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Academy sponsor led · West Northamptonshire

Abbeyfield School

  • 11–18Ages
  • 1,296Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 138858URN

Mereway, Northampton, NN4 8BU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.4per place
0.6 below West Northamptonshire median (2.0)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in West Northamptonshire

306 applications for 227 places · 19th of 22 in West Northamptonshire
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
44.6of 90
13th of 22 in West Northamptonshire
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 20 January 2026Published 19 April 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionNeeds attention
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
Personal development and wellbeingNeeds attention
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionNeeds attention
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 20 January 2026
    Report card · 1 Expected standard, 6 Needs attention
  2. 15 September 2021
    Ungraded inspection: School remains 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
1.4applications per place, Year 7
0.6 below West Northamptonshire median (2.0) 0.9 below England median (2.2)

306 applications · 227 places offered · 114 named it first

  1. 2026 1.4; West Northamptonshire median median 2.0
  2. 2025 1.5; West Northamptonshire median median 1.8
  3. 2024 1.5; West Northamptonshire median median 1.6
  4. 2023 1.5; West Northamptonshire median median 1.7
  5. 2022 1.7; West Northamptonshire median median 1.7
  6. 2021 2.0; West Northamptonshire median median 1.8
  7. 2020 1.9; West Northamptonshire median median 1.9
  8. 2019 1.6; West Northamptonshire median median 1.6
  9. 2018 1.7; West Northamptonshire median median 1.9
  10. 2017 1.7; West Northamptonshire median median 2.0
  11. 2016 1.5; West Northamptonshire median median 2.0
  12. 2015 1.4; West Northamptonshire median median 1.9
  13. 2014 1.6; 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262273061.41140.50
Sep 20252383501.51270.53
Sep 20242363561.51070.45
Sep 20232673901.51320.49
Sep 20222263881.71120.50
Sep 20212364752.01740.74
Sep 20202665141.91660.62
Sep 20192674281.61630.61
Sep 20182373901.71400.59
Sep 20172113571.71520.72
Sep 20162393621.51730.72
Sep 20152343361.41750.75
Sep 20142203401.61730.79

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

228 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)44.613th of 22 in West Northamptonshire
Grade 5 or above in English and maths36%17th of 22 in West Northamptonshire
Grade 4 or above in English and maths62%
  • This school
  • West Northamptonshire median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.03
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)22844.636%62%–
2024/2526844.042%61%–
2023/2425343.744%64%+0.03
2022/2323340.131%57%−0.29

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 sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
138858 · 941/4007
Trust
Creative Education Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,350 pupils · 1,296 on roll
Free school meals
28.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 October 2012
Replaced
Abbeyfield School (URN 122077)
Address
Mereway, Northampton, NN4 8BU
Local authority
West Northamptonshire

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