The Castle School, Bristol

Secondary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Ms Jo Cowper
Pupils:1,416 / 1,733 capacity
LA:South Gloucestershire
Phone:01454862100
Address:Park Road, Thornbury, Bristol, BS35 1HT
Trust:PATHWAY TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 March 2013

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 6 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Inspected 31 March 2026View full report
URN:139348
UKPRN:10040650
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Thornbury and Yate
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The Castle School excels at creating a warm, respectful community where pupils feel genuinely safe and enjoy learning. Teachers present information clearly and quickly spot when pupils need extra help, with rapid support provided. The school offers excellent opportunities for personal development through clubs, sports, performances and community activities, with particularly strong careers guidance to help pupils plan their futures.

Key Strengths

  • Strong behaviour and attendance - pupils appreciate clear routines and the school is calm and orderly
  • Effective support for struggling learners - rapid identification of gaps with targeted interventions like additional reading sessions
  • Ambitious curriculum with good teaching - teachers have strong subject knowledge and check understanding before moving on
  • Excellent leadership with a clear vision for an inclusive, caring school
  • Strong personal development programme including clubs, sports, community involvement and extensive careers guidance

Areas for Improvement

  • Some pupils not improving basic writing skills (handwriting and punctuation) at the same pace as other learning
  • Adaptations for pupils with SEND not provided consistently enough
  • Gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils' achievement, though this is closing

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have created an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and all legal requirements are fulfilled, making pupils safer and helping them feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

School production, sports competitions, clubs and societies, charity fundraising, volunteering, 'Beyond The Castle' event, 'Prefect chatter' drop-in sessions

The Castle School is a well-managed school where pupils feel safe and enjoy learning. Leaders have created a calm, inclusive environment with clear expectations for behaviour and attendance, and pupils achieve well in national examinations.

At a Glance

14.6%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

21.2

Avg class size

62

Total classes

8 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

The Castle School (E-bound)
36m · 1 min walk
Alexandra Way (NE-bound)
129m · 2 min walk
Howard Road (N-bound)
266m · 4 min walk
Manor Walk (NE-bound)
357m · 6 min walk
Eastland Road (NE-bound)
363m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

82%

Available places

1,416 pupils

1,733 capacity

317 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Bristol

Medium pressure
New homes approved:21,093
Projected new pupils:3,797

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bristol

Admissions Demand - South Gloucestershire

Low demand1.03x oversubscription

Places available

3,039

Applications

3,138

Got 1st preference

90.0%

Got preferred school

98.9%

Secondary admissions across South Gloucestershire (2025/26)

Inspection History(6)

31 March 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
24 November 2021
26 January 2016

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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.

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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.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.82592%

Overall absence

22.25806%

Persistent absence

1,240

Enrolments

Authorised5.95678%
Unauthorised1.86915%
Persistent (10%+)22.25806%
Severe (50%+)3.14516%

Absence trend

6.93291%
18/19
4.38578%
20/21
8.23588%
21/22
7.60799%
22/23
7.7105%
23/24
7.82592%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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