Castledon School, Wickford
Castledon School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 19 in Wickford, part of Zenith Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Castledon School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Castledon School are The Bridge Pioneer (2.4 miles, Outstanding); Glenwood School (2.5 miles, Outstanding); Ramsden Hall Academy (3.3 miles, Good); and Omnia Foundation (3.3 miles, Good).
The Bridge PioneerGlenwood SchoolRamsden Hall AcademyOmnia Foundation
The trust
Castledon School is one of 5 schools run by Zenith Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
52 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Castledon School (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 91% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (98%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (89%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 25 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 24% to a further education college.
Who goes there
41.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Castledon School has an education, health and care plan (239 of 239 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Castledon School has a resourced provision for autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties: 40 places, 0 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Wickford Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Castledon School issued 18 suspensions, 7.6 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from December 2018, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Castledon School excels at understanding each child's individual needs and helping them build confidence and independence. Staff create an incredibly positive school culture where pupils treat each other with kindness and respect, and are expertly supported to manage their behaviour. The school's outstanding careers programme equips students with practical life skills like managing finances, using transport and driving, preparing many of them for genuinely independent lives.
Key Strengths
- Exceptionally well-designed and ambitious curriculum that is continually refined to meet changing pupil needs
- Outstanding careers and employability programme integrated throughout the school, raising aspirations and preparing students for independence and work
- Expert staff who know how to get the most out of each pupil, with very high expectations and exceptional behaviour support
- Strong focus on reading and communication skills with well-trained staff providing tailored support
- Rich range of meaningful experiences and activities including residentials, trips abroad, driving lessons and community events
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Residentials, trips abroad, driving lessons, work experience with employers, Aspire Café, community events, visits to museums, trips to local nature reserve
Castledon School is a highly successful special school that pupils flourish in, with staff preparing them exceptionally well for life beyond school through a thorough understanding of individual needs and aspirations. The school has been rated Outstanding across all key judgement areas.
At a Glance
41.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Autism, MLD, SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
52 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
Keep up with Castledon School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Castledon School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Castledon School is in Essex; for families living there:
- Essex's school travel policy: Education Transport Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 7 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 Essex is 9 (the median across 614 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
82%
Available places
239 pupils
290 places
51 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Wickford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wickford
Across Essex council
Places available
17,590
Applications
16,568
Got 1st preference
83.4%
Got preferred school
97.0%
All secondary applications across Essex council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
239
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Castledon School has a resourced provision for autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties: 40 places, 0 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
239
Total Pupils
179
Boys
60
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
40
Teachers
6.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,411
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.8%
Overall absence
25.3%
Persistent absence
190
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
Castledon School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Castledon School
What are SATs results like at Castledon School?
Of the pupils at Castledon School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Castledon School's Ofsted rating?
Castledon School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Castledon School?
No fixed boundary. When Castledon School is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Castledon School?
Castledon School has around 239 pupils on roll. 42% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Castledon School have specialist SEN provision?
Castledon School has a resourced provision for autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties: 40 places, 0 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Castledon School?
9.8% of sessions were missed at Castledon School in 2024/25. 25.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Castledon School?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming Castledon 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 Castledon School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 7 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Essex is 9 (the median across 614 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Castledon School?
Castledon School is at Bromfords Drive, Wickford, Essex, SS12 0PW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)