Classpot

St Thomas Becket Catholic School

West Northamptonshire, NN3 6HTSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Sep 2022
Progress 8
+0.38
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.3×
Oversubscribed
220 1st-choice / 174 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#673 of 3,141 nationally

About St Thomas Becket Catholic School

Parents considering St Thomas Becket Catholic School will find a school that is clearly in high demand. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 743 applications for 174 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 4.27. Of those, 220 families put it as their first preference, and 167 first-preference offers were made. This level of competition suggests a strong local reputation. While the school does not publish a parent satisfaction survey, the sheer volume of applications — more than four times the places available — is a practical signal that families in West Northamptonshire are actively choosing it. The school is a Roman Catholic secondary for ages 11 to 18, with a current roll of 900 pupils against a capacity of 1,087, so there is some room for growth. Paul McCahill is the headteacher.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressBecket Way, Northampton, West Northamptonshire, NN3 6HT
HeadteacherPaul McCahill
Local AuthorityWest Northamptonshire
Number of Pupils900
Free School Meals (FSM)18.5%
School Capacity900 / 1,087 (83% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

21 Sept 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 13 Nov 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
Art StudiosSixth Form CentreSwimming PoolSports HallAstro TurfTheatreICT SuiteDining HallChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

TennisCross CountryAthleticsBadmintonSwimmingCricketRugby

Clubs & Activities

Science ClubEco ClubDramaChoirDuke of EdinburghGardeningCodingModel United NationsChess

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Thomas Becket Catholic School

St Thomas Becket Catholic School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.