Castle Hill School
2 Castle Hill, Nantwich Road, Audley, Newcastle under Lyme, ST7 8DHOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Castle Hill School is a special school in Newcastle-under-Lyme for ages 7 to 14. It is one of the 451 schools in Staffordshire. Its latest Ofsted outcome is a report card, from an inspection in January 2026.
Ofsted report card
Inspected 27 January 2026, report published 8 May 2026
Each area is graded from urgent improvement to exceptional, and safeguarding is either met or not met.
- Inclusion
- Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching
- Needs attention
- Achievement
- Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour
- Expected standard
- Personal development and wellbeing
- Strong standard
- Leadership and governance
- Needs attention
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 27 January 2026
Pupils who attend Castle Hill School arrive having not attended school for some time or having been on the roll of a number of schools unsuccessfully. Pupils' attendance generally improves throughout their time at the school. Staff get to know pupils well. This means that when new pupils arrive, they quickly build positive relationships with staff and other pupils. Pupils enjoy these positive relationships, which make them feel safe in school and contribute strongly to their personal development. The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour. As a result of pupils' complex needs, there are times when pupils need help to behave well. Staff provide support that retains calmness in the school. Over time, pupils develop the skills they need to behave well, respect others and show kindness to everyone. Pupils are supported to build deep friendships at Castle Hill School. They greet each other warmly in the morning and enjoy spending time together. Once settled into school, their attendance begins to improve. Pupils say that any friendship issues or bullying are addressed effectively by staff. Pupils enjoy school, especially participating in the wide range of activities on offer. Pupils successfully gain a range of qualifications in subjects such as sailing, climbing, bushcraft and archery. In academic subjects, pupils' progress through the curriculum is more variable because the curriculum and teaching in some subjects are still being developed. Pupils are not currently achieving as well as they could. Pupils' personal development is very effective. This is because enrichment activities and the personal development curriculum are planned for, and taught, so well.
What the school should improve
- Leaders should make sure that interventions to build pupils' foundational knowledge are more consistently effective, particularly in writing.
- Leaders should make sure that teachers continue to get the support they need to better understand the academic curriculum and adapt their teaching of it to pupils' individual needs so that pupils' achievement improves.
Pupil numbers and mix
17 pupils on roll, with places for 20
Schools near Castle Hill School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| TILT Education | 3 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Church Lawton School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 39.4 |
| Bluebell School Ltd | 3 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 7.7 |
| Kaleidoscope School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Wonder Star School | 4 miles | Report card: Expected standard | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Other independent special school
- Sector
- Independent
- Age range
- 7 to 14
- Gender
- Mixed
- Headteacher
- Mr Jonathan Maskrey
- Phone
- 01782491185
- Address
- 2 Castle Hill, Nantwich Road, Audley, Newcastle under Lyme, ST7 8DH
- Local authority
- Staffordshire
- URN
- 146078
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.