Castle Wood Special School

Overview

Castle Wood Special School is a place where pupils are "well cared for and happy," settling quickly due to staff who know them well. However, the overall effectiveness requires improvement because the curriculum lacks clarity in many areas, slowing learning for pupils ready for more rigorous work, and leadership does not always accurately evaluate strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe, can name helpful adults, and learn about "positive friendships."
• Staff have a "secure understanding" of barriers to learning and engage well with external agencies.
• The curriculum for personal development is a strength, offering activities like visits to theatres and meetings with artists.
• Staff workload and well-being are "well considered," and most parents are positive about the care provided.

Areas to improve

• The curriculum must identify precisely what knowledge and skills pupils should learn over time, as current planning is unclear in subjects like mathematics and science.
• Agreed communication strategies, such as signing and symbols, must be implemented consistently by all staff to ensure pupils can communicate their thoughts effectively.
• The phonics programme must be delivered accurately and consistently across all classrooms to prevent variable learning outcomes.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."