The Castle School

About The Castle School

The Castle School is an academy converter in Taunton, Somerset, England, for pupils aged 11–19. It has 1,202 pupils on roll. It is part of BLACKDOWN EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP. Its most recent Ofsted inspection (3 October 2023) rated it Outstanding. At GCSE, pupils achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 52.7 (2025/26). 13.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 13.9% have English as an additional language.

School Information

Local Authority

Somerset →

School Type

Academy converter

Phase

Secondary

Age Range

Ages 11–19

Gender

Mixed

Pupils / Capacity

1,202 / 1,188 (101%) · over capacity

Sixth Form

Has a sixth form

Religious Character

Does not apply

Admissions Policy

Non-selective

Last Ofsted Inspection

3 October 2023

Who attends this school — useful context if you’re considering teaching here.

Source: DfE School Census, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Official Department for Education results, pupil destinations and attendance.

Progress 8 isn’t published for this year group: their Key Stage 2 baseline (2021 SATs) was cancelled during the pandemic, so a progress measure can’t be calculated. GCSE figures are provisional and may be revised.

Source: Department for Education performance tables, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Some independent schools’ qualifications (e.g. IGCSEs) are not all reflected in these figures.

Staffing at this school, with the trend over recent years — useful if you’re considering working here.

Data for the 2024/25 academic year (trend lines show 3 years). Source: DfE School Workforce Census, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. State-funded schools only.

How this school is funded and where the money goes — per pupil.

Source: DfE school finance returns (CFR for council-maintained schools, AAR for academies), 2024-25, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Per-pupil figures are calculated from total income/expenditure.

Contact Details

Address

Wellington Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 5AU

Phone

01823274073

Headteacher

James Lamb

Website

http://www.castleschool.co.uk/

Academy Trust

Frequently asked questions

What type of school is The Castle School?

The Castle School is an academy converter in Taunton, Somerset, England, for pupils aged 11–19.

How many pupils does The Castle School have?

The Castle School has 1,202 pupils on roll, according to Department for Education data.

What is The Castle School's Ofsted rating?

The Castle School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection (3 October 2023).

How does The Castle School perform at GCSE?

Pupils at The Castle School achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 52.7 in 2025/26.

Is The Castle School part of an academy trust?

Yes — The Castle School is part of BLACKDOWN EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP.

Where is The Castle School?

The Castle School is located at Wellington Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 5AU.