School Chooser

Guilsborough Academy

Secondary · ages 11-18MixedAcademy1,198 pupilsSixth formNorthamptonWest Northamptonshire
School Chooser Score
24
Below
similar schools
Likely range 19 to 33
Out of 100. Better than 7% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedRequires improvementLast Ofsted inspection, October 2023
Strong pass in English and maths42%England 46%
Attendance92.0%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families15%Far fewer than most schools
Places214 spare1,198 pupils, 1,412 places
Pupils per teacher16.2School workforce census

Guilsborough Academy is a converter academy in Northampton for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 1,198 pupils and room for 1,412. About 15 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 25 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 7% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was requires improvement, back in 2023.

West Haddon Road, Guilsborough, Northampton, NN6 8QE01604 740641guilsborough.northants.sch.ukMr Simon Frazer principalAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 3 October 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Requires improvement overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Requires improvement
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Requires improvement
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Requires improvement
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Requires improvement
Sixth formOfsted calls this “post-16”
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes
Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
12 May 2022UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

212 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score46.6
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths42%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths69%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-0.17In each subject, pupils here finished a little behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 51.051.020182019: 51.851.820192022: 48.048.020222023: 49.449.420232024: 46.146.120242025: 46.646.62025
Since 2018: -4.4Steady overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018West NorthamptonshireEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11212222230228222223
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 846.646.149.448.051.851.045.446.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-0.17+0.00-0.09+0.08+0.17
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths42%45%54%43%62%52%43%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths69%67%70%67%83%76%65%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score4.144.114.414.294.754.724.034.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry36%33%40%46%60%70%42%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged35.429.333.438.437.741.1
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged48.549.951.848.953.552.0
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers22.826.430.925.627.7
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers62.365.666.961.562.0

Subjects

Results came out for 20 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Music (29% here, 61% across England), Religious Studies (32% here, 60% across England), Drama (35% here, 60% across England), German (46% here, 63% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, 2 languages, computer science, music.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics212 entries · 11th of 21 in West Northamptonshire
51%England 53%
English Language212 entries · 11th of 21 in West Northamptonshire
51%England 54%
English Literature210 entries · 13th of 21 in West Northamptonshire
51%England 58%
History149 entries · 13th of 20 in West Northamptonshire
48%England 52%
Combined Science144 entries · 11th of 20 in West Northamptonshire
28%England 36%
Geography90 entries · 10th of 21 in West Northamptonshire
49%England 51%
Business74 entries · 6th of 14 in West Northamptonshire
53%England 51%
Biology67 entries · 8th of 17 in West Northamptonshire
84%England 82%
Chemistry64 entries · 10th of 18 in West Northamptonshire
78%England 81%
Physics64 entries · 9th of 18 in West Northamptonshire
81%England 82%
Food Preparation & Nutrition57 entries · 6th of 10 in West Northamptonshire
49%England 52%
Design & Technology54 entries · 6th of 11 in West Northamptonshire
56%England 50%
Art and Design51 entries · 13th of 19 in West Northamptonshire
49%England 58%
Physical Education48 entries · 7th of 10 in West Northamptonshire
48%England 56%
German46 entries · 8th of 8 in West Northamptonshire
46%England 63%
Spanish36 entries · 11th of 13 in West Northamptonshire
47%England 54%
Music21 entries · 2nd of 2 in West Northamptonshire
29%England 61%
Drama20 entries · 8th of 9 in West Northamptonshire
35%England 60%
32%England 60%
47%England 56%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics21217%51%75%53%1,606 of 3,211
English Language21210%51%73%54%1,757 of 3,210
English Literature21015%51%73%58%1,988 of 3,202
History14920%48%61%52%1,731 of 3,126
Combined Science1442%28%60%36%2,046 of 3,084
Geography9019%49%66%51%1,482 of 3,116
Business7415%53%76%51%740 of 1,806
Biology6742%84%94%82%1,474 of 2,570
Chemistry6427%78%95%81%1,642 of 2,537
Physics6433%81%95%82%1,558 of 2,546
Food Preparation & Nutrition575%49%72%52%593 of 1,098
Design & Technology5419%56%70%50%565 of 1,478
Art and Design5118%49%82%58%1,889 of 2,818
Physical Education4813%48%63%56%986 of 1,559
German4615%46%67%63%450 of 571
Spanish3614%47%64%54%1,252 of 1,941
Music2110%29%43%61%339 of 395
Drama200%35%70%60%742 of 844
Religious Studies1911%32%47%60%
Computer Science1533%47%53%56%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

96 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeB-35.0 points per entry
A level progress+0.06Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better9%with two subjects universities favour
Stayed and finished99%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students9610310987229199
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry35.0233.0536.8538.4532.1230.85
Average A level gradeB-C+B-BC+C
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS35.8434.1236.8638.3833.0632.92
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects9%13%14%17%15%14%
A level progressA level value added+0.06+0.04-0.04-0.13
Applied general courses: points per entry31.5329.8034.3838.00
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed99%96%95%100%98%100%

