Redcastle Family School

Overview: Redcastle Family School is a 'family' school where pupils are happy, safe, and enjoy learning. Adults care deeply for pupils and know them well, creating a positive environment where most pupils behave very well.

Strengths:

• The school has a curriculum that clearly sets out the important knowledge and skills pupils will learn.
• Teachers have a good knowledge of the subjects they teach and explain new information to pupils clearly.
• Reading is given high priority, and teachers are trained well to teach phonics, resulting in the youngest pupils learning to read well.
• The early years provision is excellent, with adults prioritising children's language and vocabulary.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well and benefit from carefully adapted activities.

Areas to improve:

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the precise knowledge pupils need to know and remember, making it difficult for teachers to be clear on what to teach and when.
• The 'individual learning plans' for pupils with SEND are not always specific enough, making it difficult for leaders to check whether additional support is working effectively.

Safeguarding: The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff well-trained to spot if a pupil might need additional support, and leaders working well with outside agencies to provide help when needed.