The Costello School
Crossborough Hill, Basingstoke, RG21 4AL
1,160 pupils · 104% of 1,120 capacity
- Phase
- Secondary
- Type
- Academy converter
- Ages
- 11–16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Trust
- BOHUNT EDUCATION TRUST
- Local authority
- Hampshire
- Free school meals
- 18.1%
Ofsted
Expected standard (2026) — Report card — the most common grade across the inspected areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and wellbeing | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
| Safeguarding | Met |
Inspected 10 February 2026, published 20 April 2026. Read the full Ofsted report
England has three coexisting inspection systems — how we translate them into one signal.
Exam results
| Measure | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Attainment 8 score | 47.3 |
| Grade 5 or above in English & maths (strong pass) | 49.6% |
| Grade 4 or above in English & maths (standard pass) | 69.2% |
| Entering the English Baccalaureate | 80.8% |
Progress 8 is not published nationally for 2024/25 and 2025/26 while KS2 baselines are missing (no SATs in 2020/21). It returns from 2026/27.
“Not published (small cohort)” means the DfE suppressed the figure to protect small cohorts — it is not a zero.
Will my child get in?
Usually has places available — 0.89 first-choice applications per place (Sept 2026 entry)
| Entry | Places | 1st preferences | Total preferences | Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 entry | 211 | 187 | 497 | 211 |
| Sept 2025 entry | 217 | 140 | 399 | 197 |
| Sept 2024 entry | 256 | 210 | 521 | 256 |
| Sept 2023 entry | 254 | 265 | 580 | 254 |
| Sept 2022 entry | 260 | 250 | 468 | 260 |
| Sept 2021 entry | 266 | 205 | 510 | 266 |
| Sept 2020 entry | 223 | 232 | 449 | 223 |
| Sept 2019 entry | 223 | 204 | 431 | 223 |
First-choice demand varies year to year, and the school’s admission criteria — not demand — decide who is offered a place. Use this as a rough signal, never a prediction.
Nearby alternatives
- The Vyne Community School 1.5 km · Good (2022) · previous system
- Cranbourne 1.6 km · Most areas: Expected standard (2026)
- The Blue Coat School Basingstoke 2.7 km · Requires improvement (2023) · previous system
- Everest Community Academy 2.9 km · No overall grade (2025)
- Brighton Hill Community School 3 km · Good (2022) · previous system
- Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School 3.1 km · Good — confirmed 2023 · previous system
Straight-line distance — not travel time, and not a catchment. Same phase, open schools only.
Data from DfE and Ofsted open data (OGL v3) — sources. School record updated 10 July 2026. Report incorrect data.