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Academy converter · West Northamptonshire

Caroline Chisholm School

  • 4–18Ages
  • 2,049Pupils
  • All-throughPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 137089URN

Wooldale Centre for Learning, Wootton Fields, Northampton, NN4 6TP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted
Graded GoodJan 2020
Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · May 2025
What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.6per place
0.6 above West Northamptonshire median (2.0)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in West Northamptonshire

537 applications for 210 places · 6th of 22 in West Northamptonshire
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
52.0of 90
5th of 22 in West Northamptonshire
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Graded GoodJan 2020
Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · May 2025
The graded inspection, 21 January 2020Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
AreaOutstandingGoodRequires improvementInadequate
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Early years provisionOutstanding
Sixth form provisionGood

Inspection history

  1. 21 May 2025
    Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
  2. 21 January 2020
    Graded inspection: Good

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 entry
2.6applications per place, Year 7
0.6 above West Northamptonshire median (2.0) 0.3 above England median (2.2)

537 applications · 210 places offered · 156 named it first

  1. 2026 2.6; West Northamptonshire median median 2.0
  2. 2025 2.4; West Northamptonshire median median 1.8
  3. 2024 2.3; West Northamptonshire median median 1.6
  4. 2023 2.3; West Northamptonshire median median 1.7
  5. 2022 2.3; West Northamptonshire median median 1.7
  6. 2021 2.2; West Northamptonshire median median 1.8
  7. 2020 2.2; West Northamptonshire median median 1.9
  8. 2019 2.5; West Northamptonshire median median 1.6
  9. 2018 3.1; West Northamptonshire median median 1.9
  10. 2017 3.0; West Northamptonshire median median 2.0
  11. 2016 2.8; West Northamptonshire median median 2.0
  12. 2015 3.1; West Northamptonshire median median 1.9
  13. 2014 2.8; West Northamptonshire median median 2.0
More applications per place than the West Northamptonshire median in 13 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • West Northamptonshire median

Reception entry, September 2026: 2.8 per place (141 applications for 51 places).

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262105372.61560.74
Sep 20252014902.41670.83
Sep 20242154852.31400.65
Sep 20232124792.31640.77
Sep 20222144832.31380.64
Sep 20212194782.21630.74
Sep 20202184772.21450.67
Sep 20192135292.51690.79
Sep 20182136663.12121.00
Sep 20172146323.02110.99
Sep 20162146042.82090.98
Sep 20151685163.11881.12
Sep 20141995532.82051.03

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

277 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)52.05th of 22 in West Northamptonshire
Grade 5 or above in English and maths54%6th of 22 in West Northamptonshire
Grade 4 or above in English and maths73%
  • This school
  • West Northamptonshire median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.09
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)27752.054%73%–
2024/2527550.457%78%–
2023/2427751.255%82%+0.09
2022/2327651.957%77%+0.10

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

  • 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 converter
Phase
All-through
URN · DfE number
137089 · 941/4005
Trust
Caroline Chisholm Education Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
2,002 pupils · 2,049 on roll
Free school meals
13.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision
SEN unit
Opened
1 August 2011
Replaced
Caroline Chisholm School (URN 134177)
Address
Wooldale Centre for Learning, Wootton Fields, Northampton, NN4 6TP
Local authority
West Northamptonshire

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources