Castle Newnham School has closed (Monday 31 August 2026).
It merged with another school.
Castle Newnham School, Bedford
Castle Newnham School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Bedford, part of Bedfordshire Schools Trust Limited. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 7th-highest of the 14 schools in Bedford with published results, and 1,864th of 3,298 across England. It was full in 2025, at 131% of capacity.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Bedford (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 8 Oct 2026
Castle Newnham School in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at Castle Newnham School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 44.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45 in Bedford and 47 across England.
41% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Bedford and 47% in England.
That is up from 42.7 in 2025.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 34.6, against 48.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.6 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were French, Combined Science and Geography.
Getting a place at Castle Newnham School
For September 2026 entry, 106 families put Castle Newnham School as their first choice and 396 named it as one of their preferences, for 147 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 3 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Castle Newnham School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Castle Newnham School are Goldington Academy (0.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52); Castle Newnham School (0.4 miles); Bedford Free School (1.1 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 51); and Mark Rutherford School (1.2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 40.7).
Castle Newnham School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Goldington AcademyCastle Newnham SchoolBedford Free SchoolMark Rutherford School
The trust
Castle Newnham School is one of 12 schools run by Bedfordshire Schools Trust Limited, an academy trust.
What parents say
23 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Castle Newnham School (as of April 2026): 70% would recommend the school, 78% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (78%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 114 pupils (15.3%) received SEN support and 48 (6.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bedford St Johns Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Balmoral Avenue (adjacent), 270 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 469 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Bedford (136), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Castle Newnham School issued 88 suspensions, 11.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
No inspection data available
At a Glance
23.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
23 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Attainment 8 has improved from 42.7 to 44.8 (2025 to 2026), while gCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 34% to 41% (2025 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 44.8 | 40.7% |
| Disadvantaged(37) | - | 34.6 | 18.9% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(113) | - | 48.2 | 47.8% |
| Boys(71) | - | 44.0 | 45.1% |
| Girls(79) | - | 45.6 | 36.7% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(35) | - | 42.9 | 28.6% |
| Non mobile(146) | - | 45.6 | 41.8% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 4 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
Exclusions & Suspensions
3
Permanent exclusions
0.40%
Exclusion rate
88
Suspensions
11.73%
Suspension rate
42 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 750 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Castle Newnham School
Term dates
Castle Newnham School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Bedford's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Castle Newnham School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Castle Newnham School is in Bedford; for families living there:
Apply to Bedford for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Castle Newnham School
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
131%
Over capacity
742 pupils
567 places
175 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bedford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bedford
Across Bedford council
Places available
2,556
Applications
2,095
Got 1st preference
90.6%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All secondary applications across Bedford council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
114
SEN Support
48
EHC Plans
21.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
744
Total Pupils
376
Boys
368
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
52
Teachers
14.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£41,809
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,024
Per pupil
£5584k
Total funding
£142k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.6%
Overall absence
23.7%
Persistent absence
769
Enrolments
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Castle Newnham School
What are GCSE results like at Castle Newnham School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Castle Newnham School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 44.8. 41% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is the catchment area for Castle Newnham School?
No fixed boundary. When Castle Newnham School is oversubscribed, Bedford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Castle Newnham School?
Castle Newnham School was full in 2025, at 131% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Castle Newnham School?
Classes at Castle Newnham School average 24.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Castle Newnham School?
Castle Newnham School has around 744 pupils on roll. 24% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Castle Newnham School?
7.6% of sessions were missed at Castle Newnham School in 2024/25. 23.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Castle Newnham School?
Apply through Bedford's coordinated admissions process, naming Castle Newnham School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
Where is Castle Newnham School?
Castle Newnham School is at Polhill Avenue, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 9DT.