Castle Academy
Northampton, NN1 2TR · West Northamptonshire local authority
Northampton’s School Grade B better than 64% of towns in England
What stands out about Castle Academy
- Its own letter, B: Key Stage 2 results better than 57% of England’s primary schools
- Over capacity: 455 pupils for 420 places
- Ofsted report card, May 2026: achievement expected standard, safeguarding met (shown, not graded)
- Every family who put it first got a place for September 2026 (53 of 53)
- Homes in its postcode sector (NN1 2) sold for a median £128,000; Northampton’s is £260,000
Results
DfE · Key Stage 2Reading, writing and maths 65%
Met the expected standard, DfE’s 3-year average 2023–2025 · higher than 57% of England’s 14,979 graded primaries · West Northamptonshire avg 62%
Each subject, 2025
Met the expected standard; the mark is England’s schools · average scaled score: reading 105, maths 106 (100 = the expected standard)
Disadvantaged pupils, 2025
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths: the 14 disadvantaged pupils and the rest, beside England’s schools
England’s figures are of its graded mainstream state schools, each school counted once; grammar schools are included, which is why the right-hand tail is long. Small cohorts are suppressed.
How hard is it to get a place at Castle Academy?
Every family who put it first got a place for September 2026.
Years when some first choices missed out: 2019 (4), 2020 (12), 2024 (16), 2025 (4). The council runs the coordinated admissions; each school’s rules (siblings, distance, faith) decide who gets in. DfE doesn’t publish the furthest distance offered, so check the council’s admissions booklet for that. East Midlands Academy Trust sets the admissions rules. Apply through West Northamptonshire council’s coordinated admissions.
Outline = places offered · green = families who put it first · striped = more first choices than places · the 10 most in demand
100% got their first choice
Northampton and West Northamptonshire, side by side
2023–2025All 141 graded primaries in West Northamptonshire. Schools with more pupils on free school meals usually score lower, so a school above the crowd for its free school meals is doing better than its intake predicts. Northampton’s schools are coloured by their letter.
Show as a table
| School | Letter | Free school meals | KS2 expected standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helmdon Primary School | A+ | 10% | 97% |
| The Bramptons Primary School | A+ | 3% | 95% |
| John Hellins Primary School | A+ | 7% | 95% |
| Hartwell Primary School | A+ | 5% | 95% |
| Greatworth Primary School | A+ | 8% | 93% |
| Yardley Hastings Primary School | A+ | 3% | 88% |
| Pineham Barns Primary School | A+ | 10% | 87% |
| Maidwell Primary School | A+ | 2% | 86% |
| Hackleton CofE Primary School | A+ | 8% | 86% |
| Briar Hill Primary School & Nursery | A+ | 32% | 85% |
| Parklands Primary School | A | 8% | 82% |
| West Haddon Endowed Church of England Primary School | A | 3% | 81% |
| The Arbours Primary Academy | A | 22% | 81% |
| Walgrave Primary School | A | 12% | 79% |
| Wootton Park School | A | 9% | 79% |
| Duston Eldean Primary School | A | 10% | 78% |
| Brixworth CofE VC Primary School | A | 13% | 78% |
| The Bliss Charity School | A | 8% | 78% |
| Abington Vale Primary School | A | 12% | 77% |
| Preston Hedges Primary School | A | 4% | 77% |
| Kislingbury Primary School | A | 13% | 77% |
| Welton Church of England Academy | A | 9% | 76% |
| Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School | A− | 8% | 75% |
| Weston Favell CofE Primary School | A− | 8% | 75% |
| Woodland View Primary School | A− | 6% | 74% |
| Blisworth Community Primary School | A− | 9% | 73% |
| Wootton Primary School | A− | 14% | 73% |
| Long Buckby Junior School | A− | 17% | 72% |
| East Haddon Church of England Primary School | A− | 0% | 72% |
| Little Houghton Church of England Primary | A− | 13% | 71% |
| Blakesley Church of England Primary School | A− | 4% | 71% |
| Old Stratford Primary School | A− | 13% | 71% |
| Eastfield Academy | B+ | 34% | 70% |
| Kings Heath Primary Academy | B+ | 31% | 70% |
| Simon de Senlis Primary School | B+ | 9% | 70% |
| Caroline Chisholm School | B+ | 13% | 69% |
| Ecton Brook Primary School | B+ | 24% | 69% |
| Middleton Cheney Primary Academy | B+ | 9% | 69% |
| Flore Church of England Primary School | B+ | 14% | 68% |
| Tiffield Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | B+ | 6% | 68% |
