Northampton School for Boys

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Students make outstanding progress across a range of subjects. They make exceptional progress in mathematics, where standards are particularly high.

Students enjoy outstanding opportunities to take part in numerous clubs and activities at lunchtimes and after school. This helps to build the excellent relationships between students and staff which are at the heart of students' highly successful learning. There is a strong focus throughout the school on promoting students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

This develops students' leadership skills, teamwork and creativity outstandingly well. Students are set ambiti...ous targets to achieve. School leaders carefully track the progress of individual students and provide rapid support for them when it is required.

Leaders' frequent checks on the quality of teaching ensure it remains high. Students are considerate and respectful towards staff, visitors and each other. They behave exceptionally well around the school, feel very safe and know how to keep themselves safe.

Students are highly motivated in lessons. They have a thirst for knowledge and a love of learning so they work very hard and are keen to succeed. They say how much they appreciate their teachers' willingness to give them extra help when it is needed, and to help them prepare for their examinations.

The sixth form is outstanding because students make excellent progress. A high proportion of students gains places at top universities. Any gaps between the achievement of disadvantaged students and others are closing rapidly.

In 2014, these students achieved high standards which were very similar to those of their classmates. Teachers have high expectations of students' behaviour, effort and standards. Teachers have excellent knowledge of their subjects.

They benefit from outstanding opportunities for training and development. The school is significantly oversubscribed. Parents are highly positive about the school's work.

The outstanding curriculum enables students to achieve highly and develop the personal skills they will need in the next stage of their lives. The new headteacher is building on the many existing strengths of the school, while bringing a new approach to improving certain aspects of the school's work. Governors are highly knowledgeable about the school's performance and they play a very effective role in shaping future strategic developments so the school continues to improve.

Information about this school

Northampton School for Boys converted to become an academy school in September 2010. When its predecessor school, also called Northampton School for Boys, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be outstanding overall. This school is larger than the average-sized secondary school.

The school is a nationally designated teaching school. The school has specialist status for technology. The large majority of students are White British and speak English as their first language.

The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs, at just over one fifth of students, is higher than average. The proportion of students eligible for the pupil premium, at around one in eight, is lower than average. The pupil premium is the additional funding provided by the government to support students who are known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority.

A very small number of students in Key Stage 4 attend work-related courses at Moulton College. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress. The headteacher was appointed in September 2014.