The Castle School
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-19 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Wellington Road Taunton Somerset TA1 5AU |
| Phone | 01823274073 |
| Reference Number | 136916 |
The Castle School has received an outstanding rating in its first Ofsted inspection, reflecting its exceptional performance across all evaluated domains. The school, part of the Blackdown Education Partnership, has demonstrated excellent quality in education, behavior, personal development, and leadership. Pupils thrive in a warm and supportive environment where they feel valued and encouraged to excel. The curriculum is ambitious and well-structured, allowing pupils to engage deeply with their learning and develop a strong sense of responsibility and citizenship.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1202 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 49.25%
Girls: 50.75% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 12.4% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 13.2% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 20.9 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 124 | 115 | 239 |
| 8 | 120 | 124 | 244 |
| 9 | 106 | 132 | 238 |
| 10 | 118 | 122 | 240 |
| 11 | 124 | 117 | 241 |
| 12 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 13 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 80.7% |
| Indian | 4.8% |
| White, Other | 4.6% |
| African | 2.5% |
| Asian, Other | 2.2% |
| White & Asian | 1.2% |
| Mixed, Other | 1% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.6% |
| Chinese | 0.4% |
| Unclassified | 0.4% |
| Pakistani | 0.2% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.1% |
| Irish | 0.1% |
| Caribbean | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| > Quality of education | Outstanding |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 03 Oct 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 03 Oct 2023 | School inspection: |
| 14 Feb 2012 | Academy conversion letter |
| 15 Nov 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| Previously as The Castle School | |
| 15 Nov 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 04 Jun 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 04 Jun 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 28 Nov 2007 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 28 Nov 2007 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 25 Jan 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 25 Jan 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 01 Nov 1999 | Full inspection |
| 01 Nov 1999 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Outstanding quality of education with a broad and ambitious curriculum.
- Exemplary pupil behavior and a supportive school environment.
- Strong commitment to personal development and community contribution.
- Effective leadership that prioritizes staff development and engagement.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 53.4 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 57.7% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 77.4% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 179 | 3 |
| Third Preference | 39 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 2 | 1 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
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|
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|
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|
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|
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|
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