| The Duston School | B+ | 16% | 68% |
| Malcolm Arnold Preparatory School | B+ | 19% | 68% |
| Collingtree Church of England Primary School | B+ | 34% | 68% |
| Overstone Primary School | B | 10% | 67% |
| Pitsford Primary School | B | 19% | 67% |
| Boughton Primary School | B | 5% | 67% |
| Silverstone Church of England Primary School | B | 10% | 67% |
| Guilsborough Church of England Primary School | B | 7% | 67% |
| Whitehills Primary School | B | 12% | 66% |
| Whittlebury Church of England Primary School | B | 10% | 66% |
| St Luke's Church of England Primary School | B | 14% | 66% |
| Lumbertubs Primary School | B | 31% | 66% |
| Brington Primary School | B | 8% | 65% |
| Denton Primary School | B | 8% | 65% |
| Bridgewater Primary School | B | 6% | 65% |
| Castle Academy | B | 20% | 65% |
| Kingsley Primary School | B | 26% | 65% |
| Clipston Endowed Voluntary Controlled Primary School | B− | 7% | 64% |
| Newnham Primary School | B− | 5% | 64% |
| Staverton Church of England Voluntary Primary School | B− | 18% | 64% |
| Cedar Road Primary School | B− | 17% | 63% |
| Kilsby Church of England Primary School | B− | 8% | 63% |
| Roade Primary School | B− | 8% | 62% |
| Boothville Primary School | B− | 20% | 62% |
| St Andrew's Ceva Primary School | B− | 25% | 62% |
| Hardingstone Academy | B− | 17% | 62% |
| Towcester Church of England Primary School | B− | 23% | 62% |
| The Abbey Primary School | B− | 20% | 62% |
| Welford Sibbertoft and Sulby Endowed School | B− | 19% | 62% |
| Bracken Leas Primary School | B− | 4% | 62% |
| Hunsbury Park Primary School | B− | 32% | 62% |
| St James Church of England Primary School | B− | 26% | 61% |
| Standens Barn Primary School | B− | 19% | 61% |
| Cogenhoe Primary School | B− | 8% | 61% |
| Rothersthorpe Church of England Primary School | B− | 7% | 61% |
| Moulton Primary School | C+ | 12% | 59% |
| Headlands Primary School | C+ | 19% | 59% |
| East Hunsbury Primary School | C+ | 12% | 59% |
| Barry Primary School | C+ | 13% | 58% |
| Harpole Primary School | C+ | 7% | 58% |
| Thorplands Primary School | C+ | 40% | 58% |
| Queen Eleanor Primary Academy | C+ | 19% | 58% |
| Abbey CofE Academy | C+ | 32% | 58% |
| Ashby Fields Primary School | C+ | 15% | 58% |
| The Radstone Primary School | C+ | 9% | 58% |
| Brackley Church of England Junior School | C | 14% | 57% |
| Chipping Warden Primary Academy | C | 13% | 57% |
| Gayton Church of England Primary School | C | 5% | 56% |
| Barby Church of England Primary School | C | 9% | 56% |
| Braunston Church of England Primary School | C | 13% | 56% |
| Rectory Farm Primary School | C | 30% | 56% |
| Greens Norton Church of England Primary School | C | 12% | 56% |
| Blackthorn Primary School | C | 36% | 56% |
| Croughton All Saints CofE Primary School | C | 10% | 55% |
| Delapre Primary School | C | 19% | 55% |
| Millway Primary School | C | 16% | 55% |
| Kingsthorpe Village Primary School | C | 10% | 55% |
| Sunnyside Primary Academy | C | 21% | 55% |
| Woodford Halse Church of England Primary Academy | C | 26% | 55% |
| St Gregory's Catholic Primary School | C | 23% | 55% |
| The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School | C | 19% | 55% |
| Upton Meadows Primary School | C | 31% | 55% |
| Yardley Gobion Church of England Primary School | C | 16% | 54% |
| Green Oaks Primary Academy | C | 30% | 54% |
| Spratton Church of England Primary School | C | 9% | 54% |
| Chiltern Primary School | C− | 23% | 53% |
| Stoke Bruerne Church of England Primary School | C− | 3% | 53% |
| Stimpson Avenue Academy | C− | 17% | 53% |
| Deanshanger Primary School | C− | 11% | 53% |
| Crick Primary School | C− | 5% | 52% |
| Lyncrest Primary School | C− | 9% | 52% |
| Spring Lane Primary School | C− | 29% | 52% |
| Bugbrooke Community Primary School | C− | 20% | 51% |
| Falconer's Hill Academy | C− | 31% | 51% |
| Ashton CofE Primary School | C− | 37% | 50% |
| Syresham St James CofE Primary School and Nursery | C− | 4% | 50% |
| St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Aston-le-Walls | C− | 17% | 50% |
| All Saints CofE VA Primary School | C− | 18% | 50% |
| DSLV E-ACT Academy | C− | 35% | 50% |
| Milton Parochial Primary School | C− | 11% | 50% |
| Hopping Hill Primary School | C− | 17% | 49% |
| Earl Spencer Primary School | C− | 28% | 48% |
| Vernon Terrace Primary School | C− | 16% | 48% |
| Woodvale Primary Academy | C− | 25% | 48% |
| Northampton International Academy | D | 27% | 47% |
| Byfield School | D | 22% | 47% |
