Castlefield School Review 2026: A large primary with strong Key Stage 2 outcomes and a growing wraparound offer

Big, busy, and improvement-minded, Castlefield School serves children from age 2 through to Year 6, with early years provision sitting alongside a full primary. The site matters here, there is enough space for separate playgrounds by key stage, plus a large field, two halls and a multi-use games area (MUGA), and the school has also added a purpose-built nursery and additional classrooms as part of recent development work.

Outcomes at the end of Year 6 are a headline strength. In 2024, 80.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 31.33% reached greater depth across reading, writing and maths, well above the England average of 8%. Ranked 2,456th in England and 7th in High Wycombe for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), results sit above England average, placing the school within the top 25% of primaries in England.

Leadership is stable. The headteacher is Mr Andrew Kann, and he was already in post by November 2018.

Ofsted’s 8 to 9 May 2024 inspection concluded the school continues to be Good, and safeguarding arrangements were effective.

There is a deliberate “big school” feel to Castlefield, with scale that can work in families’ favour if your child thrives with plenty of peers and a wide range of roles to step into. External evaluation describes pupils as happy, settled and hardworking, with adults knowing pupils well and expecting both strong learning habits and strong conduct in class and around the building.

A useful indicator of culture is how the school shares responsibility with pupils. The inspection evidence highlights structured pupil leadership, including play leaders and peer mentors, with peer mentors trained to help other children resolve disagreements at playtimes. That detail matters because it signals a school that prefers to teach social problem-solving explicitly, rather than relying on adults to mediate every small conflict.

The school’s own language also points to the tone it sets. The inspection report notes a set of “building blocks” used across school life, focused on learning habits, enrichment and high expectations. In practice, you see the same theme in the way clubs are positioned, not as optional extras for the most confident children, but as routines that reward effort and contribution. For example, the Rising Stars Sports Club is described as a lunchtime club for selected pupils who demonstrate sportsmanship, a strong work ethic, and positive role-modelling.

Early years is not treated as a bolt-on. External evaluation says children make a strong start in Reception, and staff promote reading for pleasure beginning in Nursery, supported by intentional book choices and regular reading aloud.

Castlefield’s headline story is Key Stage 2 attainment that outpaces England averages across the core measures, combined with scaled scores that indicate consistently strong performance in reading, mathematics, and grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Key Stage 2, 2024 headline measures

• Expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined: 80.33%, compared with an England average of 62%.

• Higher standard across reading, writing and maths: 31.33%, compared with an England average of 8%.

Those are not marginal differences. For parents, the implication is that Castlefield is converting a wide portion of the cohort into secure, Year 6-ready literacy and numeracy, and it is also stretching a substantial group beyond the expected threshold.

Scaled scores and subject indicators, 2024

• Reading scaled score: 106

• Mathematics scaled score: 108

• Grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled score: 109

• Expected standard in maths: 86%

• Expected standard in GPS: 85%

• Expected standard in reading: 77%

• Expected standard in science: 85% (England average: 82%)

A practical way to interpret these is to look at how broad the strength appears. Strong maths and GPS often point to clear routines and consistent checking of understanding, while strong science suggests curriculum sequencing is not limited to English and maths.

Rankings context (FindMySchool, based on official data)

• Ranked 2,456th in England for primary outcomes

• Ranked 7th in High Wycombe locally

• This sits above England average, placing the school comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England for primary performance.

Parents comparing nearby schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to line up results side by side, which is often more helpful than relying on reputation alone.

Teaching is described, in external evidence, as well-ordered and intentionally sequenced, with curriculum content delivered in a sensible progression and with vocabulary taught explicitly across subjects. That phrasing suggests the school is aiming for a coherent whole-school curriculum rather than a collection of teacher-led topics.

Reading is a key strength. Staff teaching of early reading and phonics is described as effective, with careful tracking of pupils’ mastery of sounds and rapid additional support for those needing catch-up. The same evidence points to an emphasis on reading for pleasure, starting in Nursery, which usually correlates with frequent story time, a steady diet of high-quality texts, and classroom routines that keep reading visible.

One area for continued refinement is also clearly identified: in some lessons, checks on pupils’ understanding are not as sharp as they could be, meaning misconceptions can persist longer than necessary. In a school with strong attainment overall, this often shows up as unevenness between classes or subjects, rather than a systemic weakness. For parents, it is worth asking how staff are improving checking for understanding and how this is being made consistent across the curriculum.

SEND practice is described as a strength, with staff adapting the curriculum sensitively, working with external professionals, and building personalised programmes where needed. The report also acknowledges growing complexity and rising numbers of pupils joining with SEND, which is a common modern challenge for large primaries. The key question for families is whether that support is integrated into everyday teaching, rather than relying solely on withdrawal, and the evidence here points to the former.

As a Buckinghamshire primary, Castlefield sits within a local system that includes both non-selective secondary schools and selective grammar routes.

The school explicitly signposts the Secondary Transfer Test (11+) process for families considering grammar. For pupils with SEND, school documentation references collaboration with local secondary schools that pupils commonly move on to, including Cressex, St Michael’s Catholic School, and Stony Dean School. (Families considering grammar options will also want to track the Buckinghamshire testing timetable each year, as dates and registration arrangements are updated annually by the local authority.)

