Castle School, Cambridge

Castle School in Cambridge is currently rated as requiring improvement overall, despite notable strengths in behaviour, personal development, and leadership. The school provides a nurturing environment where pupils feel welcomed and valued. Many students are beginning to learn well due to the redesigned curriculum, especially in English and mathematics, where teaching practices are improving. However, there are concerns about the effectiveness of the reading curriculum in the secondary phase, which does not fully support comprehension skills necessary for broader academic success. Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils, but they face challenges in embedding changes across the entire curriculum efficiently and consistently.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy attending school and feel valued.
• The school has a nurturing environment catering to individual needs.
• Behaviour is good, with pupils focusing well in lessons.
• The leadership team has a renewed sense of aspiration for pupil achievement.
• The curriculum redesign has positively impacted early reading and mathematics.
• Pupils develop independence through a comprehensive enrichment offer.

Areas for Improvement

• The quality of education is inconsistent, requiring improvement.
• Reading instruction in the secondary phase lacks development in comprehension skills.
• Some teachers are unclear on the specifics of the new curriculum.
• Curriculum implementation is still in early stages, causing gaps in knowledge.

In 2024–25 pupils at Castle School, Cambridge attended 88.0% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 37.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

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, 0.9% of pupils at Castle School, Cambridge were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). 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 Castle School, Cambridge had 6.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

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 Castle School, Cambridge had 233 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.

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 special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Castle School, Cambridge received £30,477 and spent £33,836 for each of its 233 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £1,704,000 (-£7,311 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).

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• Secondary Schools

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What is Castle School, Cambridge's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Castle School, Cambridge is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Castle School, Cambridge last inspected by Ofsted?

Castle School, Cambridge was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Castle School, Cambridge have?

Castle School, Cambridge has 233 pupils on roll.

What age range does Castle School, Cambridge cover?

Castle School, Cambridge for pupils aged 2 to 19.

What are Castle School, Cambridge's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Castle School, Cambridge?

Castle School, Cambridge is at Courtney Way, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB4 2EE.