School Chooser

Paulerspury Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademyChurch of England59 pupilsNurseryTowcesterWest Northamptonshire
School Chooser Score
22
Below
similar schools
Likely range 8 to 55, so it could be “well below”
Out of 100. Better than 20% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, April 2025
Reached the expected level at 1133%England 63%
Attendance94.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families14%Far fewer than most schools
Places81 spare59 pupils, 140 places
Pupils per teacher13.4School workforce census

Paulerspury Church of England Primary School is a converter academy in Towcester for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 59 pupils and room for 140. About 14 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 23 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 20% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

High Street, Paulerspury, Towcester, NN12 7NA01327 811674paulerspuryschool.co.ukMrs Georgina Sensecall headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 29 April 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

9 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 1133%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level11%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score101.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score98.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 58%58%20172018: 42%42%20182019: 47%47%20192023: 31%31%20232024: 33%33%20242025: 33%33%2025
Since 2017: -25%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure2025202420232019†2018†2017†West NorthamptonshireEngland
Pupils tested91216191212
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths33%33%31%47%42%58%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths11%8%0%11%0%0%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score101.0104.0101.0103.0104.0105.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score98.0100.099.0100.097.0102.0104.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0102.099.0103.0103.0103.0104.9105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard56%58%56%79%75%75%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard33%50%50%58%42%75%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)56%75%50%53%75%67%
Reading progressReading progress score-3.5+0.3-1.4-1.0
Maths progressMaths progress score-4.1-3.2-8.2-3.0

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 Paulerspury Church of England Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 2022. 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 places66 pupils for 140 places, 2024/25
47% full

74 places were empty (53% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in.

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 roll59Census January 2026
Places14042% full
Pupils from low-income families14%14% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English3%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support12%7 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%1 pupil with a plan
Average class size14.84 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)14%£12,400 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls30 / 29
White British pupils80%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 18.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 16.5 (England 27.3).

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

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census2026202520242023
Pupils on roll59676975
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals14%18%19%15%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language3%5%3%4%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support15%13%21%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%3%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school17.2%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.8%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/22†2020/21†2018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.8%7.0%6.9%10.2%2.6%4.0%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.0%4.5%3.2%7.0%2.0%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.8%2.4%3.7%3.2%0.5%1.2%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence17.2%21.9%21.3%37.9%7.0%7.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions000

† These attendance figures are for Paulerspury Church of England Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Staff and money

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

Teachers4.4full-time equivalent, 5 people
Pupils per teacher13.4Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants3.1full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£46,623
Teachers who left in the year18%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.22024/25

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£7,672England £7,128. Total £514k
Income per pupil£8,507England £7,587. Total £570k
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,090England £3,405
Money in reserve-1%In the red: -£6,782, -£101 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£56kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,672spent 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 m1012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate53 per 1,000 people42% lower than the England average
Typical house price£300,000West Northamptonshire
Nearest bus stop40 mC of E School, 4 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
Marie Weller Primary SchoolFree school1.7 miles245Good 202395Compare
Whittlebury Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England2.0 miles71Good 202243Compare
Towcester Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.3 miles267Good 202459Compare
Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary SchoolAcademy2.5 miles429Report card 202692Compare
Yardley Gobion Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England2.8 miles87Good 202319Compare
John Hellins Primary SchoolCouncil2.9 miles202No overall grade 202599Compare
Silverstone Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy3.0 miles224Good 202285Compare
Stoke Bruerne Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England3.0 miles65Good 202318Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Paulerspury Church of England Primary School with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats20%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 23 is 24 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 47 · highest 94100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Paulerspury 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
Harlestone Primary SchoolCouncil11.8 miles64Good 202456Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 23 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 23% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 8 to 55. 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%below
-0.14
2024 and 2023 results; 12 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 1.4 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.17
DfE progress measure; 12 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.16
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
-0.02
2024/25; 58 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.20
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 12 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 Paulerspury Church of England Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Paulerspury Church of England Primary School scores 23 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 20% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 8 to 55, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

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

Ofsted rated Paulerspury Church of England Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 29 April 2025.

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

In summer 2025, 33% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 11% 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 Paulerspury Church of England Primary School have?

59 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 140 places, so it is 42% full.

Is Paulerspury Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 74 places were empty in 2024/25 (53% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Paulerspury Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 17% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

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

The average class had 14.8 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
High Street, Paulerspury, Towcester, NN12 7NA
Telephone
01327 811674
Website
www.paulerspuryschool.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Georgina Sensecall
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Peterborough
Multi-academy trust
Innovate Multi Academy Trust (6 schools)
Local authority
West Northamptonshire
Ward
Deanshanger & Paulerspury
Constituency
South Northamptonshire
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2022 (academy converter)
URN
149281 · LAESTAB 9413050 · UKPRN 10090945
Formerly
Paulerspury Church of England Primary School

Where these figures come from