Ofsted: Expected standard trending_up Popular

Kettering Buccleuch Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

person Miss Chloe Buckenham (Principal)

corporate_fareUNITED LEARNING TRUST

location_onKettering, NN16 9NS

language Visit Website phone 01536515644

verified

Ofsted

Expected standard

Inspected 2026

groups

Students

1,858

trending_up

Attainment 8

51.4

leaderboard

GCSE Rank

#2 in North Northamptonshire

#944 of 4,024 nationally

summarize

Kettering Buccleuch Academy is a Academy sponsor led primary school in Kettering, serving ages 4-18. Assessed at Expected standard by Ofsted on its latest Report Card inspection. Demand is above capacity (1.2×) — apply through your local authority on time. Ranks in the top 24% of primary schools nationally.

article

School Summary

Kettering Buccleuch Academy is an academy sponsor led in Kettering, North Northamptonshire, admitting pupils aged 4-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of UNITED LEARNING TRUST. The school has approximately 1,808 pupils on roll, of whom 24% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2026, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 51.4, placing the school #2 in North Northamptonshire and #944 of 4,024 nationally. 55.30% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 24.3% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

In 2025, 65% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined.

The sixth form offers 24 A-level subjects. 50.9% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 20.1% at A*–A. In the 2022/23 leavers cohort, 20.2% progressed to Top-Third Higher Education institutions (ranked #718 nationally), out of 57.5% progressing to higher education overall. A-level value added: -0.16 — students made below-average progress at sixth form.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2026. The school's current overall rating is Expected standard. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Expected standard, behaviour and attitudes Expected standard, personal development Expected standard, and leadership and management Expected standard.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.2× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 19.7:1. There are 2 teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 2 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 6.2 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2026

Attainment 8 Score

51.4

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

55.30%

Grade 4+ E&M

72.10%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)24.3%

5+ GCSEs (4+ incl. E&M)69.90%

Triple Science Entry14.20%

EBacc Slot Score15.9 / 30

2025

Attainment 8 Score

48.3

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

45.40%

Grade 4+ E&M

64.20%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)23.0%

Entering EBacc68.30%

EBacc APS4.57

2024

Progress 8 Score

0.52

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

50.7

Grade 5+ E&M

51.10%

Entering EBacc66.40%

EBacc APS4.8

2023

Progress 8 Score

0.58

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

53.0

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc68%

EBacc APS4.91

2022

Progress 8 Score

0.83

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

53.7

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc67%

EBacc APS4.96

2019

Progress 8 Score

0.6

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

48.4

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc41%

EBacc APS4.24

2018

Progress 8 Score

0.11

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

43.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc28%

EBacc APS3.74

explore

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2026

Stayed in Education / Employment

87.7%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)83.8%

Apprenticeships0.9%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7.7%

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

88%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)83%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)9%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

92%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)81%

Apprenticeships4%

Employment7%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

91%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)81%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment7%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

91%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)84%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)9%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)82%

Apprenticeships6%

Employment6%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)6%

workspace_premium

Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

A-Level Value Added

-0.16

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make below-expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*4.4%

Achieving A*–A20.1%

Achieving A*–B50.9%

VA Banding Below average

Retention rate87.2%

A-level subjects offered24

2024

A-Level Value Added

+0.14

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make above-average progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

B-

Students

Retention rate89.70%

Post-18 Destinations 86.8% sustained

school Higher Education (University) 57.5%

handshake Apprenticeships 4.7%

work Employment 21.7%

Not sustained / NEET9.4%

2023

Avg Grade

B-

Students

Retention rate97.80%

Post-18 Destinations (2022/23 leavers)91.9% sustained

school Higher Education (University) 67.7%

stars Top-Third Universities 20.2%

handshake Apprenticeships 5.6%

work Employment 16.9%

Not sustained / NEET4.8%

2022

Avg Grade

B-

Students

Retention rate95.6%

Post-18 Destinations 90.3% sustained

school Higher Education (University) 61.9%

handshake Apprenticeships 6.2%

work Employment 20.4%

Not sustained / NEET8%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results & 16-19 Destination Measures

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

65%

LA 59%

Reading75% LA 71%

Writing70% LA 70%

Maths73% LA 70%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

67%

LA 58%England 61%

Reading82% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing70% LA 71% · Eng 72%

Maths73% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

57%

LA 58%England 60%

Reading72% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Writing67% LA 72% · Eng 71%

