Castle Wood Academy

West Lindsey · DN21 1EH

General information Primary School · 4-11 years Who goes here 272 pupils, 35.3% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN SEN unit · 14.7% on SEN support Behaviour 4.8% absence rate Staff 17.6% turnover Financials £6,161 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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Castle Wood Academy

General Information

Address: The Avenue, Gainsborough, DN21 1EH – View on map
Phone: 01427811516
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Miss Melanie Ryan
Age range: 4-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 43 families put it first for 44 places – 10 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 10 · 2024 10 · 2025 9 · 2026 10
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: None
Nursery provision: No

Who goes here

272 pupils out of 420 places Plenty of room

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 96
% eligible for free school meals: 35.3%
Pupil mix: 2 in 10 (similar to the West Lindsey average)
English as an additional language: 5% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 17.6% a year (West Lindsey 14.1%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 60% moved to another school, 40% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Lincolnshire: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 15 (0.3 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 6 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 2 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Lincolnshire (the council area this school is in), not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 4.8%
Persistently absent pupils: 12.8%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

SEN unit for Social, emotional and mental health 20 places · 7 pupils at the last count

Places are usually for children with an EHC Plan and are arranged through the council, not the normal school application.

Pupils on SEN Support: 14.7%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 7.0%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need: 20 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 5 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 5 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 4 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 3 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Autistic spectrum disorder: 7 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 4 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 4 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 4 pupils

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Good 2024 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 40% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 5% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 17 percentage points below the West Lindsey average (57%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well below (3-year average 45% against an expected 60%)
3-year average (expected standard): 45%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 61% · Writing 51% · Maths 68% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 61%
Average test scores: reading 101, maths 100
Based on: 57 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolWest Lindsey averageEngland↘ Falling Down 18 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 17 percentage points below the West Lindsey average (57%).

Year 6 SATs: joint 34th of 39 junior and primary schools in the area

#32Tealby School45%
#33Faldingworth Community Primary School43%
=34Castle Wood Academy40%
=34St George's Church of England Community Primary School, Gainsborough40%
#36The Nettleham Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School35%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1The Hackthorn Church of England Primary School89%
#2Osgodby Primary School87%
#3Ingham Primary School80%
#4The Marton Academy78%
#5Grasby All Saints Church of England Primary School77%
#6Welton St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy76%
#7Fiskerton Church of England Primary School75%
#8Ellison Boulters Church of England Primary School73%
=9Keelby Primary Academy72%
=9Reepham Church of England Primary School72%
#11Morton Trentside Primary School71%
#12Kelsey Primary School70%
#13The Market Rasen Church of England Primary School67%
#14Bardney Church of England and Methodist Primary School66%
#15Saxilby Church of England Primary School65%
#16The Middle Rasen Primary School62%
=17Cherry Willingham Primary Academy61%
=17Dunholme St Chad's Church of England Primary School61%
=17Scotter Primary School61%
=20Caistor CofE and Methodist Primary School57%
=20Corringham CofE VC Primary School57%
=20The Gainsborough Charles Baines Community Primary School57%
=20Willoughton Primary School57%
=24Sturton by Stow Primary School56%
=24Waddingham Primary School56%
=26Nettleton Community Primary School55%
=26Scampton Church of England Primary School55%
#28Frances Olive Anderson Church of England (Aided) Primary School54%
#29Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School53%
#30Benjamin Adlard Primary School52%
#31The Gainsborough Parish Church Primary School49%
#32Tealby School45%
#33Faldingworth Community Primary School43%
=34Castle Wood Academy40%
=34St George's Church of England Community Primary School, Gainsborough40%
#36The Nettleham Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School35%
#37White's Wood Academy30%
#38Mercer's Wood Academy29%
#39Hemswell Cliff Primary School17%

