Castle Donington College

About Castle Donington College

Castle Donington College is a mixed state secondary in North West Leicestershire, part of the Leicestershire local authority, serving pupils from age 11 to 16 under headteacher Victoria Beeby. Within its local authority, it ranks 24th out of 46 same-type schools when measured by Progress 8, placing it in the middle of the pack. The top-performing peers in the area are The Market Bosworth School, Manor High School, and Saint Martin's Catholic Voluntary Academy, all of which sit ahead of Castle Donington on the same metric. The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 176 applications for 129 places, with 122 offers going to first-preference applicants. That level of demand suggests it holds a solid reputation locally, even if its ranking doesn't put it among the elite. With 684 pupils on roll against a capacity of 645, the school is operating slightly above its official limit, and 18.9 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average and reflects a relatively diverse intake.

Academically, the school's most recent Progress 8 score of -0.27 is below the Leicestershire local authority average of -0.1, and it falls into the bottom 50 nationally on this measure. Its Attainment 8 score stands at 42.4, and 59.6 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, dropping to 42.1 per cent at grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 26.3 per cent, with 11.4 per cent achieving the full EBacc at grade 4 or above. In its most recent graded inspection in 2019, Ofsted rated the school Good overall, with Good for leadership and management. An ungraded inspection in June 2024 confirmed the school remains Good, meaning it has held this rating across both its recent inspections. Progress in English is essentially flat at -0.01, while maths is slightly negative at -0.1, and the open element of Progress 8 is -0.38, indicating that pupils taking non-EBacc qualifications tend to perform less strongly.

The school offers a range of facilities including a sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, ICT suites, music rooms, and art studios, plus a chapel. Sports on offer include rugby, netball, football, basketball, tennis, and martial arts, while extracurricular clubs range from orchestra and Model UN to chess, science club, and film club. SEND provision is broad, covering specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. There is no sixth form or nursery provision, so families will need to plan for post-16 options elsewhere. Given its oversubscription and Good Ofsted rating, Castle Donington College is likely to suit families looking for a solid local secondary with decent facilities and a wide range of clubs, though those prioritising top-tier academic outcomes may want to look at the higher-ranked peers in the area.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Castle Donington College

Helpful Guides for Parents