A level subjects

15 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

Strongest A levels

History80%A* to B, England 55% · 15 entries
Media / Film / TV Studies70%A* to B, England 46% · 10 entries
Biology62%A* to B, England 49% · 13 entries
A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsPsychology32Sociology31Business Studies26Geography22Mathematics18Fine Art16History15Biology13Physical Education / Sports Studies13English Literature12Economics11Media / Film / TV Studies10Physics10English Language and Literature8Chemistry8
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Psychology32 entries · 28% A* or A · 97% passed
38%England 46%
Sociology31 entries · 32% A* or A · 100% passed
58%England 49%
Business Studies26 entries · 15% A* or A · 96% passed
35%England 47%
Geography22 entries · 23% A* or A · 100% passed
50%England 51%
Mathematics18 entries · 33% A* or A · 94% passed
67%England 60%
Fine Art16 entries · 25% A* or A · 100% passed
56%England 65%
History15 entries · 47% A* or A · 93% passed
80%England 55%
Biology13 entries · 39% A* or A · 92% passed
62%England 49%
Physical Education / Sports Studies13 entries · 8% A* or A · 92% passed
23%England 41%
English Literature12 entries · 17% A* or A · 100% passed
58%England 52%
Economics11 entries · 9% A* or A · 100% passed
55%England 57%
Media / Film / TV Studies10 entries · 30% A* or A · 100% passed
70%England 46%
Physics10 entries · 20% A* or A · 100% passed
50%England 51%
English Language and Literature8 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
63%England 47%
Chemistry8 entries · 13% A* or A · 100% passed
13%England 53%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 3 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
35.448.5
Gap 13.1England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
26%44%
Gap 18 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
45.448.0
Gap 2.6England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Open to all. There is no entrance test.

A few spare places1,252 pupils for 1,472 places, 2024/25
85% full

About 220 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 6% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to West Northamptonshire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll1,198Census January 2026
Places1,41285% full
Pupils from low-income families15%15% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English5%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support11%128 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%25 pupils with a plan
Average class size23.349 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils12%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)16%£182,600 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls591 / 607
White British pupils84%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (48), Specific learning difficulty (44), Autistic spectrum disorder (27), language and communications needs (9), Moderate learning difficulty (7), Physical disability (7).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll1,1981,2601,3271,3361,3381,317
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals15%13%13%12%9%8%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language5%4%3%3%2%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support17%16%13%14%13%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%1%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance92.0%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school22.5%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils15.32024/25, 6 permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.9%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence8.0%9.4%9.8%10.8%5.1%5.1%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence6.1%7.5%7.2%8.6%4.2%4.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.9%1.8%2.6%2.2%0.9%0.7%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence22.5%28.1%27.8%30.2%11.5%10.5%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate15.321.010.78.55.4
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions60501

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 230 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training94%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 77%, compared with 97% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training94%95%94%96%
Education90%88%87%93%
Apprenticeship3%4%4%2%
Work1%3%3%1%
Not in education, work or training3%2%5%4%

After sixth form

Where the 105 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training92%and stayed there for at least six months

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training71%England 72%
Top-third universities22%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship4%England 6%
Higher technical course0%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND
Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training92%92%94%
Education65%51%62%
Apprenticeship4%6%3%2%
Work24%35%28%
Not in education, work or training5%6%4%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers73.8full-time equivalent, 74 people
Pupils per teacher16.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers97%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants12.9full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£52,687
Teachers who left in the year19%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.22024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,222England £7,965. Total £9.1m
Income per pupil£7,159England £8,423. Total £9.0m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,098England £4,444
Money in reserve18%A healthy amount put by: £1.6m, £1,302 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out-£80kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,222spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m1812 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate48 per 1,000 people47% lower than the England average
Typical house price£300,000West Northamptonshire
Nearest bus stop100 mGuilsborough County School, 1 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored

No other schools of this phase within 8 km.

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Guilsborough Academy with the 46 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats7%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 25 is 37 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 61 · highest 95100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 46 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Guilsborough Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Welland Park AcademyAcademy9.1 miles1,014Not inspected83Compare
Lutterworth CollegeAcademy10.8 miles1,580Good 202355Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 25 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 25% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 19 to 33. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%in line
+0.01
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 212 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.43
Ofsted grade, 2.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.04
DfE progress measure; 212 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.02
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.02
2024/25; 1,120 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.05
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 212 pupils
What pupils do next5%above
+0.03
230 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Guilsborough Academy a good school?

The figures are weak. Guilsborough Academy scores 25 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 7% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 19 to 33, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Guilsborough Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Guilsborough Academy requires improvement at its last full inspection on 3 October 2023.

How good are Guilsborough Academy's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 42% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 46.6, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished a little behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Guilsborough Academy have?

1,198 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,412 places, so it is 85% full.

Is Guilsborough Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 220 places were empty in 2024/25 (15% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Guilsborough Academy?

Pupils were in school 92.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 23% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Guilsborough Academy?

The average class had 23.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 12% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Guilsborough Academy have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was B-. 15 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
West Haddon Road, Guilsborough, Northampton, NN6 8QE
Telephone
01604 740641
Website
www.guilsborough.northants.sch.uk
Principal
Mr Simon Frazer
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Guilsborough Multi Academy Trust (1 schools)
Local authority
West Northamptonshire
Ward
Naseby
Constituency
Daventry
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 March 2011 (academy converter)
URN
136489 · LAESTAB 9414042 · UKPRN 10033034
Formerly
Guilsborough School

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from