This is a small, independently registered alternative provision for students aged 11 to 16, designed for those who have struggled in mainstream settings and need a tighter structure, smaller groups, and a higher level of adult support. It operates with a capped roll and a referral-led admissions model rather than open, parent-led applications.
The most recent Ofsted standard inspection, carried out in July 2025 and published on 14 October 2025, judged the school to be Inadequate. That inspection confirmed safeguarding arrangements as effective.
Academically, the story is mixed. FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking places it 4,316th in England and 7th in the Kettering area (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), which indicates outcomes below England average overall. Within that broad picture, the school’s own published statement notes GCSE entry in English, maths and science, with 87% of the students entered gaining a GCSE in maths and English in 2023/24.
The defining feature is scale. With places limited and the intake shaped by referral, the day-to-day experience is typically more personalised than in a large secondary, with staff able to concentrate on re-engagement and routine building as much as subject content. The setting is organised around practical spaces that suit a smaller cohort, including classrooms alongside a kitchen, a music room, and designated areas for reflection and one-to-one conversations.
The student profile matters for understanding “fit”. This provision is described as serving young people with behavioural, social, emotional and mental health needs, many of whom have been removed from or excluded by previous settings. In practice, that usually means gaps in learning, uneven attendance histories, and a need for consistent adult responses.
The latest inspection evidence points to inconsistency in how calm and purposeful learning feels across classrooms, with behaviour routines not applied reliably enough. At the same time, students reported having a trusted adult to speak to when worried, which is often a key indicator in alternative provision of whether relationships are stabilising.
Because this is an independent alternative provision, families should interpret headline attainment differently from mainstream secondaries. Cohorts are smaller, students frequently arrive mid-phase, and the core objective is often to get young people back into sustained education and recognised qualifications rather than to optimise league-table style metrics.
On the published performance dataset used by FindMySchool, GCSE outcomes place the school 4,316th in England and 7th in the Kettering area (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). In plain English, that sits below England average overall.
The school’s own published qualification statement adds useful detail about what is actually being attempted. It reports that Year 11 students in 2023/24 were entered for GCSE maths, English and science, and that 87% of those entered gained a GCSE in maths and English. The implication is that the school prioritises securing core passes and re-establishing exam readiness, which is often the most meaningful benchmark for students arriving with disrupted schooling.
Where the external inspection evidence is helpful is in highlighting uneven success beyond the core. The curriculum is described as ambitious in its design, but students are not consistently building knowledge across the wider curriculum as well as they should, which aligns with what can happen when staffing, behaviour systems, and learning readiness are not yet stable.
Parents comparing options should use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tool to view outcomes side-by-side with nearby providers, then weigh those figures against the reality of cohort context and each setting’s ability to support re-engagement.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
GCSE 9–7
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% of students achieving grades 9-7
Curriculum design is positioned as structured, with a strong emphasis on core and functional learning. The school describes students primarily studying Functional Skills in English, mathematics and ICT, with additional study available across subjects such as science, PE, careers, online safety, wellbeing and mental health awareness.
That model can work well for students who need confidence rebuilding and a clearer line of sight between classroom learning and real-world application. The trade-off is breadth and depth. If a student is aiming for a full, EBacc-style academic suite, this is not designed to mirror a traditional curriculum offer. That is reflected where the percentage achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc is recorded as 0%, which likely indicates that EBacc entry and completion is not the dominant route here.
The strongest teaching moments described in the latest inspection evidence tend to be when staff explanations are clear and students are guided through application, such as mathematical problem solving. The weakest moments are when work is not pitched to starting points, which can lead to frustration, withdrawal, or disruption.
With no sixth form on site, the practical goal is transition at 16 into a sustainable next step, typically further education, training, apprenticeships or employment preparation, depending on readiness and support needs. The latest inspection evidence indicates that students receive careers and next-steps advice drawing on multiple sources, including information about apprenticeships and colleges, and that students are able to secure relevant pathways when leaving.
For families, the key question is not just destination, but durability. Ask how transition planning is handled for students who have struggled with attendance, anxiety, or behaviour in previous settings, and whether reintegration into mainstream or a larger college environment is realistic for your child, or whether a smaller post-16 setting is more appropriate.
Admissions are not managed like a typical secondary. Places are referral-led and considered case-by-case, usually through a student’s current school or the local authority or inclusion team. There are no formal entry requirements in the sense of test scores or catchment rules. Instead, the decision turns on whether the provision can meet the student’s needs safely and effectively.
The published admissions policy sets out a document-led process. A placement is generally not considered until specified paperwork is received (including a risk assessment and referral pack, prior educational background, relevant SEND or Education, Health and Care Plan documentation where applicable, and prior attendance and attainment). Parents and students can view the site by appointment, but entry follows referral documentation rather than open application.
Timing is relatively fast once the paperwork is complete. The policy states that parents are informed of a decision within a maximum of five working days after documentation is received, and it also describes short-term placements and sixth-day provision as potential routes depending on need. For local authority SEND referrals, the policy references a decision within 15 days aligned to the consultation period. Appeals, where relevant, are made in writing to the Head of School within five working days.
