Classpot

The Castle School

South Gloucestershire, BS35 1HTSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Nov 2021
Progress 8
+0.33
Above average
−20+2
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
210 1st-choice / 220 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#778 of 3,141 nationally

About The Castle School

The Castle School is a large, mixed secondary in South Gloucestershire, currently educating 1,449 pupils against a capacity of 1,733, meaning it is not yet full but clearly in high demand. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 351 total applications for 220 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1. 6, and made 210 offers to first-preference applicants. This suggests a strong local reputation, though not the most competitive in the area. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 14. 7%, which is slightly above the national average for secondary schools and indicates a genuinely mixed intake. The school is non-denominational and led by headteacher Jessica Lobbett. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in November 2021, confirmed the school remains Good, following a full graded inspection in 2012 that also rated it Good overall. The previous graded inspection in 2009 had judged the school Outstanding, so the current rating represents a slight but stable step down.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressPark Road, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BS35 1HT
HeadteacherJessica Lobbett
Local AuthoritySouth Gloucestershire
Number of Pupils1,449
Free School Meals (FSM)14.7%
School Capacity1,449 / 1,733 (84% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

25 Nov 2021
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Latest monitoring visit (25 Nov 2021): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 3 Jul 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:40 – 15:00

Source: thecastleschool.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Castle School

The Castle School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.