School profile

The Ferrers School

Secondary · Academy converter · Rushden, NN10 8LF

Requires improvement

Map showing The Ferrers School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,614 of 3,312

Worse than 78% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,826 of 2,536

Worse than 71% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Ferrers School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 3 Mar 2026

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

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils937
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Clare Raku
TrustMERIDIAN TRUST
Local authorityNorth Northamptonshire
Opened01 Aug 2013
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 139988.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.40.2, worse than England, worse than North Northamptonshire43.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.57.3%, worse than England, worse than North Northamptonshire60.6%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.25.1%, worse than England, worse than North Northamptonshire40.3%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.3.5%, worse than England, worse than North Northamptonshire9.3%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths47.4%, worse than England, worse than North Northamptonshire55.4%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4171--

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 schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.29.96, worse than England, worse than North Northamptonshire32.7235
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels32.78, worse than England, similar to North Northamptonshire34.3235.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better16.7%, similar to England, similar to North Northamptonshire13.8%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.02, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study65--
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 pupils937
Girls461
Boys476
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.17.9%
First language not English5.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,100
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.14.8%
Sixth form places2024/25200
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.33
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.36
Average class size22.8

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
83.8%
Other White
4.2%
White and Black Caribbean
2.2%
Other Black
1.6%
White and Black African
1.1%
African
1.1%
Other Asian
0.9%
Irish
0.6%
White and Asian
0.6%
Other ethnic group
0.6%

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 teacher18.2
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.4
Teachers (FTE)51.6
Teaching assistants (FTE)15.8
Support staff (FTE)43.86
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2551.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2539.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/259.8
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252

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.149
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.338
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.143
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.142
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)0

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 schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEngland
Overall absence9.9%, worse than England, worse than North Northamptonshire8.5%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.26.1%, worse than England, worse than North Northamptonshire23.4%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.6.4%, worse than England, worse than North Northamptonshire4.2%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 rate33.2%
Pupils with one or more suspensions13.4%
Permanent exclusion rate0.6%
Permanent exclusions6

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.91.8%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.84.4%
Further education52.4%
School sixth form32%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.6.1%
Employment4.1%
Apprenticeship3.4%
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.94.4%
Higher education44.4%
Employment44.4%
Apprenticeship5.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.5.6%
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 The Ferrers School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryHigham Ferrers Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.4 miPrimaryHigham Ferrers Nursery and Infant SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryDenfield Park Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryHenry Chichele Primary SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
0.8 miSecondaryRushden AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.0 miPrimaryNewton Road SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
1.0 miPrimaryAlfred Lord Tennyson SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
1.6 miPrimarySouth End Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.6 miPrimaryWhitefriars Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.6 miPrimaryRushden Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Ferrers School

What is The Ferrers School's Ofsted rating?

The Ferrers School is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 3 Mar 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Ferrers School rank in England?

The Ferrers School ranks 2,614 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 78% of schools) and 1,826 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 71% of schools).

What are The Ferrers School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 25.1% of pupils at The Ferrers School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 40.2 (England 46.2).

What are The Ferrers School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The Ferrers School was C, and 16.7% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into The Ferrers School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Ferrers School made 149 offers from 338 applications (2.3 per offer), and 142 of 143 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Ferrers School?

The Ferrers School has 937 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of The Ferrers School?

The Ferrers School had 1,100 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Ferrers School have a sixth form?

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

How big are classes at The Ferrers School?

At The Ferrers School, the average class had 22.8 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 18.2 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Ferrers School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Ferrers School missed 9.9% of sessions (England 8%), and 26.1% 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.