Head Teacher's Welcome
On behalf of the children, staff, and governors of the school I would like to extend a very warm welcome to you. Our school is situated in the small village of Castleside on the outskirts of Consett; an area with a rich historical heritage. We're in a stunning location - with far stretching views of the moors, while still in easy reach of major towns and cities.
At Castleside Primary we pride ourselves in being a vibrant learning community where individuals are valued and achievement in its widest sense is celebrated. As the African proverb says, 'it takes a village to raise to a child' and we pride ourselves on the strong relationships that we have with our parents, families and the local community, that support us to develop confident, resilient and ambitious children - ready to take the next steps on their learning journey.
Our curriculum is broad and balanced and we make every effort to ensure that it is relevant to today’s society; meaningful and relevant to the children. We use a variety of learning and teaching approaches and offer many opportunities for the children to learn independently and as part of a group. The skills they will develop will be essential to them as they progress beyond primary school and face the demands made of them as they get older.
Pupils have positive attitudes towards learning. They challenge themselves and do not give up. - Ofsted
We place a strong emphasis on creating a learning environment (both indoors and outdoors) in which children are happy and secure. We aim to create a safe place where children are encouraged to strive for the very best each and every day. Our ‘Rights Respecting’ status is a reflection of the importance we place upon celebrating the child as an individual in our society and developing them as responsible and empathetic citizens.
Pupils’ manners are impeccable. Pupils know the school rules and respond to the high expectations teachers have of them. - Ofsted
We believe that learning should be enjoyable and believe that fun is an essential part of life at Castleside Primary. We want our pupils to leave with very happy memories of their time here, having achieved success and feeling motivated and enthusiastic about their future.
Castleside Primary is a special place - but don't just take my word for it. Come and see for yourself and feel the magic in this wonderful little school. We may be small, but we are mighty - and from small seeds, great things grow!
I look forward to working in partnership with you and should you have any issues, concerns or ideas for improvement, please get in touch.
Jo Woodhall - Headteacher
