Northampton School

About Northampton School

Northampton School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection, a judgement that places it among a minority of secondary schools in West Northamptonshire — only three out of 25 schools in the local authority hold an Outstanding rating. The school’s Progress 8 score, the single most informative exam metric available, sits at 0.05, which is exactly in line with the local authority average. This means that, on average, pupils here achieve broadly the same progress as their peers across West Northamptonshire, neither pulling ahead nor falling behind. For a school that is significantly undersubscribed relative to its capacity — it has 428 pupils against a capacity of 1,140 — this solidly average academic performance is a notable achievement, suggesting that the school is delivering consistent outcomes for a relatively small cohort.

The school’s Ofsted report highlights strong behaviour and attitudes, with pupils described as polite and respectful. In terms of academic outcomes, the Progress 8 figure of 0.05 indicates that students make expected progress across eight core subjects, matching the LA average. There is no breakdown by subject or pupil group in the data, but the overall score suggests no major weaknesses dragging down performance. The school does not have a sixth form, so all students leave at 16, and the absence of A-Level data means the focus is squarely on GCSE results. Given that the school is heavily oversubscribed — 916 applications for 214 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, with a first-preference offer rate of 176 out of 288 first-preference applicants — it is clearly a popular choice locally, despite its average progress score.

Northampton School offers a broad range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, art studios, and music rooms, and runs clubs from chess and debate to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and eco club. Its SEND provisions cover seven areas, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech, language and communication needs, which suggests it can support a range of additional needs. The school is mixed and non-denominational, with no religious character. For families, the key practical consideration is that the school is heavily oversubscribed — 4.28 applications per place — so securing a spot is competitive. It suits families who want a Good-rated secondary with a wide extracurricular offer and strong SEND support, but who are comfortable with average academic progress and no sixth form on site.

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