View full Ofsted inspection report

4th of 33 primary schools in West Lindsey for Ofsted rating

#2Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England SchoolGood
#3Caistor CofE and Methodist Primary SchoolGood
#4Castle Wood AcademyGood
#5Cherry Willingham Primary AcademyGood
#6Corringham CofE VC Primary SchoolGood

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Bardney Church of England and Methodist Primary SchoolGood
#2Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England SchoolGood
#3Caistor CofE and Methodist Primary SchoolGood
#4Castle Wood AcademyGood
#5Cherry Willingham Primary AcademyGood
#6Corringham CofE VC Primary SchoolGood
#7Ellison Boulters Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#8Faldingworth Community Primary SchoolGood
#9Fiskerton Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#10Frances Olive Anderson Church of England (Aided) Primary SchoolGood
#11Grasby All Saints Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#12Hemswell Cliff Primary SchoolGood
#13Ingham Primary SchoolGood
#14Keelby Primary AcademyGood
#15Kelsey Primary SchoolGood
#16Legsby Primary SchoolGood
#17Mercer's Wood AcademyGood
#18Morton Trentside Primary SchoolGood
#19Nettleton Community Primary SchoolGood
#20Newton-on-Trent CofE Primary SchoolGood
#21Normanby Primary SchoolGood
#22Osgodby Primary SchoolGood
#23Pollyplatt Primary AcademyGood
#24Reepham Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#25Saxilby Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#26St George's Church of England Community Primary School, GainsboroughGood
#27Sturton by Stow Primary SchoolGood
#28Tealby SchoolGood
#29The Market Rasen Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#30The Middle Rasen Primary SchoolGood
#31Waddingham Primary SchoolGood
#32Welton St Mary's Church of England Primary AcademyGood
#33Willoughton Primary SchoolGood

Financials

Spending per pupil: £6,161 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

36th of 40 primary schools in West Lindsey for spending per pupil

#34Ellison Boulters Church of England Primary School£6,211
#35Keelby Primary Academy£6,211
#36Castle Wood Academy£6,161
#37Cherry Willingham Primary Academy£6,103
#38Reepham Church of England Primary School£5,980

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Hemswell Cliff Primary School£17,066
#2Legsby Primary School£14,459
#3Willoughton Primary School£11,857
#4Newton-on-Trent CofE Primary School£11,761
#5Faldingworth Community Primary School£11,650
#6St George's Church of England Community Primary School, Gainsborough£10,778
#7Normanby Primary School£10,744
#8The Hackthorn Church of England Primary School£10,018
#9Scampton Church of England Primary School£9,939
#10Waddingham Primary School£9,771
#11Tealby School£9,459
#12Nettleton Community Primary School£9,374
#13Kelsey Primary School£8,992
#14Benjamin Adlard Primary School£8,709
#15Bardney Church of England and Methodist Primary School£8,698
#16Fiskerton Church of England Primary School£8,671
#17Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School£8,351
#18Grasby All Saints Church of England Primary School£8,183
#19Mercer's Wood Academy£8,124
#20The Gainsborough Charles Baines Community Primary School£8,064
#21Osgodby Primary School£8,038
#22Corringham CofE VC Primary School£7,943
#23Ingham Primary School£7,890
#24The Middle Rasen Primary School£7,728
#25The Marton Academy£7,552
#26Morton Trentside Primary School£7,525
#27The Market Rasen Church of England Primary School£7,505
#28Saxilby Church of England Primary School£7,254
#29Caistor CofE and Methodist Primary School£7,234
#30Frances Olive Anderson Church of England (Aided) Primary School£7,220
#31Dunholme St Chad's Church of England Primary School£6,861
#32Sturton by Stow Primary School£6,542
#33Scotter Primary School£6,277
#34Ellison Boulters Church of England Primary School£6,211
#35Keelby Primary Academy£6,211
#36Castle Wood Academy£6,161
#37Cherry Willingham Primary Academy£6,103
#38Reepham Church of England Primary School£5,980
#39Welton St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy£5,589
#40The Gainsborough Parish Church Primary School£2,138

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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