Best Secondary Schools in West Northamptonshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 18 schools across West Northamptonshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
18
Open secondary schools in West Northamptonshire
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
14 Good or better
of 17 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
Northampton School for Boys currently leads
Methodology

West Northamptonshire has 18 open secondary schools. Of the 17 with a published Ofsted inspection, 3 (18%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 82% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Northampton School for Boys currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in West Northamptonshire follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Northampton School for Boys
Secondary
 Outstanding 80 View school
2. Sponne School
Secondary
 Outstanding 73 View school
3. Northampton Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 66 View school
4. Northampton School for Girls
Secondary
 Good 66 View school
5. Chenderit School
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
6. Magdalen College School
Secondary
 Good 49 View school
7. Moulton School and Science College
Secondary
 Good 47 View school
8. Guilsborough Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 45 View school
9. Weston Favell Academy
Secondary
 Good 45 View school
10. Kingsthorpe College
Secondary
 Good 45 View school
11. Malcolm Arnold Academy
Secondary
 Good 42 View school
12. Elizabeth Woodville School
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 37 View school
13. St Thomas Becket Catholic School
Secondary
 Good 36 View school
14. The Parker E-ACT Academy
Secondary
 Good 35 View school
15. Campion School
Secondary
 Good 35 View school
16. Abbeyfield School
Secondary
 Good 32 View school
17. Silverstone UTC
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 20 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for West Northamptonshire

Best primary schools in West NorthamptonshireTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in West NorthamptonshireTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in West NorthamptonshirePrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in West NorthamptonshireReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in Milton KeynesCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in North NorthamptonshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BedfordCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WarwickshireCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in West Northamptonshire

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in West Northamptonshire?
There are 18 open secondary schools in West Northamptonshire (closed schools are excluded). 3 of the 17 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in West Northamptonshire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in West Northamptonshire is Northampton School for Boys. The full ranked table above lists the top 17 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in West Northamptonshire?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in West Northamptonshire?
Primary and secondary applications in West Northamptonshire are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the West Northamptonshire council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.