Abbeywood Community School
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,294 pupils
85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.0
Academy converter
The Castle School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,416of 1,733 places
- Free school meals
- 14.6%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 223
- Ofsted
- Report card, 31 March 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Expected standardAchievement Expected standardAttendance and behaviour Expected standardPersonal development and wellbeing Expected standardInclusion Expected standardLeadership and governance Expected standardPost-16 provision Expected standardSafeguarding Met
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The Castle School (URN 109297, until 1 March 2013).
What the data says
Of the 263 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Castle School in 2023, 57% stayed on in The Castle School’s own sixth form (South Gloucestershire average 36%), 30% went to a further education college and 6% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 157 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 54% went to university (South Gloucestershire 26%, England 37%), and 26% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
German is unusually popular at GCSE: 31% of the year group took it, against 5% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 52.4 against 46.1 across England and 42.9 in South Gloucestershire, with 58% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in South Gloucestershire and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Castle School | South Gloucestershire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 263 | 2,687 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 97% | 93% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 89% | 82% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 57% | 36% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 0% | 11% | 13% |
| — further education college | 30% | 34% | 37% |
| — other education | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 7% | 3% |
| Employment | 3% | 4% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 3% | 4% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | — | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Castle School | South Gloucestershire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 157 | 2,977 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 92% | 79% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 54% | 26% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 26% | 9% | 19% |
| Further education | 3% | 6% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 8% | 10% | 7% |
| Employment | 27% | 36% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 4% | 15% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Castle School | South Gloucestershire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 52.4 | 42.9 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 58% | 43% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 75% | 62% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 59% | 25% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.93 | 3.73 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 14% | 18% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 34.6 | 31.4 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 55.3 | 45.4 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 21% | 11% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 223 | 100% | 89% | 22% | 20% | 74% |
| Mathematics | 222 | 100% | 88% | 31% | 22% | 80% |
| English Literature | 216 | 97% | 86% | 24% | 21% | 80% |
| Combined Science | 153 | 69% | 65% | 16% | 9% | 73% |
| French | 99 | 44% | 18% | 27% | 29% | 75% |
| Geography | 91 | 41% | 41% | 34% | 25% | 75% |
| History | 90 | 40% | 41% | 41% | 26% | 83% |
| Art and Design | 81 | 36% | 7% | 27% | 24% | 80% |
| German | 70 | 31% | 5% | 31% | 33% | 77% |
| Biology | 65 | 29% | 23% | 60% | 45% | 97% |
| Chemistry | 63 | 28% | 23% | 60% | 47% | 98% |
| Physics | 62 | 28% | 23% | 60% | 46% | 100% |
| Photography | 55 | 25% | 6% | 7% | 19% | 75% |
| Business Studies | 54 | 24% | 18% | 13% | 20% | 72% |
| Physical Education | 48 | 22% | 11% | 13% | 24% | 63% |
| Sociology | 41 | 18% | 4% | 17% | 21% | 73% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 31 | 14% | 8% | 26% | 21% | 45% |
| Computer Science | 25 | 11% | 13% | 28% | 30% | 52% |
| Media Studies | 25 | 11% | 4% | 36% | 20% | 68% |
| Design and Technology | 20 | 9% | 11% | 25% | 23% | 80% |
| Music | 17 | 8% | 5% | 71% | 33% | 94% |
| Dance | 13 | 6% | 1% | 23% | 27% | 92% |
| Religious Studies | 13 | 6% | 31% | 15% | 32% | 69% |
| Drama | 12 | 5% | 7% | 42% | 27% | 92% |
| Chinese | 9 | 4% | 1% | 100% | 75% | 100% |
| Fine Art | 2 | 1% | 9% | — | 28% | — |
| Arabic | 2 | 1% | 1% | — | 47% | — |
| Spanish | 2 | 1% | 19% | — | 27% | — |
| Polish | 1 | 0% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Italian | 1 | 0% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
| Textiles | 1 | 0% | 2% | — | 27% | — |
| Japanese | 1 | 0% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Studies | 39 | 29% | — |
| Health Studies | 18 | 14% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Castle School | South Gloucestershire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 254 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 133 | 989 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 33.84 | 30.73 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C+ | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 17% | 15% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 43 | 32% | 31% |
| Psychology | 33 | 25% | 23% |
| Biology | 30 | 23% | 20% |
| History | 26 | 20% | 13% |
| Business Studies | 25 | 19% | 13% |
| Economics | 24 | 18% | 13% |
| Chemistry | 24 | 18% | 17% |
| Geography | 24 | 18% | 10% |
| Physics | 23 | 17% | 12% |
| English Literature | 15 | 11% | 11% |
| Graphic Communication | 15 | 11% | 2% |
| Fine Art | 12 | 9% | 3% |
| Religious Studies | 11 | 8% | 4% |
| Sociology | 11 | 8% | 13% |
| Product Design | 10 | 8% | 2% |
| French | 8 | 6% | 1% |
| Further Mathematics | 6 | 5% | 5% |
| English Language | 6 | 5% | 4% |
| Physical Education | — | — | 3% |
| German | — | — | 0% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| 3D Design | — | — | 1% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 26 | 20% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 16 | 12% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 14 | 11% | — |
| Medical Science | VRQ Level 3 | 12 | 9% | — |
| Childcare Skills | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 8 | 6% | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Physics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Physics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in South Gloucestershire
Bradley Stoke Community School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,393 pupils
89% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.6
Brimsham Green School
Community school · sixth form · 1,095 pupils
79% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.9
Chipping Sodbury School
Academy converter · sixth form · 775 pupils
79% stayed in education · Attainment 8 43.7
Digitech Studio School
Studio schools · sixth form · 608 pupils
67% stayed in education · Attainment 8 31.2
Downend School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,415 pupils
87% stayed in education · Attainment 8 51.0
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.