Castleton Primary School

About Castleton Primary School

Castleton Primary School sits within the North Yorkshire local authority, a large county with 292 primary schools. Among these, the school ranks 30th overall and 29th when considering only its primary peers, placing it comfortably in the top 25 per cent of schools locally. Its closest competitors at the very top of the rankings include Eppleby Forcett Church of England Primary School and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, both of which achieved a perfect ranking score of 100, with Middleton Tyas Church of England Primary School close behind on 95. Castleton itself scores 78 on the same metric, which is based on the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2. The school is small, with just 48 pupils on roll against a capacity of 56, and it is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 8 applications for 5 places, with all first-preference applicants receiving an offer.

Academically, Castleton Primary performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 78 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the North Yorkshire average of 60 per cent. Reading was a particular strength: every pupil met the expected standard, and 33 per cent achieved a higher standard. In writing, 89 per cent met the expected level, with a third also reaching the higher threshold. Maths saw 78 per cent at the expected level and an average score of 104, though only 11 per cent reached the higher standard. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, awarded Outstanding grades across all five judged areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This continues a pattern of excellence, as the school was also rated Outstanding in its previous inspection in 2013.

The school offers a range of facilities including a gymnasium, art studios, music rooms, a sports hall, playing fields and an outdoor playground. Sports on offer include dance, gymnastics, netball and football, while clubs extend to chess, choir, eco club, film club, coding and drama. For children with additional needs, the school provides support for moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, and visual impairment. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: in the most recent Parent View survey, 100 per cent of the 28 respondents would recommend the school, with 86 per cent strongly agreeing that their child is happy and feels safe. Castleton Primary is a strong fit for families seeking a small, high-performing village school with a proven track record of academic success and a supportive, well-regarded environment, though its oversubscribed status means early application is essential.

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