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Academy converter · South Gloucestershire

The Castle School

  • 11–18Ages
  • 1,416Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 139348URN

Park Road, Thornbury, Bristol, BS35 1HT · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Mar 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.5per place
0.7 below South Gloucestershire median (2.2)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in South Gloucestershire

371 applications for 256 places · 14th of 15 in South Gloucestershire
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
52.0of 90
3rd of 16 in South Gloucestershire
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 31 March 2026Published 25 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 31 March 2026
    Report card · 7 Expected standard
  2. 25 November 2021
    Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry
1.5applications per place, Year 7
0.7 below South Gloucestershire median (2.2) 0.8 below England median (2.2)

371 applications · 256 places offered · 235 named it first

  1. 2026 1.5; South Gloucestershire median median 2.2
  2. 2025 1.6; South Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  3. 2024 1.4; South Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  4. 2023 1.5; South Gloucestershire median median 1.9
  5. 2022 1.6; South Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  6. 2021 1.6; South Gloucestershire median median 1.9
  7. 2020 1.6; South Gloucestershire median median 1.9
  8. 2019 1.8; South Gloucestershire median median 1.8
  9. 2018 1.8; South Gloucestershire median median 1.8
  10. 2017 1.8; South Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  11. 2016 1.8; South Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  12. 2015 1.7; South Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  13. 2014 1.6; South Gloucestershire median median 2.0
More applications per place than the South Gloucestershire median in 0 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • South Gloucestershire median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262563711.52350.92
Sep 20252203511.62100.95
Sep 20242603531.42270.87
Sep 20232053141.51780.87
Sep 20221973171.61780.90
Sep 20212253511.62000.89
Sep 20202443921.61950.80
Sep 20192624741.82500.95
Sep 20182654861.82651.00
Sep 20172384261.82090.88
Sep 20162684701.82510.94
Sep 20152644481.72400.91
Sep 20142674391.62450.92

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

252 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)52.03rd of 16 in South Gloucestershire
Grade 5 or above in English and maths51%5th of 16 in South Gloucestershire
Grade 4 or above in English and maths72%
  • This school
  • South Gloucestershire median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.33
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)25252.051%72%–
2024/2522352.458%75%–
2023/2425950.652%73%+0.33
2022/2326352.554%79%+0.26

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
139348 · 803/4120
Trust
Pathway Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,733 pupils · 1,416 on roll
Free school meals
14.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 March 2013
Replaced
The Castle School (URN 109297)
Address
Park Road, Thornbury, Bristol, BS35 1HT
Local authority
South Gloucestershire

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources