Castlefield School

Castlefield School continues to perform well, being recognized as a good primary school. The school is praised for its ambitious and inclusive environment where pupils are happy and achieve well. The early years provision is particularly strong, providing children with a secure start. The staff's commitment to high expectations and effective teaching across subjects, especially in reading and phonics, contributes positively to students’ overall progress and enjoyment of learning. However, there are areas for growth, particularly in the consistency of checking pupils' understanding during lessons, which can delay the identification of misconceptions.

Strengths

• Strong commitment to an ambitious and inclusive environment.
• High expectations of pupil behavior and learning.
• Effective teaching in early reading and phonics.
• Support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Exemplary pupil behavior and positive relationships within the school.
• Strong emphasis on pupils' well-being and holistic development.
• Effective systems for tracking and promoting pupil attendance.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent checks on pupils' understanding in some lessons.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Castlefield School attended 94.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.4% of pupils at Castlefield School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Castlefield School had 16.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 4.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 22.9% of pupils at Castlefield School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Castlefield School received £7,457 and spent £7,599 for each of its 420 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £123,000 (£292 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in High Wycombe · Buckinghamshire local authority: places and applications

What is Castlefield School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Castlefield School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Castlefield School last inspected by Ofsted?

Castlefield School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Castlefield School have?

Castlefield School has 446 pupils on roll.

What age range does Castlefield School cover?

Castlefield School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Castlefield School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Castlefield School?

Castlefield School is at The Middle Way, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP12 3LE.