nick Hynes, Director of Education, said:

'Castel has continued the trend of our schools achieving very positive inspection outcomes and I am delighted for Pete and his team, who have worked incredibly hard.  Our partnership with Ofsted continues to support the delivery of a good quality of education to the island's young people and community. This inspection report is something the whole school community should be proud of.'

Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said:

'On behalf of the Committee I'd like to congratulate Pete and the entire team at Castel, which includes staff, parents, carers and of course pupils too, and also thank them for their ongoing hard work. This report clearly demonstrates the very positive work taking place at Castel, and I have no doubt the school will continue to progress. External Inspections continue to play an important role in ensuring we have that crucial independent validation of our settings.'

The full report can be read at Inspections - States of Guernsey (gov.gg)