Castle Mead School
About Castle Mead School
Castle Mead School is a state primary in Wiltshire that currently educates 376 pupils, operating below its official capacity of 420. The school serves a community where 23. 7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure that sits above the national average for primary schools and suggests a relatively high level of socio-economic diversity within the intake. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 66 applications for just 39 available places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 1. 69 applicants per place. All 39 first-preference families received an offer, indicating that while the school is popular, it is still accessible to those who prioritise it. The school is mixed, non-denominational, and caters for children aged 2 to 11, including a nursery provision. Headteacher Emma Larkham leads a school that has held a Good rating from Ofsted since at least 2017, with its most recent graded inspection in 2023 confirming the same standard across all five key areas.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Mar 2023Source: Ofsted, 14 May 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
SEND Support
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:15
After-school care
15:15-18:00
Source: castlemead.wilts.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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