Castledon School

About Castledon School

Castledon School is a special school catering for children and young people in Year 1-14 who have moderate learning difficulties. We offer an exciting and varied curriculum that is relevant to our students and their future aspirations. Our school motto 'Unlocking Potential' tells you all you need to know about our vision for our pupils.

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Key Facts

Head/Principal Simon Holliday

Rating Breakdown

Based on published reviews

Safety & Security 4.5

Teaching Quality 4.5

Communication 5.0

Student Wellbeing 5.0

Facilities 5.0

Parent Survey

Official Ofsted Parent View data • 52 responses • 21.9% response rate

View on Ofsted

My child is happy at this school

98% positive 1.9% negative

My child feels safe at this school

96.2% positive 3.9% negative

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved

92.3% positive 5.8% negative

The school has high expectations for my child

90.4% positive 7.8% negative

My child does well at this school

94.3% positive 3.9% negative

I would recommend this school to another parent

Data from Ofsted Parent View as of September 2025. Based on 52 parent responses to the official Ofsted survey.

School Workforce

Teacher and staff information • 2024-2025

Note: These figures are estimated based on national averages. Actual school-level data not yet available.

20.0:1

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Good

11.9

Teachers (FTE)

Estimated workforce data based on GIAS enrollment and national average ratios. Academic year 2024-2025.

Secondary School Results (Key Stage 4)

Exam performance data • 2023-2024

Note: Progress 8 scores are not available for 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years due to COVID-19 impact on prior attainment data.

Additional Information

25 pupils in cohort

Data from DfE Performance Tables for academic year 2023-2024. Published January 2024. View full performance tables

Reviews 3

E

Emily J Unconfirmed

Parent May 20, 2022

5.0

"Exceptional school in every way!"

We're so grateful to have found Castledon School for our child. The staff are kind, experienced, and truly care about each student's individual needs. The facilities are excellent, and the programs offered - such as the Autism Outreach Service and Speech and Language Therapy - have made a huge difference in our child's progress. We've never felt so supported as parents.

Safety & Wellbeing 5/5

Teaching & Learning 5/5

Communication 5/5

Mental & Emotional Wellbeing 5/5

Facilities 5/5

Helpful

L

Lisa N Unconfirmed

Parent Jan 20, 2022

3.0

"Some positives, some areas for improvement"

We've had a mixed experience at Castledon School. On the positive side, the staff are friendly and seem to care about each student. The facilities are good, and our child enjoys the residential experiences. However, we've noticed that the school can be quite inconsistent in its approach to certain issues, and it's taken some time for us to get the support we need for our child's specific needs.

Safety & Wellbeing 3/5

Teaching & Learning 3/5

Communication 3/5

Mental & Emotional Wellbeing 3/5

Facilities 4/5

Helpful

D

David T Unconfirmed

Parent Mar 15, 2021

5.0

"A warm and inclusive community"

Our child thrived at Castledon School, and we're so grateful for the experience. The staff went above and beyond to ensure our child felt included and supported, even when they struggled with certain aspects of their education. The Therapeutic Thinking Essex approach really worked for our child, and we saw a huge improvement in their mental health and well-being. We miss the Castledon community but are so proud of our child's accomplishments.

Safety & Wellbeing 4/5

Teaching & Learning 4/5

Communication 5/5

Mental & Emotional Wellbeing 5/5

Facilities 5/5

Helpful