Every child at Castle Academy is valued, supported, and nurtured to achieve their very best. We recognise that children learn best when they feel safe, happy, and understood and our whole-school approach to wellbeing, inclusion, and care ensures exactly that.
Our dedicated staff team works closely with families and external professionals to provide tailored support where it’s needed. This includes high-quality provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as well as targeted interventions to help all learners thrive.
We place great emphasis on emotional wellbeing through initiatives such as Zones of Regulation, Active 10, and our Enrichment programme. These help children to understand their emotions, build resilience, and develop positive relationships.
At Castle, every child is known, every voice is heard, and every success is celebrated.
Safeguarding Curriculum
Behaviour Curriculum
SEN Provision
At Castle, we are committed to ensuring that every child, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), receives the support they need to thrive. Our inclusive approach focuses on early identification, personalised provision, and close collaboration with families and external professionals. Further details about our provision can be found below, which outline how we work together to meet each child’s individual needs.
Pastoral Provision
Our pastoral team is dedicated to nurturing every child’s wellbeing and providing early, effective support for families when challenges arise. Mrs Bond, our Parent Support Advisor and Early Help Practitioner, works closely with pupils, parents, and carers to offer guidance, practical help, and a listening ear. She also liaises with a range of external professionals, including the School Nurse, Early Help Team, and CAMHS, to ensure that families can access the right support at the right time. Through strong relationships and early intervention, we aim to remove barriers to learning and help every child to thrive.
How to Access Early Help
If you feel your child or family could benefit from additional support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact Mrs Bond through the school office to arrange a confidential chat. Together, we can explore what help might be most useful and, if appropriate, complete an Early Help Assessment to coordinate further support. We are here to listen, guide, and work alongside families to ensure every child has the best chance to succeed and flourish.
Pupil Voice
Listening to Pupil Voice
At Castle Academy, we take our pupils’ views and opinions very seriously. We believe that children learn best when they feel valued, heard, and involved in shaping their school community. Listening to how our pupils feel helps us to make Castle the very best place for children to learn and thrive.
Each term, every pupil completes a Pupil Voice Survey, giving them the opportunity to share their thoughts on all aspects of school life. The results are carefully analysed to celebrate our successes and to identify areas for development, ensuring our practice continues to evolve in line with the needs of our children.
Some of the things our pupils tell us we do well include:
- Providing an environment where they feel safe and cared for
- Ensuring they have trusted adults to talk to when they feel upset or worried — and that they are listened to
- Encouraging them to work hard, know what to do if they are struggling, and receive the right support to help them improve
In addition to termly surveys, every class takes part in a weekly Class Conference, providing a regular opportunity for all children to share their ideas, celebrate achievements, and discuss how to make our school even better.
Our pupils also take an active role in supporting wellbeing across school through pupil-led initiatives. The Worry Box, which is checked daily by our Pupil Leaders, allows children to share any concerns they may have in a safe and confidential way. Buddy Benches are available on each playground, helping children to make friends, find someone to play with, and ensure no one feels left out.
Pupil views are also gathered through the Pupil Lifestyle Survey, completed by pupils in Years 4 and 6. The outcomes from this survey inform our curriculum planning and are also shared with the Local Authority to support wider development and wellbeing initiatives.
At Castle, pupil voice is at the heart of what we do, shaping our decisions, driving improvement, and ensuring every child feels empowered to make a difference.
Anti-Bullying Statement