11 March 2014
Dear Parent/Carer
Castleview School
Stirling Council
Recently, as you may know, my colleagues and I inspected your child’s school. During
our visit, we talked to parents and children and worked closely with the headteacher
and staff. We wanted to find out how well children are learning and achieving and how
well the school supports children to do their best. The headteacher shared with us the
school’s successes and priorities for improvement. We looked at some particular
aspects of the school’s recent work, including the effectiveness of assessment and
planning and the quality of joint working with health professionals in meeting children’s
learning needs. As a result, we were able to find out how good the school is at
improving children’s education.
How well do children learn and achieve?
Children in Castleview School are learning and achieving very well. In the nursery,
children are happy and becoming familiar and confident with the daily routines. They
respond very well to the sensitive and well-judged interactions with staff. A few
children would benefit from more choices in their learning. Across the school, children
are enthusiastic about their learning and are motivated by the wide range of
stimulating activities that help them to be actively involved in their learning. In most
classes, teachers help children to understand what they are expected to learn in
lessons. There is scope for this to take place more consistently in all classes. The
school has very well-established links with the three other campus schools. There are
many opportunities for the school communities to come together. As a result, children
share facilities, develop friendships and learn alongside their peers. Staff, parents and
children value these links. Children are safe and treated with great respect by all staff,
who value their many achievements.
At all stages, children are making very good progress and achieve well in a range of
activities in classrooms and beyond. Children take part in a wide range of
well-planned activities such as, horse riding, hydrotherapy and events such as the
“Active Stirling Fun Day” in support of their physical wellbeing. Children are
developing a range of skills and experience success in music-making through their
regular participation in the “Big Noise” experience. They enjoy playing a range of
musical instruments and perform for the campus community and others, alongside
professional musicians. They are also becoming aware of how to help others through
charitable fundraising activities. Children in the nursery are progressing well in
developing their communication skills and an understanding of their surroundings.
Education Scotland
Unit 7, Blair Court
Clydebank Business Park
Clydebank
G81 2LA
T
0141 435 3550
F
0141 435 3555
E Clydebank@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk
Textphone 01506 600236
This is a service for deaf users. Please do not
use this number for voice calls as this will not
connect.
www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Transforming lives through learning
Across the school, children communicate very well using speech, symbols, signing and
technology. A few are making good progress with reading and writing at an
appropriate level. They have good opportunities to listen and respond to stories.
Almost all children are developing their numeracy skills through the well-planned
practical activities. For example, children help to set the table for snack and practise
their matching and counting skills, playing games with each other. Staff recognise the
need to further extend opportunities for children’s achievements to be accredited.
How well does the school support children to develop and learn?
The curriculum is broad and stimulating. It is designed to help children become as
independent as possible, have positive health and wellbeing and develop effective
communication skills. The school should now involve parents, children and partners
more in the ongoing development of the curriculum. Staff are taking forward
Curriculum for Excellence well. They have identified a range of interesting and
enjoyable topics such as “Celebrations” which help children make links across
learning. The garden, outside play areas and the local community are used well to
help children transfer their learning into real life situations. Staff are confident in using
the experiences and outcomes to plan suitable learning activities in, and across,
curriculum areas. They should continue to develop structured curriculum programmes
to ensure coherence and progression in learning. In collaboration with a range of
partners, the school has established very good arrangements to help children start
school positively and move on successfully to secondary school.
In the nursery and across the school, staff take very effective steps to identify
children’s learning needs and provide appropriate tasks and activities to help them to
make progress. However in a few lessons, activities could be more relevant and
provide children with a more suitable level of challenge. A few children have a shared
placement with their local mainstream school. Staff in both schools work together to
plan learning and make sure those children are making good progress. Support staff
are valued team members who provide highly effective support in school and in the
community. Staff work very well with therapists and the medical team. They draw up
a profile for each child based on appropriate assessment and identify how best to
support children and their families. Parents are very positive about the help they and
their children receive from the school.
How well does the school improve the quality of its work?
All staff are very strongly committed to improving learning and achievement for all
children. The school has clear arrangements to take forward improvements and
maintain its ethos of inclusion and high expectations. These include surveying the
views of staff, parents, partners and children. Staff are currently developing ways of
tracking children’s progress across all aspects of their learning. Senior managers
support, observe and monitor the quality of assessment, learning and teaching. All
staff have access to suitable professional learning opportunities. The very
experienced headteacher is highly regarded by all members of the school community.
Her commitment, drive and leadership are evident in bringing about important
improvements to children’s learning and development. Together with the newly
appointed depute headteacher, she ensures that there is a clear sense of purpose and
direction for the school. We are confident that the school will continue to improve.
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This inspection found the following key strengths.
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Happy children who are enjoying and achieving well in their learning.
The positive and nurturing relationships and interactions between staff and
children.
Highly effective partnership working with parents and other agencies to support and
enhance children’s learning and achievements.
Joint working between school staff and health professionals in assessing and
meeting the learning needs of children.
The highly effective leadership across the school, particularly that of the
headteacher, in bringing about continuous improvement.
We discussed with staff and the education authority how they might continue to
improve the school and nursery. This is what we agreed with them.
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Continue to develop suitably planned curriculum programmes to ensure coherence
and progression in learning.
Develop further the approach to tracking children’s progress through the
curriculum.
What happens at the end of the inspection?
We are satisfied with the overall quality of provision. We are confident that the
school’s self-evaluation processes are leading to improvements. As a result, we will
make no further visits in connection with this inspection. As part of its arrangements
for reporting to parents on the quality of education, the education authority will inform
parents about the school’s progress.
Olwynne Clark
HM Inspector
Additional inspection evidence, such as details of the quality indicator evaluations, for
your school can be found on the Education Scotland website at
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/school/primsec/Cast
leviewSchoolStirling.asp
If you would like to receive this letter in a different format, for example, in a translation
please contact the administration team on the above telephone number.
If you want to give us feedback or make a complaint about our work, please contact us
by telephone on 0141 282 5000, or e-mail: complaints@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk
or write to us addressing your letter to the Complaints Manager, Denholm House,
Almondvale Business Park, Livingston EH54 6GA.
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