Best Secondary Schools in West Northamptonshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 16 schools across West Northamptonshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

West Northamptonshire has 16 open secondary schools. Of the 15 with a published Ofsted inspection, 3 (20%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 87% 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 Academy 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.

16
Total schools
3
Outstanding (historic grade)
20%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
62.1%
Avg KS2 SATs
35.4
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Northampton Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 75 View school
🥈 Northampton School for Girls
Secondary
 Good 71 View school
🥉 Chenderit School
Secondary
 Good 65 View school
4. Campion School
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
5. Moulton School and Science College
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
6. Northampton School for Boys
Secondary
 Outstanding 60 View school
7. Abbeyfield School
Secondary
 Good 57 View school
8. Weston Favell Academy
Secondary
 Good 55 View school
9. Malcolm Arnold Academy
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
10. Sponne School
Secondary
 Outstanding 53 View school
11. Kingsthorpe College
Secondary
 Good 52 View school
12. St Thomas Becket Catholic School
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
13. Guilsborough Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 51 View school
14. Northampton School
Secondary
 — 50 View school
15. The Parker E-ACT Academy
Secondary
 Good 36 View school
16. Silverstone UTC
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 31 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 16 open secondary schools in West Northamptonshire (closed schools are excluded). 3 of the 15 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 Academy. The full ranked table above lists the top 16 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.