Castle Donington College
Derby, DE74 2LN · Leicestershire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
20th of 43 secondary schools in Leicestershire we can score, 44 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 877 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 3.9/10 among them, against 5.0/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 51.8 · 67 | 30% | 2.00 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.27 · 30 | 25% | 0.74 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 46.7 · 54 | 10% | 0.54 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Castle Donington College overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted, inspected in 2024-07. In 2024/25, 54.8% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 48.2, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.27 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.3 out of 10 among them, against 5.5 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 684 pupils against a stated capacity of 645. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
What support is available for pupils whose Progress 8 scores are below the national baseline? How does the school ensure equitable access to opportunities for all students?
What Ofsted said about Castle Donington College
Overview
Castle Donington College continues to be a good school, with inspectors noting that it has "rapidly improved" following a period of leadership change. The school fosters a strong sense of community where pupils are "polite, friendly and outgoing" and feel safe and secure.
Strengths
- Pupils follow an "ambitious curriculum" with high expectations, applying themselves well in lessons and demonstrating typically good behaviour.
- The school offers "good opportunities for pupils’ personal development," including extra-curricular activities, a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award group, and an effective careers programme.
- Staff have "good subject knowledge" and use effective methods, while the school promotes a love of reading through daily initiatives like ‘drop everything and read’.
- Recent specialist support has helped staff develop a "secure understanding" of how to adapt teaching for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Areas to improve
- The school needs to implement an effective strategy for communicating with parents so they understand changes and the support provided, particularly for pupils with SEND.
- Assessment approaches must be applied consistently across the school to ensure teachers can effectively identify and address pupils’ misconceptions and knowledge gaps.
- The new behaviour policy requires consistent application by all staff to clearly set boundaries and prevent low-level disruption in lessons.
Safeguarding
The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 42.4 |
| 2024/25 | 48.2 |
| 2025/26 | 46.7 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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