Wollaston School
100%
Capacity
1,431
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Wollaston School
Wollaston School is a popular choice among local families, with 227 first-preference applications for 240 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, though the school was oversubscribed overall with 410 total applications for those places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.71. While the school does not publish a parent recommendation percentage, the high level of first-choice demand suggests strong local confidence. Headteacher Simon Anderson leads a large mixed secondary of 1,431 pupils, slightly above its stated capacity of 1,429. The school has a sixth form and is non-denominational. Just over 15% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly above the national average, and the school offers a broad range of SEND provisions, including a dedicated SEN unit and resourced provision for autistic spectrum disorder and physical disabilities.
Academically, Wollaston School holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, with all inspected areas — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — all rated Good. This is consistent with its previous inspection in 2013, which also rated overall effectiveness as Good. At GCSE, pupils achieved a Progress 8 score of exactly 0, meaning students made progress in line with the national average, and slightly above the local authority average of -0.02. Attainment 8 stood at 45.8, with 66.9% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score was 3.9, though only 12.8% of pupils entered the full EBacc suite. At A-level, the school’s value-added score was 0.08, placing it in the average banding, with a typical best three A-level grade of C and 30.64 points per entry. Nationally, the school ranks in the 48th percentile for Progress 8, and 9th out of 20 secondary schools in North Northamptonshire.
The school is well-equipped with facilities including science labs, a sports hall, astro turf, ICT suites, music rooms, a gymnasium, a chapel, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include badminton, hockey, martial arts, tennis, athletics, swimming, rowing, football, basketball, and cross country, while clubs cover drama, young enterprise, choir, art club, and orchestra. The SEND provision is notably comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder, supported by a SEN unit and resourced provision. This makes Wollaston a strong fit for families seeking a large, inclusive secondary with a broad curriculum and good academic outcomes, particularly those who value a school that serves a diverse intake and offers strong sixth-form options.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Irchester Road, Wellingborough, North Northamptonshire, NN29 7PH |
| Headteacher | Simon Anderson |
| Local Authority | North Northamptonshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,431 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 15.8% |
| School Capacity | 1,431 / 1,429 (100% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
16 May 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 3 Jul 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.00)
1512th of 3,141
Nationally
122nd of 273
In East Midlands
9th of 20
In North Northamptonshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
36.7
'22/23
31.4
'23/24
30.4
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2343%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 237 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)43%
- FE college41%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Employment5%
- Not sustained4%
95% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2361%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 123 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
9%
Russell Group
10%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)61%
- Employment23%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained7%
- Other education2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics25
- Biology22
- Psychology20
- Chemistry18
- Geography18
- Sociology15
- English Literature13
- Logic / Philosophy12
- Physics12
- Physical Education / Sports Studies11
- Computer Studies / Computing10
- History10
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed240
410
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
227 families put this school as their 1st choice (55% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British86.3%
- Mixed7.0%
- White (other)3.8%
- Asian0.9%
- Black0.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Wollaston School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Irchester Road, Wellingborough
North Northamptonshire, NN29 7PH
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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