Castlefell School, Bristol
Castlefell School is a special school for pupils aged 8 to 16 in Bristol. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Castlefell School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Castlefell School are Two Bridges Academy (1.5 miles); SGS Pegasus School (2.5 miles, Requires improvement); New Siblands School (3.1 miles, Outstanding); and Aurora Hedgeway School (3.3 miles, Good).
Two Bridges AcademySGS Pegasus SchoolNew Siblands SchoolAurora Hedgeway School
What parents say
13 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Castlefell School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that their child does well at the school (85%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Castlefell School has an education, health and care plan (43 of 44 in 2026).
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Castlefell School.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Washingpool Hill (sw-bound), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences and other crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in South Gloucestershire (116).
Sources: 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school specializes in supporting pupils who have had negative education experiences or missed significant schooling. Staff build genuinely strong relationships with pupils, provide comprehensive therapies and support tailored to each child, and have high expectations that help pupils flourish and recognize positive changes in their lives. The school combines academic learning with practical life skills development.
Key Strengths
- Strong staff relationships and effective induction help pupils settle quickly and enjoy attending
- Ambitious curriculum with high expectations - pupils rise to these and learn well, particularly in art and design
- Comprehensive support including therapies (talking therapy, occupational therapy) and multi-disciplinary teams to meet individual SEND needs
- Impressive improvements in pupil attendance and behaviour management strategies
- Well-led school with clear vision and effective coordination from the Witherslack Group
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching does not always build on what pupils already know - some repeat work they understand in maths and don't get depth of knowledge needed
- Writing skills are not prioritised enough - some pupils who are ready aren't given enough opportunity to practise and refine their writing
- Some staff do not model the school's high behaviour expectations consistently, accepting low-level disruption at transition times
- Learning about different cultures and religions still being refined
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong policies in place and staff trained to respond to pupils' needs.
Extracurricular Activities
Multi-use games area, school visits (London public transport trips)
Castlefell School is a specialist independent school for pupils aged 8-16 with social, emotional and mental health needs and/or autism. The school is well-led, builds strong relationships with pupils, and helps them succeed after negative previous education experiences.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
13 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Castlefell School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 South Gloucestershire is 8 (the median across 127 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
88%
Available places
44 pupils
50 places
6 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bristol
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bristol
Across South Gloucestershire council
Places available
3,139
Applications
3,164
Got 1st preference
89.4%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All secondary applications across South Gloucestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
43
EHC Plans
97.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Castlefell School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
44
Total Pupils
32
Boys
12
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Castlefell School
What is Castlefell School's Ofsted rating?
Castlefell School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025.
Does Castlefell School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in March 2025, Castlefell School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Castlefell School?
Castlefell School has around 44 pupils on roll.
Does Castlefell School have specialist SEN provision?
Castlefell School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Castlefell School?
Castlefell School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Castlefell School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 South Gloucestershire is 8 (the median across 127 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Castlefell School?
Castlefell School is at Silverhill Brake, Rudgeway, Bristol, BS35 3NS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)