Ofsted: Good trending_up Places Available emoji_events #6 in West Northamptonshire public Top 12% UK

Caroline Chisholm School

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

personMr David James

corporate_fareCAROLINE CHISHOLM EDUCATION TRUST

location_onNorthampton, NN4 6TP

language Visit Website phone 1604344744

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2020

groups

Students

2,138

trending_up

Attainment 8

50.4

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GCSE Rank

#6 in West Northamptonshire

#886 of 3,216 nationally

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Caroline Chisholm School is a Academy converter secondary school in Northampton, serving ages 4-18. Rated Good by Ofsted.

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School Summary

Caroline Chisholm School is an academy converter in Northampton, West Northamptonshire, admitting pupils aged 4-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of CAROLINE CHISHOLM EDUCATION TRUST. The school has approximately 2,134 pupils on roll, of whom 12% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 50.4, placing the school #6 in West Northamptonshire and #886 of 3,216 nationally. 57.10% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 21.3% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

In 2025, 72% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 13% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #61 of 22 primaries in West Northamptonshire and #7,032 of 3,216 nationally.

The sixth form offers 23 A-level subjects. 54.4% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 22.3% at A*–A. A-level value added: +0.16 — students made above-average progress at sixth form.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2020. The school's current overall rating is Good. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 20.0:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 6.8 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)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

50.4

Grade 5+ E&M

57.10%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)21.3%

Entering EBacc86.20%

EBacc APS4.72

2024

Progress 8 Score

0.09

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

51.2

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc85.90%

EBacc APS4.84

2023

Progress 8 Score

0.10

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

51.9

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc46%

EBacc APS4.66

2022

Progress 8 Score

0.2

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

53.7

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc50%

EBacc APS4.79

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc41%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

0.1

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

50.7

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc33%

EBacc APS4.36

2018

Progress 8 Score

0.06

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

52.9

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc33%

EBacc APS4.53

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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.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

97%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)91%

Apprenticeships4%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)1%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

97%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)91%

Apprenticeships4%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)2%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

98%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)92%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)2%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

98%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)97%

ApprenticeshipsSP%

EmploymentSP%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)1%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)89%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

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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 above-average progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

B-

Students

110

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*6.2%

Achieving A*–A22.3%

Achieving A*–B54.4%

VA Banding Above average

Retention rate95.5%

A-level subjects offered23

2024

A-Level Value Added

-0.1

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make broadly expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

Students

147

Retention rate95.90%

2023

Avg Grade

C+

Students

150

Retention rate98.00%

2022

Avg Grade

B-

Students

137

Retention rate98.5%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

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Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

72%

LA 60%

Reading89% LA 75%

Writing74% LA 71%

Maths84% LA 73%

Read SS

108

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

107

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

68%

LA 61%England 61%

Reading83% LA 75% · Eng 74%

Writing85% LA 72% · Eng 72%

Maths85% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Read SS

107

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

107

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

67%

LA 58%England 60%

Reading83% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing82% LA 70% · Eng 71%

Maths77% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

106

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.2

Read

LA -0.1

-2.8 to 0.5

-0.8

Write

LA 0.2

-2.5 to 0.8

-1.1

Maths

LA -0.4

-2.7 to 0.5

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

83%

LA 62%England 65%

Reading90% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing92% LA 78% · Eng 78%

Maths93% LA 75% · Eng 79%

Read SS

108

Maths SS

109

GPS SS

110

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.5

Read

LA -0.3

-1.1 to 2.1

0.6

Write

LA -0.2

-0.8 to 2.1

0.8

Maths

LA -0.9

-0.6 to 2.2

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

87%

LA 62%

Reading90% LA 75%

Writing98% LA 79%

Maths93% LA 72%

Read SS

109

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

110

Progress (0 = national avg)

1.4

Read

LA -0.4

-0.1 to 2.9

1.4

Write

LA -0.3

-0.1 to 2.9

0.5

Maths

LA -0.9

-0.9 to 1.9

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

20 May 2025

Inspection Report

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29 June 2021

Inspection Report

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21 January 2020

Inspection Report

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31 October 2017

Inspection Report

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14 May 2015

Inspection Report

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26 September 2012

Inspection Report

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14 February 2012

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2020-01-21

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2017-10-31

S5 Inspection Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2012-09-26

None Legacy

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

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

Suspension Rate

7.1%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

2.3%(50 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: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 2,134 pupils. During this period, there were 152 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 7.1%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	2,134	152	7.1%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	2,138	139	6.5%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	2,152	83	3.9%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	2,158	108	5.0%	7.1%	1
2023/24 (Autumn term)	2,150	39	1.8%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	2,138	56	2.6%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	2,138	67	3.1%	6.4%	3
2022/23 (Autumn term)	2,138	41	1.9%	5.9%	2
2021/22 (Summer term)	2,117	67	3.2%	4.7%	2
2021/22 (Spring term)	2,116	45	2.1%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	2,120	41	1.9%	4.4%	1
2020/21 (Summer term)	2,043	31	1.5%	3.6%	1
2020/21 (Spring term)	2,043	7	0.3%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	2,048	57	2.8%	3.9%	2
2019/20 (Summer term)	2,007	1	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	2,007	19	0.9%	3.2%	2
2019/20 (Autumn term)	2,006	54	2.7%	4.2%	1
2018/19 (Summer term)	2,000	20	1.0%	3.1%	1
2018/19 (Spring term)	2,005	33	1.6%	3.8%	1
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,998	33	1.7%	3.8%	1
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,972	7	0.4%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,975	25	1.3%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,986	22	1.1%	3.7%	1
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,961	10	0.5%	3.0%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,964	46	2.3%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,967	38	1.9%	3.1%	0

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

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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.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 54 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 53 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 47 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 31 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 24 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 20 pupils

Hearing Impairment 7 pupils

Physical Disability 7 pupils

Visual Impairment 3 pupils

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Caroline Chisholm School

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

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)

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Secondary Schools in West Northamptonshire

Northampton School for Boys

Northampton School for Girls

Wootton Park School

Sponne School

Northampton Academy

The Duston School