Castle View Academy

About Castle View Academy

Castle View Academy’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.7 sits well below the Portsmouth local authority average of -0.31, placing it eighth out of eight secondary schools in the area. That puts it in the bottom 50 nationally and means, on average, pupils here achieve nearly three-quarters of a grade less per subject than students in similar schools across England. The gap is particularly stark in English and the EBacc subjects, where Progress 8 scores drop to -0.92. Only 17.6% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of qualifications, compared with a national picture where around 40% typically do. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 35.6 and basics pass rate of 45.7% at grade 4 or above reflect a cohort where 27.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals — above the national average — and where academic outcomes are a clear area for improvement.

In its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2023, the school was rated Requires Improvement overall, the same grade it received in 2017. However, the breakdown tells a more nuanced story: personal development was judged Outstanding, behaviour and attitudes Good, and leadership and management Good. The quality of education remains the sticking point, rated Requires Improvement. Parents seem broadly supportive — 92% would recommend the school, and 83% agree or strongly agree that their child is happy. Strong majorities also feel the school supports wider personal development (92%) and offers a good range of subjects and clubs (83% each). That said, only 42% agree that concerns are dealt with properly, and the SEND question received zero responses, making it impossible to gauge parental confidence in that area.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 296 applications for 208 places, with 199 first-preference offers made. Facilities include art studios, science labs, music rooms, an ICT suite, a sports hall, astro turf, and a gymnasium. Sports on offer range from rowing and swimming to hockey and gymnastics, while clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, coding, debate, and choir. SEND provisions cover a wide spectrum, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. Castle View is a non-denominational, mixed secondary for ages 11–16 with no sixth form. It suits families who value strong pastoral care and a broad extracurricular offer but who are realistic about the academic challenges — particularly if their child needs targeted support to catch up.

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