Danesholme Junior Academy

About Danesholme Junior Academy

Danesholme Junior Academy, a state primary for pupils aged 7 to 11 in North Northamptonshire, received a Good rating from Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection in 2018, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2014. The school was confirmed to have maintained this Good standard during an ungraded inspection in November 2023. The most telling academic metric for the school is its Key Stage 2 combined reading, writing and maths expected standard attainment: just 48% of pupils reached this benchmark in the 2023/24 academic year. This places Danesholme well below the local authority average of 61%, and ranks it 75th out of 90 primary schools in North Northamptonshire, putting it in the bottom half of schools regionally and nationally.

Looking closer at the individual subject scores from the same year, the picture is mixed. In reading, 64% of pupils met the expected standard and 17% reached the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 102. Writing saw 69% meet expectations, though no pupils achieved the higher standard. Maths was weaker: 62% reached the expected level, only 9% achieved the higher standard, and the average scaled score was 101. Progress scores for all three subjects are not available in the data, so it is unclear how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points. Ofsted rated both leadership and management, and the overall effectiveness, as Good, and the school has held this rating across both its recent inspections, suggesting stable leadership under headteacher Sonia Kendal.

The school operates at near full capacity with 352 pupils against a capacity of 360, and a high proportion of pupils — 32.7% — are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities include a library, forest school, sensory room, playing fields and a sports hall, with clubs ranging from gardening and art to coding and chess. Sports offered include football, cricket, swimming and athletics. The school has a broad SEND offer, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional needs, speech and language challenges, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. This combination of strong pastoral and SEND infrastructure, alongside below-average academic outcomes, suggests Danesholme may suit families who prioritise inclusive support and a wide range of enrichment activities over top-tier exam results.

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