Pastoral support is central to the model, with one-to-one space explicitly built into the site design and the day-to-day offer. The school describes dedicated areas for students to discuss issues with staff, which is consistent with an approach focused on stabilisation and relationship repair after difficult experiences in previous schools.
The most important pastoral theme from the latest inspection evidence is consistency. Where staff responses are aligned and predictable, students are more likely to settle, engage and complete work. Where behaviour systems are unclear or applied unevenly, students can default to patterns that have previously led to exclusion. The inspection evidence also highlights that attendance often improves compared with students’ previous settings, which, if sustained, is a meaningful wellbeing and safeguarding gain.
Enrichment here is not designed as a long, opt-in club list; it is more often integrated into personal development and engagement work. The latest inspection evidence references opportunities including music, cooking and crochet, which signals a practical, skills-based approach that can rebuild confidence and encourage participation for students who have struggled with traditional classroom identity.
The on-site kitchen supports food and nutrition learning, while the music room enables structured creative work that can be a stabilising routine for students who find purely academic days difficult. A recreation and reflection area, alongside one-to-one space, suggests the timetable is designed to include regulation and reset, not just lesson blocks.
For parents, the implication is straightforward. If your child thrives on large-team sport leagues and a packed activity calendar, this will feel different. If your child needs structured, smaller-scale activities that build habits, confidence and basic social functioning, the design is closer to what is often effective in alternative provision.
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per year
Transport and timing are usually tailored to the cohort and to local authority arrangements, so families should confirm daily start and finish times directly during referral discussions. The location is within reach of Kettering and Wellingborough for rail connections, and travel planning should take account of your child’s capacity for commuting if anxiety or attendance fragility is part of the picture.
Term dates and training days can differ from local authority community-school calendars; use the school’s published calendar and your commissioning contact for the definitive schedule. Wraparound care is not typically a feature of alternative provision at secondary age, and specific before or after-school provision is not presented as a standard offer on the published school page.
The most recently published fee range states annual day fees of £14,500 to £32,500.
For many students, placements are commissioned and funded through a local authority or a school arrangement rather than paid directly by families, but funding routes vary. The school does not present bursary or scholarship details as part of its published Thrapston information, so families should clarify, at referral stage, who is the commissioning body, what is included in any placement agreement, and what additional costs may sit outside tuition (for example, travel, trips, or specialist support).
Inspection outcome and stability. The latest inspection outcome indicates significant improvement work is required. Families should ask what has changed since the inspection window, particularly around behaviour consistency, staff support, and how learning is matched to starting points.
Curriculum breadth. The model described prioritises core and functional learning, and wider-curriculum depth can be harder to secure when engagement and behaviour are uneven. This may not suit students aiming for a traditional, fully academic pathway across many GCSE subjects.
Referral-led admissions. Parents cannot usually “apply” in the standard sense. Access depends on professional referral, documentation, and an assessment of fit, which can be frustrating for families looking for quick, parent-led solutions.
Right provision for the right need. This setting is designed for students who need a different structure from mainstream. If your child mainly needs higher academic stretch rather than re-engagement support, a different type of school is likely to be a better match.
This is a small, referral-led alternative provision intended for students who have struggled in mainstream education and need a more intensive support model to re-establish routines, engagement and qualifications. The curriculum emphasis on core and functional learning, together with practical enrichment, can suit students who need confidence rebuilding and a clearer sense of progress.
Who it suits: students at Key Stage 3 and 4 who need smaller-group teaching, consistent adult support, and a structured route back to meaningful qualifications or a stable post-16 pathway. The central challenge is that quality and consistency need to be demonstrably secured following the latest inspection outcome, so families should take a clear-eyed approach and ask detailed questions about what has changed since 2025.
It depends on what “good” means for your child. As an alternative provision, the measure is often re-engagement, attendance recovery, relationship repair, and securing core qualifications. The most recent inspection outcome shows serious weaknesses that the school needs to address, while safeguarding was confirmed as effective. Families should ask what has changed since the 2025 inspection and how consistency is being strengthened.
The most recently published fee range states annual day fees of £14,500 to £32,500. In many cases, placements are commissioned through local authorities or other professional routes rather than paid directly by families, so confirm the funding pathway as part of the referral discussion.
Admissions are referral-led. Students are typically referred by their current school, the local authority, or an inclusion team, and the school considers each referral individually. The published process is document-led, and decisions are communicated after required information is received.
The school describes serving students aged 11 to 16, often those who have struggled to engage in mainstream or have been removed from previous provision, including students with behavioural, social, emotional and mental health needs. Suitability depends on whether the setting can meet the student’s needs safely and effectively.
The school states that Year 11 students in 2023/24 were entered for GCSE maths, English and science, with a focus on securing recognised outcomes alongside other programmes and enrichment projects. Families should ask how the qualification plan is personalised for their child’s starting point and timetable.
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