Glapthorn Church of England Primary School

About Glapthorn Church of England Primary School

Glapthorn Church of England Primary School’s headline metrics sit well below the local authority average for primary schools in North Northamptonshire. The LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined (KS2) is 61 per cent, but Glapthorn’s figure is just 30 per cent. That puts the school in the bottom 50 nationally on this measure, ranked 87th out of 90 primaries in the LA. Its Progress 8 scores are not available, so it’s hard to say whether pupils arrive behind and catch up, but the raw attainment gap is stark. The school is small — just 76 pupils against a capacity of 105 — and only 7.9 per cent of children qualify for free school meals, which is lower than many local primaries. It’s a Church of England school with a strong village feel, but the academic results suggest families should look closely at whether the school’s approach matches their child’s needs.

Looking at the KS2 breakdown, the picture is mixed. In reading, 60 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard, which is close to the LA average, and 20 per cent achieved the higher standard. Writing was weaker, with 50 per cent at expected and 20 per cent at higher. Maths was the biggest concern: only 40 per cent hit the expected mark, and 20 per cent reached the higher threshold. The average maths score was 100, exactly in line with the national benchmark, but the reading average was 102. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2023, was an ungraded visit that confirmed it remains Good — a rating it has held since its last graded inspection in 2012. The 2009 graded inspection also rated it Good overall, with leadership and management and early years provision both at that level. So while the KS2 results are below average, the school has a consistent track record of good behaviour and leadership.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 30 applications for 12 places, with 11 first-preference offers made. That suggests strong local demand despite the academic results. Facilities include a library, forest school, playing fields, sports hall, ICT suite, gymnasium, music rooms and a chapel. Sports on offer are football, netball, cross country, cricket, swimming and dance, plus clubs like science, film, drama and art. SEND provision covers moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a small, faith-based village primary with a good Ofsted rating and a broad range of activities, but the KS2 outcomes are significantly below the LA average. It may suit families who prioritise a close-knit, rural setting and a wide extracurricular offer over top-tier academic results, especially if their child needs the SEND support available.

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