Castlewood School

Castlewood School is a specialist SEMH setting within Manor Hall Academy Trust, where almost all pupils have an education, health and care plan and many join after disrupted education, exclusion or extended periods out of school. This full inspection found the school is broadly performing at the expected standard, with safeguarding standards met. Leaders have clear priorities and a renewed drive, and pupils benefit from an inclusive, supportive and increasingly well-structured school experience. The strongest features are the school's work in reading, its inclusive support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, and the quality of pastoral care and relationships. Pupils feel safe, behaviour is generally calm, and personal development is supported through a thoughtful programme. Attendance is improving, and leaders understand the barriers that make regular attendance difficult for some pupils. However, important areas still need development. Assessment is not used consistently enough to adapt learning in the moment, teaching is not always adapted precisely to pupils' needs, and pupils are not always clear about what they are expected to learn or how to improve. Attendance remains lower than expected for some pupils, persistent absence is high, and the PSHE and relationships and sex education curriculum is not yet delivered with sufficient consistency or depth.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met and pupils feel safe.
• Reading is a notable strength, with daily sessions and interventions helping pupils overcome previous barriers.
• Inclusion is a strength, with effective support for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
• Strong pastoral care and trusting relationships help pupils regulate and re-engage with learning.
• Personal development is supported through a broad programme that builds confidence, resilience and self-awareness.
• Leaders have a clear understanding of priorities and recent leadership changes have brought renewed drive.
• Governance and trust support provide appropriate challenge, accountability and training.
• Staff speak positively about support, staff wellbeing and opportunities to share practice.
• Parents and external professionals speak positively about the school's support and responsiveness.
• Pupils are increasingly prepared for adulthood, further education, training or employment.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment is not always used precisely enough to identify what pupils know and can do and to adapt learning in the moment.
• Teaching is not consistently adapted to meet pupils' learning needs carefully enough.
• Pupils are not always clear about what they are expected to learn or how to improve.
• Attendance remains lower than expected for some pupils, despite improving overall.
• Persistent absence remains high.
• The PSHE and relationships and sex education curriculum is not always delivered with sufficient consistency or depth.
• Systems for checking what pupils know and remember in personal development are still developing.
• Curriculum and teaching are not yet consistent across all lessons.
• Published outcomes do not fully reflect the school's current performance.

In 2024–25 pupils at Castlewood School attended 79.3% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 53.5% 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, 26.3% of pupils at Castlewood School 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 Castlewood School had 5.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.8% 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 Castlewood School had 97 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: social, emotional and mental health; autistic spectrum disorder.

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 2024–25 Castlewood School received £33,326 and spent £30,739 for each of its 99 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £491,000 (£4,962 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of Manor Hall Academy Trust, income was £31,857 and spending £31,448 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

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All schools in Birmingham · Solihull local authority: places and applications

Castlewood School is part of Manor Hall Academy Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Shenstone Lodge School Lichfield
• Rocklands School Lichfield
• Sherbrook Primary School Cannock
• Loxley Hall School Uttoxeter
• Manor Abbey School Stoke-On-Trent
• Cicely Haughton School Stoke-On-Trent
• Merryfields School Newcastle
• Springfield School Leek
• The Meadows School Leek
• Adelaide School Crewe

What is Castlewood School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Castlewood School is Expected standard, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was Castlewood School last inspected by Ofsted?

Castlewood School was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does Castlewood School have?

Castlewood School has 97 pupils on roll.

What age range does Castlewood School cover?

Castlewood School for pupils aged 4 to 16.

What are Castlewood School's GCSE results?

In 2025 its average Attainment 8 score was 12.6, and 0% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

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

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

Where is Castlewood School?

Castlewood School is at Lanchester Way, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, West Midlands, B36 9LF.