Castle EAST School, Bungay
Castle EAST School is a special school for pupils aged 9 to 16 in Bungay, part of East Anglian Schools Trust Ltd. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Castle EAST School in detail
The trust
Castle EAST School is one of 11 schools run by East Anglian Schools Trust Ltd, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 8 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 75% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 50% to a further education college.
Who goes there
39.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Castle EAST School has an education, health and care plan (130 of 130 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Castle EAST School has a resourced provision for autism: 120 places, 77 pupils on roll.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Castle EAST School.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sixth Form (opposite), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 20 crimes within a mile of the school, most often criminal damage and arson, violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Suffolk (32).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Castle EAST School issued 8 suspensions, 6.7 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its March 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
39.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 29% to 58% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 14% to 33% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 0% to 42% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Keep up with Castle EAST School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Castle EAST School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Castle EAST School is in Suffolk; for families living there:
Apply to Suffolk for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
108%
Over capacity
130 pupils
120 places
10 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bungay
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bungay
Across Suffolk council
Places available
8,475
Applications
7,204
Got 1st preference
92.7%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All secondary applications across Suffolk council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
130
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Castle EAST School has a resourced provision for autism: 120 places, 77 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
130
Total Pupils
89
Boys
41
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
6.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,602
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
15.6%
Overall absence
41.6%
Persistent absence
125
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Castle EAST School
What are GCSE results like at Castle EAST School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Castle EAST School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 21.3. 13% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Castle EAST School's Ofsted rating?
Castle EAST School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024.
What is the catchment area for Castle EAST School?
No fixed boundary. When Castle EAST School is oversubscribed, Suffolk allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Castle EAST School?
Castle EAST School has around 130 pupils on roll. 39% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Castle EAST School have specialist SEN provision?
Castle EAST School has a resourced provision for autism: 120 places, 77 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Castle EAST School?
15.6% of sessions were missed at Castle EAST School in 2024/25. 41.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Castle EAST School?
Apply through Suffolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Castle EAST School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Castle EAST School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Castle EAST School?
Castle EAST School is at Hillside Road East, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 1JS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)