Graded inspection · Mar 2023 Previous framework
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
This schoolOther secondary schools in West Northamptonshire
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Outstanding | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding | |||
| Personal development | Outstanding | |||
| Leadership and management | Outstanding | |||
| Sixth form provision | Outstanding |
Inspection history
- 21 March 2023Graded inspection: Outstanding
- 13 November 2019Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Improving)
Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades
About these grades
Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.
How hard is it to get a place?
DfE · Sept 2026 entry1,065 applications · 283 places offered · 459 named it first
FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.
- 2026 3.8; West Northamptonshire median median 2.0
- 2025 3.1; West Northamptonshire median median 1.8
- 2024 3.0; West Northamptonshire median median 1.6
- 2023 3.5; West Northamptonshire median median 1.7
- 2022 3.4; West Northamptonshire median median 1.7
- 2021 2.5; West Northamptonshire median median 1.8
- 2020 2.7; West Northamptonshire median median 1.9
- 2019 2.6; West Northamptonshire median median 1.6
- 2018 2.8; West Northamptonshire median median 1.9
- 2017 2.1; West Northamptonshire median median 2.0
- 2016 1.9; West Northamptonshire median median 2.0
- 2015 1.8; West Northamptonshire median median 1.9
- 2014 1.9; West Northamptonshire median median 2.0
- This school
- West Northamptonshire median
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council
How this is measured
Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.
| Entry | Places | Applications | Per place | First preferences | First-pref. ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 283 | 1,065 | 3.8 | 459 | 1.62 |
| Sep 2025 | 291 | 898 | 3.1 | 427 | 1.47 |
| Sep 2024 | 283 | 849 | 3.0 | 431 | 1.52 |
| Sep 2023 | 249 | 866 | 3.5 | 415 | 1.67 |
| Sep 2022 | 255 | 858 | 3.4 | 433 | 1.70 |
| Sep 2021 | 325 | 823 | 2.5 | 384 | 1.18 |
| Sep 2020 | 294 | 781 | 2.7 | 355 | 1.21 |
| Sep 2019 | 260 | 685 | 2.6 | 325 | 1.25 |
| Sep 2018 | 234 | 646 | 2.8 | 293 | 1.25 |
| Sep 2017 | 235 | 501 | 2.1 | 233 | 0.99 |
| Sep 2016 | 234 | 440 | 1.9 | 197 | 0.84 |
| Sep 2015 | 223 | 396 | 1.8 | 186 | 0.83 |
| Sep 2014 | 204 | 396 | 1.9 | 155 | 0.76 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 327 | 53.3 | 62% | 77% | – |
| 2024/25 | 295 | 52.1 | 56% | 75% | – |
| 2023/24 | 292 | 52.2 | 62% | 76% | +0.87 |
| 2022/23 | 267 | 53.1 | 60% | 77% | +1.00 |
Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- Northampton AcademyThis schoolThis schoolOutstanding20233.8applications per place 53.3Attainment 8
- 0.9 km · West NorthamptonshireGood20241.9applications per place 44.9Attainment 8
- 2.3 km · West NorthamptonshireGood20222.0applications per place 41.5Attainment 8
- 2.9 km · West Northamptonshire20262.5applications per place 59.2Attainment 8
- 3.0 km · West Northamptonshire20264.9applications per place
- 3.1 km · West NorthamptonshireGraded · no overall grade20254.5applications per place 59.0Attainment 8
- 3.7 km · West NorthamptonshireGood20232.4applications per place 42.6Attainment 8
- 3.8 km · West NorthamptonshireStandards maintained20251.6applications per place 43.5Attainment 8
- 4.0 km · West NorthamptonshireRemains Good20232.0applications per place 44.4Attainment 8
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
School details
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 134814 · 941/6905
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Religious character
- Christian
- Capacity
- 1,570 pupils · 1,712 on roll
- Free school meals
- 26.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 September 2004
- Replaced
- Lings Upper School (URN 122078)
- Address
- Wellingborough Road, Northampton, NN3 8NH
- Local authority
- West Northamptonshire
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources