Northampton Academy

Northampton Academy is performing exceptionally well, having received an overall grade of 'Outstanding' in its recent inspection. The school prioritizes providing a high-quality education, and its supportive staff is dedicated to meeting the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. With a strong emphasis on personal development, exemplary behaviour, and a robust curriculum, students thrive academically and socially. Parents consistently express satisfaction with the support their children receive, highlighting a nurturing environment that encourages responsibility and ambition.

Strengths

• Exceptional quality of education and curriculum structure
• Strong support for pupils with SEND
• Exemplary pupil behaviour and respect for others
• Highly effective teaching and assessment practices
• Robust personal development and character education
• Strong relationships with external agencies for safeguarding
• Strong careers support and guidance for students

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Northampton Academy attended 92.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 17.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 3.3% of pupils at Northampton Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 5 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Northampton Academy had 19.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 11.9% of pupils at Northampton Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Northampton Academy received £8,222 and spent £7,855 for each of its 1,719 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,536,000 (£894 per pupil).

Across all 93 schools of United Learning Trust, income was £8,687 and spending £8,616 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Northampton · West Northamptonshire local authority: places and applications

Northampton Academy is part of United Learning Trust, which runs 98 schools. The nearest others:

• Campion School Northampton
• Montsaye Academy Kettering
• Grange Primary Academy Kettering
• Kettering Buccleuch Academy Kettering
• Hanwell Fields Community School Banbury
• Hill View Primary School Banbury
• North Oxfordshire Academy Banbury
• Heath Lane Academy Leicester
• George Eliot Academy Nuneaton
• Nuneaton Academy Nuneaton

What is Northampton Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Northampton Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in May 2023.

When was Northampton Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Northampton Academy was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does Northampton Academy have?

Northampton Academy has 1,712 pupils on roll.

What age range does Northampton Academy cover?

Northampton Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Northampton Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 53.3, and 62% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Northampton Academy?

Northampton Academy is at Wellingborough Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN3 8NH.