Castle Newnham School, Bedford
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 6 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Castle Newnham School creates a warm, inclusive community where pupils thrive both academically and personally. Teachers bring learning to life through engaging activities, and the school offers excellent opportunities for pupils to develop confidence through performances and school productions. All pupils, including those with additional needs, receive strong support to succeed and feel genuinely cared for by staff.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve well with positive progress in national tests and increasing phonics outcomes
- Attendance is above national figures with effective systems to support regular school attendance
- Strong behaviour and relationships across the school with calm, respectful and purposeful conduct
- Ambitious school productions and performance opportunities that build pupil confidence
- Effective support for pupils with additional needs and disadvantaged pupils to succeed
Areas for Improvement
- Gaps in pupils' knowledge need more consistent identification and addressing to help more pupils build detailed knowledge over time
- Teaching approaches and understanding of learning barriers need further consistency across the full curriculum
- Early years activities sometimes not well matched to some children's gaps in learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
School productions, gymnastics, dodgeball, song squad, sporting events, trips, mothers' and fathers' day events, school clubs
Castle Newnham School is a welcoming community school where pupils achieve well and make secure progress through a sequenced, ambitious curriculum. Leaders and staff work effectively to support all pupils, including those with additional needs, ensuring they feel safe and cared for.
At a Glance
9.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2025/26 academic year
Class Sizes
29.7
Avg class size
29.5
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
16
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
45%
Available places
624 pupils
1,380 capacity
756 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Bedford
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bedford
Admissions Demand - Bedford
Places available
2,346
Applications
2,069
Got 1st preference
84.1%
Got preferred school
96.7%
Secondary admissions across Bedford (2025/26)
Inspection History(2)
House Prices
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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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.56784%
Overall absence
9.67742%
Persistent absence
558
Enrolments
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Castle Newnham School
Bedford School
Castle Newnham School
Goldington Academy
Bedford Girls' School
Bedford Free School
KWS School
Bedford Modern School
Bedford Academy
Bedford Greenacre Independent School
Mark Rutherford School
Showing 10 of 11 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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