Northampton School

Northampton School

Address: Thorpeville, Moulton, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN3 7TR Unique reference number (URN): 149782

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils, including those who face barriers to their learning and wellbeing, achieve highly across the curriculum. They produce work of a consistently high standard. Pupils who need additional support receive it quickly. They learn successfully alongside their peers and build a considerable body of knowledge.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils recall previous learning confidently and apply it to increasingly demanding work. Pupils use ambitious subject vocabulary accurately and communicate effectively. They explain their thinking clearly and make meaningful links between ideas. Pupils are highly motivated to do well. They commit to regular practice and improving their work so that their understanding deepens.

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Achievement Strong standard

Reading is a strength. Pupils read fluently and with understanding. They enjoy reading and speak enthusiastically about the books they study. Pupils who need additional help with reading receive it quickly. They catch up well and access the curriculum successfully. Consequently, pupils are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

The school has high expectations for pupils’ attendance. Attendance is above the national average and persistent absence is low. Attendance has a high profile across the school. Leaders identify pupils at risk of poor attendance quickly. They work closely with pupils, families and external agencies to remove barriers to regular attendance. This includes rigorous follow up on reasons for absence and effective partnership working with external professionals when needed.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils embrace the school's culture of ambition. They work hard and respond well to challenge. They persevere when learning is difficult and take pride in their achievements. They treat one another and staff with kindness and respect. Poor behaviour is rare. Staff make appropriate adjustments for pupils who struggle to meet the school's high expectations. Pupils who receive this support speak positively about the difference it makes. This includes pupils who have spent time learning away from school. Pupils' positive conduct and attitudes contribute to a culture of fairness, respect and inclusion. They value difference and support one another. As a result, bullying, discrimination and harassment are rare. Pupils trust staff to deal with concerns quickly and effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Pupils benefit from a rich and ambitious curriculum. Leaders refine this curriculum continually in response to evidence. Subject leaders have thought carefully about the most important knowledge in their subjects. They make sure that this content is sequenced clearly and adapted when needed. Leaders ensure that pupils secure the knowledge and skills they need before moving on to more demanding learning. Teaching is rooted firmly in the school's high expectations. For example, the school's 'business as usual' framework provides teachers with a clear, practical approach to classroom practice, while allowing each subject to retain its distinct identity. Reading and vocabulary are woven through the curriculum, with pupils consistently supported to think and communicate in ways that are specific to a subject. Teachers help pupils to make meaningful links between prior learning and new concepts so that knowledge is

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Pupils benefit from expert teaching. Teachers share a secure understanding of high-quality teaching. New learning is explained clearly and broken into manageable steps. Teachers check pupils’ learning very well to identify misconceptions and adapt teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers know pupils well and understand the barriers some face. Adaptations to teaching are well targeted without lowering expectations. Leaders monitor pupils' progress carefully and use this information to refine support. As a result, all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, access the same ambitious curriculum.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are ambitious that all pupils will achieve and thrive. Pupils who face barriers to their learning and wellbeing, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are very well supported. Leaders and staff take time to know these pupils and their families well. They gather clear and comprehensive information about pupils' circumstances and needs before they join the school. Leaders use this to identify barriers quickly and plan effective support matched to pupils' needs. These pupils describe feeling accepted, supported and able to succeed.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff are alert to the signs that pupils may need additional support. They receive high-quality professional development in adaptive teaching. Leaders regularly review classroom practice to refine and strengthen provision. As a result, pupils with SEND are included fully in lessons, enrichment and the wider life of the school. Pupils who attend less well than others are helped to catch up on missed work. Leaders take time to understand the barriers to attendance so they can support all pupils to achieve well.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The use of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is well considered. Leaders ensure that they target this funding where it will make the most difference. Their approach is strategic and rooted in evidence. They evaluate the impact of support carefully and adapt provision for pupils when needed.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leadership is a significant strength. Leaders have established a clear and ambitious vision for the school. This vision is evident in every aspect of school life.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders know the school well. They evaluate its work objectively and use evidence to identify the right priorities. Improvement is continuous. Decisions are rooted in research, leaders' quality assurance and a secure understanding of pupils' needs. Leaders review and refine their work to ensure that they are focused on the right priorities. Professional learning is highly effective. Guidance, collaboration and evidence-informed practice help staff to develop their expertise. Leadership development is carefully planned and runs through every stage of teachers' careers. Subject leaders are well supported to deepen their subject expertise. They have the confidence to shape their curriculum while contributing to whole-school improvement. Staff describe a culture of trust, openness and shared responsibility.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders give careful consideration to staff workload and wellbeing. For example, the school's clear systems, practical guidance and high-quality resources reduce unnecessary workload while maintaining high expectations. Staff describe leaders as visible, approachable and inspiring. They value the openness of the school's culture and say leaders listen and respond, and provide support when it is needed.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The trust provides clear strategic direction alongside effective support and challenge. This has helped leaders realise their ambitious vision for the school. Trustees bring considerable expertise to their role. Statutory duties are fulfilled well. Parents and carers hold the school in very high regard. They value the school's ambitious culture, strong communication and care for pupils. Almost all would recommend it to others.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school lays strong foundations for adult life. Pupils benefit from a rich and varied programme that prepares them well for the next stage of education and beyond. Careers education is carefully planned. Pupils speak knowledgeably about future pathways and the opportunities available to them.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school fosters a culture where pupils are motivated to achieve highly while celebrating the success of others. Leadership opportunities are open to all. Pupils take full advantage of the extensive opportunities available to them. They willingly take on responsibility and make a positive contribution to the life of the school. Participation in clubs, sport, music, drama and leadership is consistently high. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. Pupils describe the difference these opportunities make to their lives. They become more independent and broaden their horizons. They build strong friendships and work well with others. Pupils are proud of their school and celebrate its success.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils develop into articulate and thoughtful young people. They speak confidently and explain their views clearly. They listen respectfully to others and discuss important issues with maturity. They know how to keep themselves safe, including online. They understand healthy relationships and consent. They recognise the importance of equality and why the law protects people from discrimination. Assemblies and the wider curriculum encourage pupils to reflect on important moral, social and cultural issues. Pupils speak confidently about their own beliefs and experiences. They listen with interest and respect to the views of others.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Warm, respectful relationships between pupils and staff create a culture where pupils feel known, valued and supported. Staff welcome pupils each day and know them well. They notice small changes in pupils' behaviour or wellbeing and respond quickly. This helps pupils to receive the right support before concerns become more serious.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils thrive in this ambitious and inclusive school. They are proud of their school and describe a community where everyone is accepted for who they are. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and respectful. Pupils trust staff to listen and act if they have concerns. Pupils say that bullying is rare and dealt with well. As a result, pupils feel safe and have a strong sense of belonging.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils behave very well. Routines are taught explicitly and applied consistently by leaders and staff. Consequently, pupils value the fairness of the school's behaviour systems. Lessons are calm and purposeful, and pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Pupils' attendance is well above national averages. They arrive punctually and settle quickly to learning. Pupils' positive conduct makes a strong contribution to the school's orderly and welcoming atmosphere.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum and expert teaching. They explain confidently how teachers’ support and guidance help them to improve their work. The school's work on developing pupils' reading is a notable strength. Pupils encounter and study a rich canon of carefully chosen texts. They develop an increasingly sophisticated subject vocabulary. For example, many pupils explain confidently the origins and meanings of complex academic language.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school's ambition for pupils to succeed academically and personally is evident in every aspect of school life. Pupils embrace this ambition. They enjoy school and make the most of the extensive opportunities available to them. Pupils' participation in clubs, sport, music, drama and leadership is extremely high. These experiences help pupils to develop confidence, resilience and positive friendships. Pupils achieve well, academically and socially. They are very well prepared for their next steps in education.

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Next steps

Leaders should maintain their work to secure consistently expert implementation of the curriculum, such as by ensuring that teaching continues to be skilfully adapted to promote excellence in pupils' outcomes, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders should sustain their work to ensure that all pupils benefit from a consistently high-quality personal, social, health and economic curriculum, making any adjustments as necessary to further enhance pupils' preparation for their next steps and life beyond school.

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Team inspectors:

Richard Vasey, Ofsted Inspector Gary Carlile, Ofsted Inspector Matthew Van Lier, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 23 June 2026

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About this inspection

This school is part of the NSB Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the executive headteacher, Richard Bernard, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Rachel Helmn.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteachers, the executive headteacher, trustees, other school leaders, staff and pupils during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school currently makes use of one alternative provision, which is unregistered.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Matthew Edwards Well below average

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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