Ofsted: Good trending_up Places Available emoji_events #7 in West Northamptonshire public Top 13% UK

The Duston School

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

personMr Samuel Strickland

corporate_fareTHE DUSTON EDUCATION TRUST

location_onNorthampton, NN5 6XA

language Visit Website phone 1604460004

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2021

groups

Students

1,951

trending_up

Attainment 8

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GCSE Rank

#7 in West Northamptonshire

#934 of 3,216 nationally

summarize

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

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School Summary

The Duston 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 THE DUSTON EDUCATION TRUST. The school has approximately 2,018 pupils on roll, of whom 19% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 50, placing the school #7 in West Northamptonshire and #934 of 3,216 nationally. 48.40% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 19.7% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

In 2025, 72% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 7% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #62 of 22 primaries in West Northamptonshire and #7,035 of 3,216 nationally.

The sixth form offers 18 A-level subjects. 61.4% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 31.5% at A*–A. A-level value added: +0.37 — students made above-average progress at sixth form.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2021. 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 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 19.3:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 3 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 5.8 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

Grade 5+ E&M

48.40%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)19.7%

Entering EBacc60.10%

EBacc APS4.66

2024

Progress 8 Score

0.14

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

48.4

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc65.00%

EBacc APS4.48

2023

Progress 8 Score

0.17

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

46.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc72%

EBacc APS4.33

2022

Progress 8 Score

0.02

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

47.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc79%

EBacc APS4.43

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc30%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

0.28

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

48.9

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc30%

EBacc APS4.15

2018

Progress 8 Score

-0.3

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

41.7

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc21%

EBacc APS3.48

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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

92%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)85%

Apprenticeships6%

Employment1%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

93%

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

Apprenticeships7%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)6%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

97%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)90%

Apprenticeships4%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)3%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)88%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)85%

Apprenticeships5%

Employment6%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

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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

+0.37

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils do significantly better than expected at A-level.

Avg Grade

B-

Students

106

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*12.4%

Achieving A*–A31.5%

Achieving A*–B61.4%

VA Banding Above average

Retention rate95.3%

A-level subjects offered18

2024

A-Level Value Added

+0.27

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make above-average progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Retention rate93.60%

2023

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Retention rate95.50%

2022

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Retention rate98.4%

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%

Reading82% LA 75%

Writing77% LA 71%

Maths82% LA 73%

Read SS

107

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

107

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

70%

LA 61%England 61%

Reading82% LA 75% · Eng 74%

Writing79% LA 72% · Eng 72%

Maths79% 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

62%

LA 58%England 60%

Reading82% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing79% LA 70% · Eng 71%

Maths79% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Read SS

107

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.2

Read

LA -0.1

-1.3 to 1.8

-1.4

Write

LA 0.2

-2.9 to 0.2

-0.9

Maths

LA -0.4

-2.3 to 0.6

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 62%England 65%

Reading-% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing-% LA 78% · Eng 78%

Maths-% LA 75% · Eng 79%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

LA -0.3

Write

LA -0.2

Maths

LA -0.9

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 62%

Reading-% LA 75%

Writing-% LA 79%

Maths-% LA 72%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

LA -0.4

Write

LA -0.3

Maths

LA -0.9

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

22 June 2021

Inspection Report

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20 November 2019

Inspection Report

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16 October 2018

Inspection Report

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25 April 2017

Inspection Report

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08 November 2016

Inspection Report

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23 February 2016

Inspection Report

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21 January 2015

Inspection Report

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12 November 2013

Inspection Report

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10 August 2012

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

6 Evaluations

2021-06-22

Requires Improvement monitoring Visit 2 EIF

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2018-10-16

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2017-04-25

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2016-11-08

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2016-02-23

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2013-11-12

None Legacy

Outstanding

Education

Outstanding

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

Outstanding

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

5.6%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

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

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

3.8%(76 pupils)

Spring term 2025

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

Permanent Exclusions

2pupils

gavel Exclusion recorded

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 2,018 pupils. During this period, there were 113 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 5.6%, 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)	2,018	113	5.6%	7.3%	2
2024/25 (Autumn term)	2,027	120	5.9%	7.8%	1
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,982	121	6.1%	7.4%	3
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,982	76	3.8%	7.1%	1
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,977	90	4.6%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,955	104	5.3%	6.6%	2
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,951	123	6.3%	6.4%	1
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,932	105	5.4%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,900	77	4.1%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,899	101	5.3%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,896	84	4.4%	4.4%	1
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,845	47	2.5%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,846	5	0.3%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,841	59	3.2%	3.9%	2
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,743	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,745	76	4.4%	3.2%	2
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,728	80	4.6%	4.2%	2
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,635	68	4.2%	3.1%	3
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,641	80	4.9%	3.8%	2
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,648	88	5.3%	3.8%	2
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,586	83	5.2%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,588	95	6.0%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,591	139	8.7%	3.7%	2
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,520	136	8.9%	3.0%	1
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,528	93	6.1%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,532	53	3.5%	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.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 114 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 99 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 59 pupils

Physical Disability 30 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 17 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 14 pupils

Hearing Impairment 7 pupils

Profound & Multiple Learning 2 pupils

Visual Impairment 2 pupils

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The Duston 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

Caroline Chisholm School