Hylton Castle Primary School

About Hylton Castle Primary School

Hylton Castle Primary School was rated Good in its most recent graded inspection, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The school’s most telling academic metric is its Key Stage 2 combined reading, writing and maths expected standard attainment: 45% of pupils reached this benchmark in 2023/24. That figure sits well below the Sunderland local authority average of 67%, and places the school 72nd out of 73 primary schools in the area. Digging into the individual subjects, 62% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, 69% in maths, and 52% in writing. Higher-attaining pupils were a small minority: 24% achieved the higher standard in reading, 7% in maths, and none in writing. The school’s average scaled scores were 103 for reading and 100 for maths, both around the national baseline. Nationally, Hylton Castle ranks in the bottom 15% of primary schools by this combined measure, and in the bottom half of schools across the North East region.

The school’s Ofsted report from July 2022 noted that it remains Good following an ungraded inspection, with leadership and management also judged Good. The previous graded inspection in 2012 had rated the school Good overall, but the 2008 inspection had found it Requires Improvement, so the current rating represents a sustained upward trajectory. Behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision were not separately graded in the most recent inspection, but the report’s overall conclusion is positive. With 232 pupils on roll against a capacity of 240, the school is nearly full. Nursery provision is available for three- and four-year-olds, and the school serves a community where 46.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. There is no sixth form, as this is a primary school.

Hylton Castle Primary is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 43 total applications for 30 places, with 35 first-preference applications and 30 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.43. The school offers a range of facilities including a Forest School, sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, and an ICT suite. Sports on offer include cross country, tennis, athletics, swimming, dance, and cricket, while clubs include film, art, drama, eco, and book clubs. The school’s SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families prioritising a school with strong SEND support and a broad extracurricular offer, Hylton Castle could be a good fit, though those focused on academic outcomes may want to consider the nearest Outstanding-rated school, Bexhill Academy, just half a kilometre away.

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