Castleton CofE Primary School

Castleton C of E Primary School is performing well, with an overall effectiveness rated as good. The school has established a nurturing and supportive environment where every pupil feels valued and safe. Significant efforts have been made by staff and governors to bring about improvements, including a focus on reading and personal development that aligns with the unique context of the school. While the school has strengths in the quality of education, behaviour, and leadership, there are areas for enhancement in the foundation subjects and curriculum delivery.

Strengths

• Nurturing and caring learning environment
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils
• Effective phonics programme in place
• Pupils excited about reading
• Commitment to removing barriers for SEND pupils
• Planned personal development offer tailored to pupils' needs
• Active and supportive governance

Areas for Improvement

• Foundation subjects need better curriculum organization for mixed-age classes
• Variability in lesson design affects knowledge retention
• Limited oversight of foundation subject leadership

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 Castleton CofE Primary School attended 71.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 77.3% 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 2023–24, 0.0% of pupils at Castleton CofE Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.0%). 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 Castleton CofE Primary School had 8.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2023–24, 21.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 17.1%).

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, 28.6% of pupils at Castleton CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.0% 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 Castleton CofE Primary School received £17,442 and spent £18,132 for each of its 21 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £59,000 (£2,794 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 Hope Valley · Derbyshire local authority: places and applications

What is Castleton CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Castleton CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Castleton CofE Primary School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Castleton CofE Primary School have?

Castleton CofE Primary School has 21 pupils on roll.

What age range does Castleton CofE Primary School cover?

Castleton CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

Where is Castleton CofE Primary School?

Castleton CofE Primary School is at Back Street, Castleton, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S33 8WE.