School profile

Abbeyfield School

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Northampton, NN4 8BU

Requires improvement

Map showing Abbeyfield School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,897 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#2,294 of 2,536

Worse than 90% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Abbeyfield School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 20 Jan 2026

Area360 rating
Requires improvement
Inclusion
Needs attention
Curriculum and teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour
Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing
Needs attention
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Post-16 provision
Needs attention
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,296
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Richard Shaw
TrustCREATIVE EDUCATION TRUST
Local authorityWest Northamptonshire
Opened01 Oct 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 138858.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolWest NorthamptonshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.44.6, similar to England, similar to West Northamptonshire4646.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.62.3%, similar to England, worse than West Northamptonshire65.6%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.36.4%, worse than England, worse than West Northamptonshire45.4%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.8.8%, worse than England, worse than West Northamptonshire13.1%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths55.3%, worse than England, worse than West Northamptonshire60.4%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4228--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolWest NorthamptonshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.24.82, worse than England, worse than West Northamptonshire34.1535
Average A-level gradeD+--
Average points, best three A-levels26.67, worse than England, worse than West Northamptonshire34.8635.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC---
AAB or better0%, worse than England, worse than West Northamptonshire14.8%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.36, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study58--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,296
Girls654
Boys642
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.26.1%
First language not English33.8%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,440
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.10%
Sixth form places2024/25200
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.109
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.28
Average class size23.5

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
50.9%
Other White
23.2%
African
7.1%
Indian
2.9%
Other mixed
2.3%
White and Black Caribbean
2.2%
White and Black African
1.9%
Other ethnic group
1.6%
Bangladeshi
1.5%
White and Asian
1.3%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher19.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.14.2
Teachers (FTE)67.32
Teaching assistants (FTE)7.03
Support staff (FTE)34.35
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2573.5
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2551.9
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/258
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/2513.6

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.227
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.306
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.114
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.114
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)1

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolWest NorthamptonshireEngland
Overall absence9.2%, worse than England, worse than West Northamptonshire7.8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.24.1%, worse than England, worse than West Northamptonshire20.7%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.5.4%, worse than England, worse than West Northamptonshire3.8%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate50.3%
Pupils with one or more suspensions11.8%
Permanent exclusion rate0.4%
Permanent exclusions5

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.88.5%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.85%
Further education53.8%
School sixth form31.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.9.5%
Apprenticeship2.4%
Employment1.2%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.87.3%
Higher education58.7%
Employment20.6%
Apprenticeship7.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.9%
Further education0%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Abbeyfield School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimaryThe Abbey Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.3 miNurseryGloucester Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Good
0.3 miAll-throughWootton Park SchoolFree schools
Outstanding
0.3 miPrimaryOverstone Gate Primary SchoolFree schools
Unrated
0.3 miPrimarySimon de Senlis Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.5 miPrimaryQueen Eleanor Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.6 miPrimaryDelapre Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryEast Hunsbury Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryHunsbury Park Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miNot applicableNorthampton High School GDSTOther independent school
Unrated

Frequently asked questions about Abbeyfield School

What is Abbeyfield School's Ofsted rating?

Abbeyfield School is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 20 Jan 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Abbeyfield School rank in England?

Abbeyfield School ranks 1,897 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools) and 2,294 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 90% of schools).

What are Abbeyfield School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 36.4% of pupils at Abbeyfield School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 44.6 (England 46.2).

What are Abbeyfield School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Abbeyfield School was D+, and 0% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Abbeyfield School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Abbeyfield School made 227 offers from 306 applications (1.3 per offer), and 114 of 114 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Abbeyfield School?

Abbeyfield School has 1,296 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Abbeyfield School?

Abbeyfield School had 1,440 school places in 2024/25.

Does Abbeyfield School have a sixth form?

Yes, Abbeyfield School has a sixth form with 200 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Abbeyfield School?

At Abbeyfield School, the average class had 23.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 19.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Abbeyfield School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Abbeyfield School missed 9.2% of sessions (England 8%), and 24.1% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.