SecondaryState · Academy converter

The Costello School

Crossborough Hill, London Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 4AL ·

Report card: expected standard· 2026

At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 11–16 in Basingstoke. Ofsted report card (February 2026): expected standard. GCSE results are around the England average (Attainment 8: 47.3 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 187 families put it first for 211 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages: 11–16
Pupils: 1,160
Gender: Mixed
Sixth form: No
Admissions: Non-selective
Local authority: Hampshire
Academy trust: BOHUNT EDUCATION TRUST
Headteacher: Mr Andy Conway
Opened: Jul 2012

School website 01256321263 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted report card (renewed framework)

Read reports

Inspected 10 Feb 2026Published 20 Apr 2026

SafeguardingMet
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and well-beingExpected standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard

Report cards grade each area separately on a five-point scale, from Urgent improvement to Exceptional. There is no single overall grade, and results are not directly comparable with earlier grades such as “Good”.

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 250 pupils

Attainment 8

47.3

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

49.6%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

69.2%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

-0.03

2023/24 · CI -0.22 to 0.17

This school

47.3

Hampshire

45.5

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

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Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made

211

1st preferences

187

All applications

497

1st prefs per place

0.89

Fewer first choices than places

160 of 187 first-preference applicants were offered a place (86%).

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils

1,222

Capacity

1,120

104% full

Girls / boys

47/53

Mixed

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)16.6%
English as an additional language14.8%
SEN support14.2%
Education, Health and Care plan3.1%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.