Castle Hill School, Huddersfield
Castle Hill School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Huddersfield, part of Together Learning Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2012)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Castle Hill School in detail
Castle Hill School in its own words
In its own words: "The Local Offer has been developed as part of the Children and Families Act. It aims to provide information on education, health and social care provision available for disabled children and young people and those with special educational needs, in a way that can be accessed quickly and easily."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Castle Hill School are Fable House (0.7 miles); Woodley School and College (1.1 miles, Good); Southgate School (2 miles, Good); and Barraclough Hall School (2.4 miles).
Fable HouseWoodley School and CollegeSouthgate SchoolBarraclough Hall School
The trust
Castle Hill School is one of 9 schools run by Together Learning Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
20 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Castle Hill School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 11 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
39.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 27.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (50%), Asian (25%) and Black (9%).
Almost every pupil at Castle Hill School has an education, health and care plan (130 of 130 in 2026). The most common need among them is a profound and multiple learning difficulty.
Castle Hill School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Berry Brow Rail Station, about 680 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Castle Avenue (opposite), 70 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Castle Hill School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from December 2012, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Castle Hill School excels at creating a nurturing environment where every child feels valued and understood. Teachers tailor learning precisely to each pupil's strengths and challenges, helping them develop confidence, independence and essential life skills. Parents consistently report significant improvements in their children's confidence, happiness and progress over time.
Key Strengths
- Individualised curriculum carefully designed to meet each pupil's diverse needs with strong focus on communication, life skills and independence
- Highly skilled teaching staff who receive excellent professional development in areas such as communication, sensory learning and emotional regulation
- Exceptional support for communication development using visual aids, sign language and assistive technology
- Well-structured transitions and pastoral support at every stage from early years through to post-16
- Positive school culture where pupils feel safe, supported and celebrated for small but significant milestones
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Hydrotherapy pool sessions, sing-and-sign sessions, shopping and real-life skills practice, work experience placements, vocational skills training in 'reworks' space
Castle Hill School is a special school for pupils aged 3-19 with complex needs including profound learning difficulties, autism spectrum disorder, and multi-sensory impairments. The school has maintained the outstanding standards identified at its previous inspection, providing a happy, caring environment where pupils thrive through individualised learning tailored to their needs.
At a Glance
39.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
20 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Castle Hill School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Castle Hill School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Castle Hill School is in Kirklees; for families living there:
- Kirklees's school travel policy: School transport
- How to apply: Apply for school travel support
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 11 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Kirklees is 12 (the median across 203 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
105%
Over capacity
130 pupils
124 places
6 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Huddersfield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Huddersfield
Across Kirklees council
Places available
4,930
Applications
4,787
Got 1st preference
89.2%
Got preferred school
97.8%
All secondary applications across Kirklees council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
130
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Castle Hill School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
130
Total Pupils
83
Boys
47
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
8.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,517
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
13.5%
Overall absence
39.6%
Persistent absence
101
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
Castle Hill School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Castle Hill School
What are SATs results like at Castle Hill School?
Of the pupils at Castle Hill School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Castle Hill School's Ofsted rating?
Castle Hill School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2012, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Castle Hill School?
No fixed boundary. When Castle Hill School is oversubscribed, Kirklees allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Castle Hill School?
Castle Hill School has around 130 pupils on roll. 39% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Castle Hill School have specialist SEN provision?
Castle Hill School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Castle Hill School?
13.5% of sessions were missed at Castle Hill School in 2024/25. 39.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Castle Hill School?
Apply through Kirklees's coordinated admissions process, naming Castle Hill 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 Hill School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 11 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Kirklees is 12 (the median across 203 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Castle Hill School?
Castle Hill School is at Newsome Road South, Newsome, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD4 6JL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)