For most families, this is the right way to frame “destinations” at primary level: Castlefield supports multiple pathways, and the practical next step is to shortlist realistic secondaries early, then align Year 5 and Year 6 planning around that shortlist.

Castlefield is a foundation school, with the governing body acting as the admissions authority, but it participates in Buckinghamshire’s coordinated admissions scheme for Reception entry. In plain terms, you apply through the local authority’s standard primary application route, and the school’s oversubscription criteria then determine allocation.

Demand picture

Recent demand indicators show the school oversubscribed for primary entry, with 62 applications for 32 offers, a ratio of 1.94 applications per place.

Reception entry and priority criteria

The school’s admissions policy sets out a clear oversubscription order, beginning with looked-after and previously looked-after children, then catchment, then siblings, followed by distance from home to the school gate. The catchment area is defined using local road boundaries (for example Spearing Road, Rutland Avenue, Booker Lane and several adjoining roads are named), so families who are close but outside the boundary should not assume distance alone will carry priority.

Reception admission number for September 2026

Buckinghamshire Council’s school directory lists a Reception admission number of 75 for September 2026 entry. The school’s own published admissions policy also references a Reception intake figure of 60. Because these sources conflict, families should check which figure is being applied for the specific entry year, and confirm directly with the admissions authority before making decisions based on intake size.

Key dates for September 2026 Reception entry (Buckinghamshire coordinated admissions)

• Applications open: 5 November 2025

• Deadline: 15 January 2026 (11:59pm)

• Offer day: 16 April 2026

For families balancing multiple schools, the FindMySchoolMap Search tool is a sensible way to check approximate proximity against a shortlist, then validate boundary and address evidence requirements via the local authority.

Behaviour is described as exemplary in external evidence, with staff teaching routines, applying behaviour expectations consistently, and building strong relationships between pupils and adults. That combination usually matters more than any single behaviour policy document because it indicates day-to-day consistency.

Wellbeing is framed as proactive rather than reactive. External evaluation notes a deliberate approach to physical and mental health, including how the physical education curriculum and lunchtime offer contribute to healthy habits. Attendance is also described as strong, with regular monitoring designed to identify issues early and support families where needed.

For children who need extra support, SEND adaptation is portrayed as thoughtful and increasingly personalised, with external professionals involved as appropriate. Parents of children with additional needs should ask how intervention is scheduled, what communication looks like term to term, and how the school manages transitions (especially from early years into Reception and from Year 6 into Year 7).

Castlefield has the scale to run activities in a structured way, and the clearest picture comes from the named programmes it publishes.

Sport is prominent, supported by facilities that include a large field and a MUGA, plus separate playgrounds and two halls. The school lists Key Stage 2 sports clubs running 3:15pm to 4:15pm, with activities such as basketball, athletics and cricket rotating by year group. The U11 boys’ football team is also singled out, with staff describing it as an “inaugural season”, which hints at a programme still building momentum rather than one resting on long tradition.

Music is not left behind. Two specific examples stand out: Recorder Club for Years 3 and 4, and The Castlefield Choir, which is described as supporting community events and charity fundraising during the winter months. The implication is that music participation is designed to be accessible, with an entry point (recorders) and then a broader collective experience (choir), which often suits primary pupils who are still building confidence.

Recognition-based participation also appears in the Rising Stars Sports Club, positioned as an opportunity for pupils who demonstrate sportsmanship, strong work ethic and role-model behaviour. This matters because it ties extracurricular access to conduct and contribution, not only talent, and can reinforce the school’s wider expectations.

School day: Lessons run until 3:20pm for Reception to Year 6. Nursery sessions are published as 8:45am to 11:45am and 12:15pm to 3:15pm.

Wraparound care: Breakfast club runs on school mornings with doors opening at 8:00am, and it is priced at £2.00 per session. An after-school club launched from September 2025 as a trial, running 3:15pm to 6:00pm in term time, priced at £13 per session (with limited daily capacity published).

Space and facilities: Families considering a large primary often worry about congestion and play space. Castlefield’s facilities list is reassuring, with three adventure playgrounds, permanent external gazebos, separate playgrounds by key stage, plus two halls, a large field and a MUGA.

• A large setting. With a published capacity of 700 and a roll around the mid-400s to mid-400s range in official material, this is not a “small village primary” experience. That can suit social children, but quieter pupils may need time and support to settle into the scale.

• Teaching consistency. External evaluation highlights strong curriculum sequencing, but also flags that checking pupils’ understanding is not yet consistently sharp in every lesson. Families may want to ask how this is being tackled across subjects and classes.

• Admissions complexity. Oversubscription criteria include a defined catchment area plus distance, and the published Reception admission number for 2026 entry appears inconsistently across official pages. Clarify boundary and intake size early, especially if a move is planned.

• Secondary pathway choices. Buckinghamshire’s selective route shapes Year 5 and Year 6 decision-making for some families. If grammar is a possibility, plan early; if it is not, focus attention on non-selective secondary options and transition support.

Castlefield School combines the advantages of a large primary, space, structured roles for pupils, and a busy co-curricular life, with Key Stage 2 outcomes that compare strongly against England averages. It suits families who want a well-organised mainstream primary with early years attached, and who value clear expectations around learning and conduct. The limiting factor is admission rather than what the school offers once your child is in, so families should take catchment rules and local authority timelines seriously when planning.