School Chooser

Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademyChurch of England72 pupilsNurseryNorthamptonNorth Northamptonshire
School Chooser Score
12
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 4 to 39, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 15% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedAs expected teachingOfsted report card, February 2026
Reached the expected level at 1154%England 63%
Attendance94.1%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families9%Far fewer than most schools
Parents would recommend86%22 Parent View responses
Places41 spare72 pupils, 113 places

Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School is a sponsored academy in Northampton for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 72 pupils and room for 113. About 9 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 12 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 15% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in February 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

North Street, Mears Ashby, Northampton, NN6 0DW01604 810063mearsashby.northants.sch.ukMiss Rae Green headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 3 February 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
As expected
Achievement
Needs attention
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
Needs attention
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
As expected
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
28 September 2021Academy First Section 5Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

13 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1154%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score103.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score103.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 88%88%20172018: 82%82%20182019: 86%86%20192023: 73%73%20232024: 78%78%20242025: 54%54%2025
Since 2017: -34%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017†North NorthamptonshireEngland
Pupils tested139117118
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths54%78%73%86%82%88%61%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%44%9%14%9%0%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score103.0109.0104.0108.0108.0107.0104.6105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score103.0108.0105.0108.0105.0106.0103.9104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score102.0110.0106.0111.0107.0107.0104.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard85%78%73%86%82%100%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard62%78%73%100%91%100%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)77%78%82%100%82%88%
Reading progressReading progress score-1.9-0.6-0.5+0.3
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.7-0.4-2.1-0.4

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for Mears Ashby Church of England Endowed School, the school this one replaced in April 2017. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places75 pupils for 105 places, 2024/25
71% full

30 places were empty (29% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 5% 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 North Northamptonshire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

What parents say

Would recommend the school86%England 87%
My child is happy here86%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe95%
Positive overall76%
My child is happy at this school
86%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
95%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
77%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
18% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
50%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
73%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
55% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
50%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
77%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
59%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
68%England 82%
I would recommend this school
86%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
76%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 22 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

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 roll72Census January 2026
Places11364% full
Pupils from low-income families8%9% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English7%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support24%17 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%3 pupils with a plan
Average class size14.73 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)12%£12,400 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls45 / 27
White British pupils81%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 18.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 16.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (5), emotional and mental health (5), language and communications needs (5), Specific learning difficulty (2), Autistic spectrum disorder (1), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll728387817777
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals8%13%13%14%7%5%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language7%5%2%4%5%3%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support21%8%10%10%12%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans7%6%6%3%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.1%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school17.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils9.62024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.9%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.9%5.9%6.4%4.7%2.9%2.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.0%4.7%5.6%3.7%2.3%1.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.9%1.2%0.8%1.0%0.6%0.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence17.7%12.3%14.5%13.0%5.4%0.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate9.61.20.00.01.3
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers5.0full-time equivalent, 6 people
Pupils per teacher14.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers83%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants3.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£42,598
Teachers who left in the year44%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher18.02024/25

Money

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

Spend per pupil£7,855England £7,128. Total £652k
Income per pupil£8,506England £7,587. Total £706k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,554England £3,405
Money in reserve12%A healthy amount put by: £88k, £1,056 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£54kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,855spent 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 m1912 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate50 per 1,000 people46% lower than the England average
Typical house price£265,000North Northamptonshire
Nearest bus stop120 mTinkers Crescent, 14 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 primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Sywell Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy1.3 miles101Good 202322Compare
Ecton Village Primary SchoolAcademy2.0 miles74Good 202363Compare
Overstone Primary SchoolCouncil2.1 miles205Good 202258Compare
Ruskin AcademyAcademy2.2 miles255Good 202390Compare
Ruskin Infant SchoolAcademy2.2 miles250Good 202319Compare
Rectory Farm Primary SchoolAcademy2.3 miles179Good 202328Compare
Earls Barton Primary SchoolAcademy2.3 miles454Good 2023Compare
Olympic PrimaryAcademy2.4 miles400Good 202389Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School with the 41 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 41 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats15%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 12 is 26 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 39 · highest 100100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 41 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School, 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
Isham Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy5.4 miles103No overall grade 202534Compare
Christopher Reeves CofE VA Primary SchoolChurch of England7.0 miles70Good 202425Compare
Loddington CofE (VA) Primary SchoolAcademy7.3 miles95Good 202355Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 12 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 12% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 4 to 39. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. 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 years25%in line
-0.08
2025 and 2023 results; 13 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.27
Ofsted report card, 0.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
0.00
DfE progress measure; 13 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.15
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.04
2024/25; 79 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.06
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 13 pupils
What parents say5%in line
0.00
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 22 responses

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 Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School scores 12 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 15% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 4 to 39, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 3 February 2026 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as needs attention, behaviour and attendance as needs attention, leadership as as expected.

How good are Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 54% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School have?

72 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 113 places, so it is 64% full.

Is Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 30 places were empty in 2024/25 (29% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School?

86% of the 22 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 86% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 14.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

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

Contact and details

Address
North Street, Mears Ashby, Northampton, NN6 0DW
Telephone
01604 810063
Website
www.mearsashby.northants.sch.uk
Headteacher
Miss Rae Green
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Peterborough
Multi-academy trust
Peterborough Diocese Education Trust (36 schools)
Local authority
North Northamptonshire
Ward
Earls Barton
Constituency
Daventry
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 April 2017 (new provision)
URN
143950 · LAESTAB 9402207 · UKPRN 10062501
Formerly
Mears Ashby Church of England Endowed School

Where these figures come from