Belmont Castle Academy, Grays

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~545m)Possible (~779m)Unlikely (~1.0km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Holly Pottle
Pupils:691 / 660 capacity
LA:Thurrock
Phone:01375373601
Address:Parker Road, Grays, RM17 5YN
Trust:BELMONT CASTLE ACADEMY
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 December 2012

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 8 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 27 January 2026View full report
URN:139105
UKPRN:10039714
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Thurrock
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Belmont Castle Academy creates a warm, welcoming environment where pupils feel valued and ready to learn. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and use effective teaching strategies to help all pupils succeed, with particular strengths in making the curriculum accessible for pupils with additional needs. The school strongly promotes British values, respect and diversity, helping pupils develop into confident and curious individuals prepared for life in modern Britain.

Key Strengths

  • Calm, orderly and respectful environment with positive relationships and clear behaviour expectations
  • Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum that helps pupils build knowledge and achieve in line with or above national averages
  • Inclusive approach with effective support for pupils with additional needs and disadvantaged pupils
  • Strong early years provision with warm, caring staff who help children feel confident and secure
  • Leaders focus on developing core skills in reading, writing and mathematics across the school

Areas for Improvement

  • Leaders' checks on reading progress are not precise enough to identify pupils needing earlier support
  • Some systems for checking teaching practice lack rigour and don't always have the intended impact
  • Leaders need to evaluate more closely how recent curriculum changes (such as grammar improvements) are working
  • Early years assessment of phonics misconceptions and mathematical opportunities needs to be more robust
  • Governors' challenge and support systems need further development for consistency across the school

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have created an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Music sessions, dance and movement in playground, art and design, physical education

Belmont Castle Academy is an exciting and happy place to learn where pupils feel safe, valued and supported. The school has an inclusive ethos with a calm, orderly environment and strong relationships that underpin learning.

At a Glance

18.8%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
ReadingMaths+10ppWriting+5pp

Reading has remained stable at around 84%. Maths has improved from 72% to 82%. Writing has improved from 68% to 73%.

Class Sizes

29.2

Avg class size

29.9

Infant (KS1)

28.5

KS2

24

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Grays Rail Station (North Entrance)
894m · 15 min walk

Bus Stops

Roseberry Road (E-bound)
406m · 7 min walk
Meesons Lane (Westbound)
407m · 7 min walk
Aldi (E-bound)
502m · 8 min walk
Moore Avenue (Eastbound)
590m · 10 min walk
Bus Station (Bay 4)
745m · 12 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

105%

Over capacity

691 pupils

660 capacity

31 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Grays

Low pressure
New homes approved:853
Projected new pupils:213

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Grays

Admissions Demand - Thurrock

Low demand0.87x oversubscription

Places available

2,559

Applications

2,223

Got 1st preference

91.6%

Got preferred school

98.8%

Primary admissions across Thurrock (2025/26)

Inspection History(6)

27 January 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
25 May 2021
24 November 2020

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.91439%

Overall absence

12.24832%

Persistent absence

596

Enrolments

Authorised3.24254%
Unauthorised1.67186%
Persistent (10%+)12.24832%
Severe (50%+)0.67114%

Absence trend

4.01523%
18/19
4.7042%
20/21
6.6289%
21/22
6.07015%
22/23
5.11309%
23/24
4.91439%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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