Castletown Primary School, Sunderland
Castletown Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Sunderland. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 17th-highest of the 43 schools in Sunderland with published results, and 4,824th of 14,452 across England. It was 78% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Sunderland (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Castletown Primary School in detail
Castletown Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "It outlines our school vision and gives you an overview of staff, governors together with information from our school office. As a community school we work closely with our local community to provide our pupils with an exciting and purposeful curriculum that provides challenge and discovery."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include cooking, gardening and art.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care, from £2 per session.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 82% of Year 6 pupils at Castletown Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 82% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 78% in Sunderland and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (86% in reading, 77% in maths).
Getting a place at Castletown Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 29 families put Castletown Primary School as their first choice and 43 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Castletown Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Castletown Primary School are Hylton Castle Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 67% reading, 63% maths); South Hylton Primary Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 69% reading, 79% maths); Northern Saints Church of England Academy (0.9 miles, 75% reading, 86% maths); and Highfield Academy (0.9 miles, Good, 84% reading, 82% maths).
Castletown Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Hylton Castle Primary SchoolSouth Hylton Primary AcademyNorthern Saints Church of England AcademyHighfield Academy
Who goes there
8.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 60 pupils (17.3%) received SEN support and 9 (2.6%) 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 tram or metro stop is South Hylton (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Grange Road-Thompson Crescent (ne-bound), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Castletown Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 4th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Castletown Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Castletown Primary School are Castle View Enterprise Academy (0.3 miles), Academy 360 (1.2 miles) and Red House Academy (1.4 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 5 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2022 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Castletown Primary creates a welcoming environment where children feel safe, respected and proud to be part of the school. Reading is a real strength, with expert teaching that helps younger pupils become fluent and confident readers. The school does an excellent job supporting all pupils, including those with additional needs, to access the full range of learning and to develop positive attitudes towards school.
Key Strengths
- Reading is a strong focus with effective phonics teaching and confident, fluent readers in Years 1 and 2
- Well-planned curriculum in most subjects like mathematics and art, with lessons that build learning progressively
- Positive behaviour and attitudes to learning throughout the school, starting from early years
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs, ensuring they access the full curriculum
- Meticulous safeguarding systems with well-trained staff
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum planning in some foundation subjects lacks clarity and structure - essential knowledge is not clearly identified
- Assessment systems in some subjects are not sharp enough and do not check if knowledge moves to long-term memory
- Gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills are not consistently identified across all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective with meticulous systems in place; all staff are trained to spot signs pupils need help and know local risks.
Extracurricular Activities
Wind and stringed instruments, after-school sports clubs, choir, citizenship club, library responsibilities, head girl and boy positions, house captains, Wellbeing Rainbow Team, beach trips, local dene visits, residential outdoor adventure centre trips
Castletown Primary School is a good school where pupils embody strong values and behave well. Leaders have successfully addressed learning gaps from COVID-19, with reading now a particular strength.
At a Glance
31.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 86% to 82% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 77% to 82% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 76% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.8
Avg class size
29.0
Infant (KS1)
24.0
KS2
12
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Castletown Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Castletown Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Castletown Primary School is in Sunderland; for families living there:
Apply to Sunderland for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 9 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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 Sunderland is 13 (the median across 125 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
Your chances of a place at Castletown Primary School
Will you get a place at Castletown Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Castletown Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Castletown Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Castletown Primary School.
- Sunderland publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Castletown Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Castletown Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Sunderland got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
78%
Available places
327 pupils
420 places
93 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sunderland
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sunderland
Across Sunderland council
Places available
3,430
Applications
2,737
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Sunderland council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
60
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
19.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
347
Total Pupils
175
Boys
172
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
19.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,214
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,568
Per pupil
£2086k
Total funding
£132k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.7%
Overall absence
17.0%
Persistent absence
283
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Castletown Primary School
Questions parents ask about Castletown Primary School
What are SATs results like at Castletown Primary School?
Of the pupils at Castletown Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 82% reached the expected standard in reading and 82% did so in maths.
What is Castletown Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Castletown Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2022.
What is the catchment area for Castletown Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Castletown Primary School is oversubscribed, Sunderland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Castletown Primary School?
Castletown Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 78% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Castletown Primary School?
Classes at Castletown Primary School average 25.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Castletown Primary School?
Castletown Primary School has around 347 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Castletown Primary School?
5.7% of sessions were missed at Castletown Primary School in 2024/25. 17% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Castletown Primary School?
Apply through Sunderland's coordinated admissions process, naming Castletown Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Castletown Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 9 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 Sunderland is 13 (the median across 125 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Castletown Primary School?
Castletown Primary School is at Grange Road, Castletown, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 3EQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)