Schools by area › Bedford › Castle Newnham School
Castle Newnham School
All-through · Mixed · Ages 4–16 · Academy
Goldington Road, Bedford MK40 3EP · castlenewnham.school · 01234 303403
On the mapSearch near MK40 3EP
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Mar 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 67%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Bedford 57%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 624
- 45% of 1,380 places
- Local authority
- Bedford
- Sixth form
- No
- Free school meals
- 9.6%
- First language not English
- 15.7%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 69 families put the school first and 88 places were offered; 99% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 88 | 69 | 0.8 | 99% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 90 | 91 | 1▲ | 97% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 90 | 87 | 1 | 94% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 89 | 96 | 1.1▲ | 92% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 89 | 111 | 1.2▲ | 79% |
Results
In 2024/25, 67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 8% the higher standard. Across Bedford it was 57%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲67% | 62% | ||
| ●8% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●106 | 106 | ||
| ●105 | 105 | ||
| ●105 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 109435)
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Castle Newnham School on 17 March 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 17 Mar 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
What parents said
82% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (132 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 82%
- Positive
- 78%
- Replies
- 132
- 21% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 84% who raised concerns
based on 25 parents (19%) whose child was bullied
based on 22 parents (17%) with SEND