Schools by area › Somerset › The Castle School
The Castle School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–19 · Academy
Wellington Road, Taunton TA1 5AU · castleschool.co.uk · 01823 274073
Overview
- Ofsted
- Outstanding
- 2019 framework · inspected Oct 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 53.4
- average Attainment 8 score. Somerset 43.5, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.4
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,207
- 19 over 1,188 places · 102%
- Local authority
- Somerset
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 13.3%
- First language not English
- 13.9%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 336 families put the school first and 237 places were offered; 70% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 237 | 336 | 1.4▲ | 70% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 237 | 365 | 1.5▲ | 64% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 233 | 307 | 1.3▲ | 75% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 234 | 323 | 1.4▲ | 72% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 238 | 269 | 1.1▲ | 87% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 53.4, and 57.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Somerset it was 43.5, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲53.4 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲57.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲79.5% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼30.1% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.72 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 1.3 | 0 |
| Sixth form college | 63.7 | +5.4 |
| Further education | 23.9 | +0.1 |
| Apprenticeship | 2.6 | −0.3 |
| Employment | 2.6 | −3.2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 4.7 | +0.9 |
| Activity not captured | 1.3 | −0.8 |
Ofsted
The Castle School was judged Outstanding at its last graded inspection, on 3 October 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Outstanding
- Inspected
- 3 Oct 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Jun 2009
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Jun 2009Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Jan 2006Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
92% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (324 replies, to 2 September 2024).
- Recommend
- 92%
- Replies
- 324
- 2 Sept 2024
based on the 75% who raised concerns
based on the 42% who had a child bullied
based on 97 parents (30%) with SEND