| Pattishall Church of England Primary School | D | 7% | 45% |
| St Mary's Catholic Primary School | D | 23% | 45% |
| Lings Primary School | D | 31% | 44% |
| Kings Sutton Primary Academy | D | 24% | 44% |
| Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School | D | 31% | 43% |
| Newbottle and Charlton Church of England Primary School | D | 3% | 43% |
| Culworth Church of England Primary Academy | D | 7% | 43% |
| Naseby Church of England Primary Academy | D | 3% | 41% |
| Badby School | D | 2% | 41% |
| Yelvertoft Primary School | D | 14% | 39% |
| Farthinghoe Primary School | D | 19% | 39% |
| Harlestone Primary School | D− | 13% | 38% |
| Chacombe CEVA Primary Academy | D− | 9% | 34% |
| Paulerspury Church of England Primary School | D− | 14% | 32% |
| Weedon Bec Primary School | D− | 9% | 22% |
Who goes here
DfE school census, January 2025451 pupils. SEN support is extra help in school for a special educational need; an EHC plan is the council’s legal plan for pupils who need more.
Girls and boys
Castle Academy’s letter
Its own results against England’s schools, not the town’s School Grade.
How school letters are worked out
Each school’s measure is compared with every graded school in England of the same phase: for primaries, the share of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (DfE’s three-year average); for secondaries, Attainment 8 and the share with grade 5 or above in English and maths, each turned into a z-score against England’s schools and averaged. The letter comes from the share of those schools it beats, in the same bands as every grade on the site. The same method gives U.S. schools their letters, against their own state.
Graded: England’s open mainstream state schools with published results (grammar schools included, which select by test). Not graded: special schools, alternative provision, nurseries, 16–19 colleges, UTCs and studio schools, Welsh schools. Ofsted plays no part.
Ofsted inspections
Shown, not graded: Ofsted is never part of a letter or the School Grade.
Report card, inspection starting May 2026.
Before the report card: Ungraded inspection: School remains Good, January 2022.
Living near Castle Academy
For families thinking of moving: what homes cost around the school, and the other schools close by.
Home prices in NN1 2, the school’s postcode sector
Northampton property prices →Median sale price each year, 2010 to 2025
By type, the 36 months to August 2026
Homes in NN1 2 sell for well under Northampton’s typical price. HM Land Registry Price Paid, standard sales. Catchments aren’t published, so the postcode sector stands in for “around the school”.
Schools within 1.6 miles
23 state schoolsLocation
Directions ↗Northampton, NN1 2TR
Castle Academy: common questions
Is Castle Academy a good school?
By its published results, above average: its Key Stage 2 results are better than 57% of England’s primary schools (its letter is B), with 65% of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, against 62% for England’s schools. Ofsted: a report card in May 2026.
How hard is it to get into Castle Academy?
For September 2026, 53 families put Castle Academy first and all of them were offered a place; 54 places were offered in all.
What is Castle Academy’s Ofsted rating?
Its latest inspection (May 2026) gave a report card: achievement expected standard, safeguarding met. Ofsted stopped giving one-word overall grades in September 2024.
How much do houses cost near Castle Academy?
Homes in its postcode sector, NN1 2, sold for a median £128,000 over the 36 months to August 2026 (53 sales).
Sources: DfE Get Information about Schools (16 October 2026), Key Stage 2 performance tables (2023–2025, three-year average) and Key Stage 4 (2025/26, provisional); Ofsted state-funded school inspections as at 30 September 2026. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Also: DfE Key Stage 4 performance, schools data (2023/24 and 2024/25 final, 2025/26 provisional) and Key Stage 2 performance tables 2024/25 by subject; DfE school census, January 2025; DfE school-level applications and offers, September 2019 to 2026 entry; HM Land Registry Price Paid by postcode sector, 2010 to August 2026.
A school’s letter is our own summary of its published results against England’s schools of the same phase; Northampton’s School Grade is a separate grade, built from the results of the schools in and around the town against other towns. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.