Classpot

Castle Newnham School

Bedford, MK41 9DTSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Progress 8
-0.01
Below average
−20+2
Competition
N/A
No data
Ranking
#1,533
of 3,141 nationally

About Castle Newnham School

Castle Newnham School sits in a curious position within Bedford’s secondary landscape. Its Progress 8 score of -0.01 is essentially flat, meaning pupils achieve almost exactly what would be expected nationally given their starting points. That sounds unremarkable until you compare it with the local authority average of 0.24, which is notably above the national baseline. In a borough where the typical school adds a quarter of a grade per subject, Castle Newnham is effectively treading water. This places it 11th out of 14 schools in Bedford, in the bottom quarter of the LA. The gap is not enormous — it’s roughly a quarter of a grade per subject across eight subjects — but it does mean that families choosing Castle Newnham are picking a school that delivers broadly average progress in a context where many peers are doing better. The school’s national percentile of 48.8 puts it almost exactly in the middle of all schools in England.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressPolhill Avenue, Bedford, Bedford, MK41 9DT
HeadteacherSara Levesley
Local AuthorityBedford
Number of Pupils750

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 English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Facilities

8
Tennis CourtsSwimming PoolSports HallPlaying FieldsMusic RoomsTheatreArt StudiosScience Labs

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

20

Sports

AthleticsRoundersNetballHockeySwimmingBasketballDanceRowingTennisFootball

Clubs & Activities

Book ClubDebateDramaCodingChessGardeningOrchestraNewspaperChoirFilm Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 15:15

Source: castlenewnham.school. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Castle Newnham School

Castle Newnham School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.