Blackthorn Primary School

Blackthorn Primary School has made significant strides since its last inspection, showcasing a positive atmosphere where pupils feel safe, joyful, and proud of their school. The quality of education is solid, with leaders implementing a clear and ambitious curriculum that effectively supports personal and academic development. Pupils are encouraged to be aspirational and respectful, contributing positively to the school community. There's a strong emphasis on reading, communication, and mathematics, which are well-structured to help students grasp essential knowledge and skills.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and are proud of their school.
• High expectations for both personal and academic development.
• Strong focus on reading and phonics education.
• Well-structured mathematics curriculum that uses precise vocabulary.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs.
• Positive and respectful relationships between staff and pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in pupils' recall of learning in some subjects.

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 Blackthorn Primary School attended 94.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 5.6% of pupils at Blackthorn Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No 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 Blackthorn Primary School had 18.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 10.2% of pupils at Blackthorn Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 10.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Blackthorn Primary School received £9,313 and spent £9,266 for each of its 231 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £395,000 (£1,710 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of Northampton Primary Academy Trust, income was £7,879 and spending £7,861 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

Blackthorn Primary School is part of Northampton Primary Academy Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Rectory Farm Primary School Northampton
• Lings Primary School Northampton
• Thorplands Primary School Northampton
• Ecton Brook Primary School Northampton
• Headlands Primary School Northampton
• Abington Vale Primary School Northampton
• Simon de Senlis Primary School Northampton
• East Hunsbury Primary School Northampton
• Upton Meadows Primary School Northampton
• Park Junior School, Wellingborough Wellingborough

What is Blackthorn Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Blackthorn Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2022.

When was Blackthorn Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Blackthorn Primary School was last inspected in November 2022.

How many pupils does Blackthorn Primary School have?

Blackthorn Primary School has 236 pupils on roll.

What age range does Blackthorn Primary School cover?

Blackthorn Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Blackthorn Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Blackthorn Primary School?

Blackthorn Primary School is at Waingrove, Northampton, NN3 8EP.