The Costello School, Basingstoke
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
The Costello School creates a welcoming 'family' environment where pupils are proud to belong and feel valued by staff and peers. Teaching is consistent and well-planned, helping pupils build secure knowledge across all subjects, with particularly strong support for disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs. The school offers diverse enrichment opportunities including an outdoor curriculum, sports, performing arts, and meaningful work experience, ensuring all pupils can develop their talents and prepare ambitiously for their futures.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve close to national averages in examinations, with significant improvement for disadvantaged pupils
- Attendance has improved substantially through robust support systems and work with families
- Behaviour is excellent with suspensions falling sharply, creating a calm and orderly school environment
- Well-designed ambitious curriculum with consistent teaching routines and daily opportunities to revisit learning
- Strong inclusion culture with the Apollo nurture provision and Harriet wellbeing centre providing timely support
Areas for Improvement
- More precision needed to identify specific gaps in foundational reading knowledge and phonics for some pupils
- School does not consistently identify precisely enough what some pupils know and can do, limiting effectiveness of targeted interventions
- Understanding of fundamental British values is less secure for some pupils
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Knitting clubs, sports clubs, performing arts clubs, outdoor curriculum (Year 7 and 8), careers fair, work experience, tree planting activities
The Costello School is a welcoming secondary school where pupils achieve well across the curriculum and feel safe. The school has established a calm, orderly environment with strong attendance and behaviour systems, particularly benefiting disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs.
At a Glance
18.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
25.8
Avg class size
45
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Commute Calculator
Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply
What are my chances?
Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
104%
Over capacity
1,160 pupils
1,120 capacity
40 places over capacity
Area Demand Pressure - Basingstoke
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Basingstoke
Admissions Demand - Hampshire
Places available
15,423
Applications
14,221
Got 1st preference
90.9%
Got preferred school
97.7%
Secondary admissions across Hampshire (2025/26)
Inspection History(10)
House Prices
Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost
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.
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.
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
8.80443%
Overall absence
22.00315%
Persistent absence
1,268
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Costello School
Rucstall Primary School
Fairfields Primary School
St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
South View Junior School
South View Infant and Nursery School
Kings Furlong Infant School and Nursery
Maple Ridge School
Kings Furlong Junior School
Oakridge Junior School
Oakridge Infant School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
Do you work at this school?
Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.