Castletower School

Overview

The inspection was conducted during industrial action, with teachers refusing to cooperate with inspectors. Consequently, the ETI states it is “unable to assure the quality of education” and could not fully evaluate outcomes, provision, or leadership. The report relies on available documentation and discussions with pupils, noting that future inspections will address these limitations.

Strengths

• School data indicates “almost all of the school leavers” successfully transitioned to adult services, education, training, or employment.
• Pupils “talk enthusiastically about transitioning” and enjoy assuming “purposeful roles of responsibility” such as prefects and eco-leaders.
• The curriculum has been reviewed to meet diverse needs, with “specialist educational and sensory environments” for pupils with profound difficulties.
• Staff have undertaken training in therapeutic and sensory experiences, including support from the Middletown Centre for Autism.
• The “new and innovative school accommodation” is planned to good effect, featuring bespoke specialist resources and therapy facilities.

Areas to improve

• Develop a “more robust system for monitoring and tracking the progression of all pupils.”
• Develop processes to “monitor and evaluate more strategically the impact of identified actions on the outcomes and provision for pupils.”
• Ensure governors have “further information of pupil progress in learning to inform their discussions.”

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding arrangements “reflects broadly the guidance from the Department of Education,” though the school must review its “recording system of the intimate care policy.”