Maths77% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

-0.7

Read

LA -0.7

-2.3 to 0.9

-1.6

Write

LA -0.2

-3.1 to 0.0

0.9

Maths

LA -0.7

-0.6 to 2.4

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

55%

LA 61%England 65%

Reading68% LA 70% · Eng 73%

Writing71% LA 74% · Eng 78%

Maths66% LA 75% · Eng 79%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.0

Read

LA -0.9

-2.6 to 0.6

0.1

Write

LA -0.7

-1.4 to 1.6

-0.3

Maths

LA -0.8

-1.7 to 1.1

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

49%

LA 61%

Reading63% LA 73%

Writing71% LA 77%

Maths58% LA 71%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.7

Read

LA -1.1

-4.3 to -1.1

-2.4

Write

LA -0.7

-3.9 to -0.9

-4.3

Maths

LA -1.3

-5.7 to -2.9

leaderboard

Ranking History & Trajectory

National & Local Authority position based on DfE performance data · Methodology

Year	Primary Overall (Nat)	LA Rank	Attainment	Progress	Secondary Overall (Nat)	LA Rank	GCSE Attainment	Progress 8 Rank	A-Level VA	Top-Third Uni	Overall Uni (HE)
2026	—	—	—	—	#1,281 / 4,024	#3	#944	#1	—	#718	#1,292
2025	#6,113 / 3,948	#28	#6,712	#1	#1,599 / 3,948	#7	#1,376	#1	#1,670	#718	#1,292
2024	#3,753 / 4,450	#21	#5,091	#1	#829 / 4,450	#4	#1,030	#487	#624	#718	#1,292
2023	#7,935 / 4,321	#44	#8,084	#8,419	#753 / 4,321	#4	#780	#387	—	—	#589
2022	—	—	—	—	#750 / 4,199	#6	#964	#116	—	—	#993
2019	#7,580 / 2,711	#32	#1	#8,042	#710 / 2,711	#6	#1,100	#300	—	—	—
2018	#11,055 / 2,537	#61	#1	#11,765	#1,457 / 2,537	#10	#1,721	#1,083	—	—	—

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

10 February 2026

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

19 October 2021

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

16 March 2021

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

10 January 2018

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

24 June 2016

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

01 December 2015

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

18 March 2015

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

24 October 2014

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

03 June 2014

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

12 October 2011

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

09 December 2010

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

Inspection Report

Inspection History

6 Evaluations

2026-02-10

S5 Inspection REIF Report Card

Report Card

info

Why no single overall grade?

From autumn 2024 / 2025, Ofsted replaced single-word headline grades (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate) with individual area judgements on a Report Card.

Curriculum & Teaching

Expected standard

Achievement

Expected standard

Attendance & Behaviour

Expected standard

Personal Development

Expected standard

Inclusion

Expected standard

Leadership & Governance

Expected standard

Early Years

Strong standard

Post-16 Provision

Strong standard

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

2021-10-19

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 2 EIF

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Outstanding

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

2018-01-10

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

2016-06-24

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

2015-12-01

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2014-06-03

None Legacy

Inadequate

Education

Requires improvement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

6.2%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

3.7%(69 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,851 pupils. During this period, there were 114 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 6.2%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,851	114	6.2%	0.8%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,858	115	6.2%	0.9%	2
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,872	85	4.5%	0.8%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,869	69	3.7%	0.7%	1
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,884	47	2.5%	0.8%	1
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,859	41	2.2%	0.7%	2
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,858	29	1.6%	0.6%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,855	17	0.9%	0.6%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,845	25	1.4%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,851	51	2.8%	0.5%	2
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,867	60	3.2%	0.5%	2
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,806	47	2.6%	0.4%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,806	1	0.1%	0.1%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,804	30	1.7%	0.4%	1
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,791	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,791	26	1.5%	0.4%	2
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,791	33	1.8%	0.6%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,739	40	2.3%	0.4%	2
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,744	58	3.3%	0.5%	1
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,745	38	2.2%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,681	41	2.4%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,691	53	3.1%	0.4%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,690	24	1.4%	0.5%	1
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,608	28	1.7%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,617	43	2.7%	0.4%	2
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,618	57	3.5%	0.5%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

accessibility_new

psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 150 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 102 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 45 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 39 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 29 pupils

Hearing Impairment 8 pupils

Visual Impairment 6 pupils

Physical Disability 4 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 3 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

Overall, how do parents view this school?

64%Positive

My child is happy at this school.

73%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

78%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

When bullying took place, the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.

strongly agree10%

agree27%

disagree22%

strongly disagree27%

don't know2%

not applicable71%

Neither agree nor disagree12%

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree30%

agree34%

disagree17%

strongly disagree6%

don't know1%

Neither agree nor disagree13%

When the school makes decisions it has the child's best interests at heart.

strongly agree29%

agree28%

Neither agree nor disagree17%

disagree16%

strongly disagree9%

Don't know1%

The school gives my child the right support to enable them to learn well.

strongly agree37%

agree36%

Neither agree nor disagree11%

disagree8%

strongly disagree8%

The school communicates well with me about the things I need to know.

strongly agree35%

agree35%

disagree13%

strongly disagree8%

Neither agree nor disagree11%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly.

strongly agree35%

agree30%

disagree13%

strongly disagree8%

not applicable7%

Neither agree nor disagree8%

Does your child have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)?

yes30%

no70%

My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree23%

agree35%

disagree21%

strongly disagree5%

Neither agree nor disagree16%

Would you recommend this school to another parent?

yes72%

no28%

Top Primary Schools in North Northamptonshire

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

Ruskin Academy

Good

location_on Wellingborough, NN8 3EG

emoji_events #1 in LA

Greenfields Primary School and Nursery

Outstanding

location_on Kettering, NN15 6HY

emoji_events #2 in LA

Broughton Primary School

Strong standard

location_on Kettering, NN14 1NB

emoji_events #3 in LA

Olympic Primary

Good

location_on Wellingborough, NN8 3QA

emoji_events #4 in LA

Warwick Academy

Good

location_on Wellingborough, NN8 2PS

emoji_events #5 in LA

Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Primary School

Good

location_on Corby, NN17 1EE

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in North Northamptonshire arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ranking History & Trajectory

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Christian)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Secondary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Overall, how do parents view this school?

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

When bullying took place, the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

When the school makes decisions it has the child's best interests at heart.

The school gives my child the right support to enable them to learn well.

The school communicates well with me about the things I need to know.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly.

Does your child have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)?

My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

Would you recommend this school to another parent?

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in North Northamptonshire

Ruskin Academy

Greenfields Primary School and Nursery

Broughton Primary School

Olympic Primary

Warwick Academy

Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Primary School