The Castle Rock School
74%
Capacity
1,129
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About The Castle Rock School
The Castle Rock School in North West Leicestershire is a mixed 11-18 state secondary that currently educates 1,129 pupils against a total capacity of 1,522, meaning it has room to grow. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 24.4%, which is notably higher than the national average and suggests the school serves a community with above-average levels of economic disadvantage. Despite this spare capacity, the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 292 applications for 156 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.87. Of those applicants, 150 put the school as their first preference, and all 150 were offered a place. This indicates that while the school is popular enough to be oversubscribed, it is not among the most selective or competitive in the area, and families who want a place are very likely to secure one if they apply early.
Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it as Requires Improvement overall, a step up from its previous Inadequate rating in 2021. The inspection found that behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision were all Good, with only the quality of education rated as Requires Improvement. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 score was -0.38, which is below the local authority average of -0.1 and places it in the bottom 50 nationally. Attainment 8 was 42, and the basics measure for a grade 4 or above in English and maths was 58.6%. The EBacc entry rate was very low at 4.3%, and the EBacc average point score was 3.53. At A-Level, the school's value-added score was 0.05, classed as Average, with students achieving an average grade of C- per entry. In the local authority ranking, the school sits 28th out of 46 schools of the same type, with a Progress 8 score that places it behind top performers like The Market Bosworth School and Manor High School.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, sports hall, gymnasium, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision is strong, with options like rowing, rugby, gymnastics, and cricket, while extracurricular clubs include Model UN, Young Enterprise, coding, and a newspaper club. The school has a comprehensive SEND offer, covering ten different needs from dyslexia and autistic spectrum disorder to speech, language and communication needs and physical disabilities. With a sixth form that was rated Good by Ofsted, the school provides a clear pathway for students who want to stay on post-16. The Castle Rock School is best suited to families in the North West Leicestershire area who value a broad extracurricular programme and strong SEND support, and who are comfortable with a school that is still improving academically but has shown clear progress from its previous Inadequate rating.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Meadow Lane, Coalville, North West Leicestershire, LE67 4BR |
| Headteacher | Roma Dhameja |
| Local Authority | Leicestershire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,129 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,129 / 1,522 (74% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
23 May 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 5 Jul 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.38)
2409th of 3,141
Nationally
199th of 273
In East Midlands
4th of 6
In North West Leicestershire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
28.5
'22/23
21.6
'23/24
25.8
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2338%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 278 pupils).
- FE college41%
- School sixth form (stay)38%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Employment6%
92% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2359%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 88 pupils).
- University (HE)59%
- Employment20%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology35
- Biology31
- English Literature23
- Chemistry16
- Sociology13
- Mathematics12
- Business Studies:Single11
- Geography10
- Physics10
- Art and Design (Photography)6
- Design and Technology (Product Design)6
- French6
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed156
292
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
150 families put this school as their 1st choice (51% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:00
Source: castlerock.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British80.6%
- White (other)7.4%
- Mixed4.8%
- Asian1.8%
- Black0.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Castle Rock School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Meadow Lane, Coalville
North West Leicestershire, LE67 4BR
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