Great Casterton Church of England Primary School

About Great Casterton Church of England Primary School

Great Casterton Church of England Primary School holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2025, though the story of its academic performance is more nuanced than that single label suggests. The school's key metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which sits at 70% — exactly in line with the Rutland local authority average. That places it 10th out of 17 primary schools in the county, a solidly mid-table position. Digging deeper, the school's reading scores are notably strong: pupils achieved an average scaled score of 108, with 50% reaching the higher standard, compared with 20% in maths and just 10% in writing. The early years provision remains Outstanding, a grade it has held since its previous inspection in 2016, when the school as a whole was rated Outstanding. The current inspection judged behaviour, personal development, leadership and the quality of education all as Good, suggesting a school that has settled into consistent, reliable performance rather than chasing top-tier results.

In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% of pupils met the expected standard in maths and 80% did so in both reading and writing, so the combined figure of 70% is dragged down by pupils who didn't hit the mark across all three subjects simultaneously. The average reading score of 108 is comfortably above the national benchmark of 100, and the maths average of 106 is similarly strong. There are no progress scores available in the data, so it's hard to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points, but the raw outcomes are respectable. Nationally, the school ranks in the 30th percentile for its combined expected standard, and within the East Midlands it sits in the 27th percentile — not outstanding, but a dependable choice for families prioritising a solid academic foundation. The school's ranking score of 70 places it well behind the top three Rutland primaries, which all score 86 or above, but it's worth noting that none of the county's 17 state primary schools currently hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating.

The school is a Church of England primary with a small roll of 91 pupils against a capacity of 105, and it's significantly oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake there were 44 applications for just 8 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 5.5 to one. All 8 first-preference applicants were offered places, so living in the catchment area or having a church connection will be important. Facilities include a library, playing fields, a chapel and an outdoor playground, and the school offers clubs ranging from eco club and chess to coding, film club and choir. On the SEND front, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health support, and autistic spectrum disorder — though the Parent View data shows no responses from parents of SEND children, so it's hard to gauge satisfaction in that area. Among the 18 parents who did respond, 94% would recommend the school, and strong majorities agreed their child is happy, feels safe and does well. This is a good fit for families who value a small, community-focused primary with strong reading outcomes and a clear Christian character, but who are prepared for a competitive admissions process.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Great Casterton Church of England Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents