Southfield School for Girls Review 2026: A focused 11 to 18 girls’ school with standout personal development and a mixed sixth form

For families who want an all-girls secondary with clear expectations and a strong post-16 offer, Southfield School for Girls sits firmly on the shortlist in Kettering. The latest full inspection judged the school Good overall, with Outstanding judgements for personal development and sixth form provision, which is an unusual and useful combination for students planning to stay through Year 13.

Leadership has moved on since that inspection. The current headteacher is Mr Christopher Meadway, listed as in post from 01 September 2025, which matters because the school’s next phase will be shaped under new direction.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Families should still plan for the usual costs such as uniform, trips, and optional extras.

The strongest single theme is purposeful calm. Expectations are explicit and students generally understand what “good learning behaviour” looks like, which reduces friction in classrooms and makes lessons feel more productive. The school’s culture is also built around an enrichment entitlement that aims to widen experience, not just fill time. Weekly activities are framed as a routine part of school life, rather than a bolt-on for the keen few.

An all-girls environment often lives or dies on whether confidence is genuinely built, or merely talked about. Here, the personal development strand is structured: students are given planned opportunities to try unfamiliar activities and develop resilience, which helps quieter students step forward and prevents “confident” becoming a proxy for “loudest”.

Pastoral relationships matter, and the school organises support through named year-based roles and student support contacts. The published structure suggests that students are meant to know exactly who to go to, which is especially important at transition points such as the first half term of Year 7 and the GCSE run-in.

There is, however, a realistic note to include. A small minority of students can disrupt learning, and kindness is not universal in any large secondary. The key point is how quickly patterns are addressed. The inspection narrative indicates that behaviour expectations are clear but not always applied consistently by staff, which is the sort of operational detail that families often hear about during open events.

Southfield is a secondary and post-16 school, so the most useful performance picture is GCSE outcomes alongside sixth form outcomes, with context about progress.

GCSE performance (Key Stage 4)

• The school’s Attainment 8 score is 46.2, which sits broadly around the England typical range when set against the England figure used for comparison (45.9).

• Progress 8 is -0.23, indicating that, on average, students make slightly below-average progress from the end of primary to GCSE compared with similar starting points.

• In EBacc, 20.6% achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc measure provided.

In ranking terms, Southfield is ranked 1,658th in England and 3rd in Kettering for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

This mix is important to interpret correctly. An Attainment 8 score around the typical range can still coexist with negative Progress 8 if the intake profile and distribution of grades shifts over time. For parents, the practical implication is to focus on subject-level support and consistency of teaching, particularly for students who benefit from regular feedback loops and predictable classroom routines.

Sixth form (Key Stage 5)

The sixth form story is more mixed in outcomes data but stronger in provision quality.

• A* grades: 1.81%

• A grades: 6.79%

• B grades: 16.29%

• A* to B: 24.89%

Against the England averages used for comparison this places the sixth form outcomes below the England benchmark for top grades (for example, England average A* to A is 23.6%, and A* to B is 47.2%).

In ranking terms, Southfield is ranked 2,297th in England and 6th in Kettering for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). That sits below England average in the ranking distribution.

The practical takeaway is nuanced. Provision and outcomes are related but not identical. A sixth form can provide strong guidance, teaching, and transition support while still needing to raise attainment, especially if it serves a broad range of starting points and pathways. For families, the best questions to ask are: how the sixth form sets entry requirements for specific subjects, how it monitors progress across Year 12, and what support triggers exist when students fall behind.

The curriculum is built around three priorities: reading, academic progress, and character development. The advantage of stating priorities clearly is that it gives staff a shared language for what matters, and it makes it easier for parents to understand why some initiatives are chosen over others.

In classroom practice, the strongest lever is subject expertise. Teaching is described as being driven by strong subject knowledge, with clear explanations and task design intended to help students apply concepts rather than simply repeat them. Where this works well, students build knowledge in a coherent sequence, which supports confidence at GCSE because they can see how earlier learning links into later exam-style work.

Two operational areas shape day-to-day experience more than most prospectuses admit.

1. Feedback consistency: students benefit when feedback identifies misconceptions early and gives them a clear next step. Where feedback is delayed or variable, students can repeat errors and progress slows.

2. Support for students with SEND: the direction of travel is improvement, with training and systems in place, but families with a child who needs reliable in-class adaptations should probe how identification works and what “consistency” looks like across different subjects.

A helpful extra is the school’s emphasis on a planned health and relationships strand, including a healthy living curriculum that aims to build knowledge and judgement around safety and wellbeing. That tends to matter most for parents who want personal development delivered through curriculum time, rather than relying on occasional assemblies.

Where Students Go Next

For many families, “next steps” means two separate questions: destinations after Year 11, and destinations after Year 13.

After Year 13: published leaver pathways

For the 2023/24 leaver cohort, the published destination data indicates:

• 55% progressed to university

• 25% went into employment

• 6% started apprenticeships

• 2% moved into further education

(Cohort size: 118)

This is a broad spread, and it signals a sixth form serving students with different end goals, not only the traditional “university for everyone” model. It can suit students who want a supported route into work or training, provided careers guidance is active and personalised.

Oxbridge pipeline

Oxbridge destinations are not the dominant feature here, but they exist. In the most recent reporting period, there were four Cambridge applications, one offer, and one acceptance. This is best read as evidence that high-attaining students are supported through competitive applications, while recognising that the cohort taking this route is small.

After Year 11

As a school with a sixth form, Southfield can offer continuity, but families should still ask what proportion stays on, what entry criteria apply for sixth form courses, and how the school supports students who decide that a different college route fits better. The right sixth form for a student is the one that matches their pathway and learning style, not necessarily the one attached to their Year 11 school.

Southfield is oversubscribed on its main Year 7 entry route. In the most recent admissions cycle there were 287 applications for 148 offers, which is approximately 1.94 applications per place. In plain terms, competition exists, and families should approach the process early.

The admissions timeline published on the school’s admissions information aligns with the standard secondary application rhythm. Applications for September entry open in early autumn and the listed closing date for applying is 31 October 2025 for the Year 7 cycle referenced.

Because the school is part of the state system, Year 7 applications are typically made via the local authority’s coordinated process, with allocations based on published criteria. The dataset does not include a last offered distance figure for this school, so families should avoid relying on informal assumptions about how far places extend in any given year.

For sixth form entry, the school also publishes its own deadlines. The headline notice on the school’s information indicates that online applications close on Wednesday 28 January for the cycle advertised, which provides a concrete planning point for Year 11 students considering a September start.

A practical tip: if you are comparing several local options, use FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool to keep admissions demand, GCSE outcomes, and sixth form indicators side-by-side. It reduces the risk of over-weighting one factor such as reputation without checking fit.

Personal development is the school’s distinctive strength. The weekly enrichment model is designed to build confidence through repeated exposure to new experiences, and the healthier living strand supports knowledge around safety and relationships in a planned way.

The school also uses student voice systematically and is described as making changes in response to feedback, which can help students feel listened to rather than managed. For parents, this tends to show up in how quickly small issues are picked up, and whether students can identify trusted adults who will act.

Safeguarding is the baseline that parents rightly prioritise. Ofsted confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff training, timely action on concerns, and appropriate work with external agencies described as established practice.

Where families may want additional reassurance is bullying prevention and response. The inspection narrative suggests bullying can occur, but also that reporting routes are understood and responses are taken seriously. The right next step is to ask, during open events, how incidents are tracked and what escalation looks like when patterns repeat.

A good extracurricular programme is not measured by the length of the list. It is measured by whether students actually participate, and whether activities build skills that transfer back into learning and confidence.

Southfield’s enrichment approach is designed to reach every student, with cultural, creative, and physical options embedded as a routine weekly entitlement rather than a reward for the already confident. The direct implication is inclusion: students who might not volunteer for a club can still find something they enjoy because participation is normalised.

There are also named strands that give the programme shape:

• Duke of Edinburgh’s Award: framed as developing skills, physical challenge, volunteering, and exploration, with evidence of activity across year groups.

• Combined Cadet Force (CCF): listed within the enrichment offer, which typically appeals to students who enjoy structured leadership development and teamwork.

• Eco Club: tied to sustainability activity and Eco-Schools awards work, which can suit students motivated by practical projects and local impact.

• Cultural Week activity: student-led cultural celebrations are referenced in the school’s published news, which adds a visible social and cultural strand to personal development.

There is also evidence of a sports footprint, including events such as indoor cricket competitions and athletics participation, which points to opportunities for both competitive and participation-based sport.

If your child is someone who benefits from structured routines, Wednesday’s format matters. The school’s published FAQ content indicates that electives run on Wednesday afternoons rather than a normal lesson slot, which suggests enrichment is protected in the timetable rather than squeezed out by examination pressure.

The school publishes a weekly total of 32.75 hours of attendance time, which aligns with current expectations for secondary provision.

For travel, the school’s transport information indicates that the nearest bus stops are on Pytchley Road, and Kettering train station is approximately 1.1 miles away.

Wraparound care is not usually a defining feature for secondary schools in the way it is for primaries. Families who need early drop-off or breakfast-style provision should note that a breakfast club is referenced within school planning for student support, and it is worth confirming how it operates for the current year.

• Competition for places: with roughly 1.94 applications per place on the main entry route admission is not automatic even for local families. Plan early, read the criteria carefully, and avoid assumptions about distance because a last offered distance figure is not provided here.

• GCSE progress picture: Progress 8 of -0.23 suggests slightly below-average progress compared with similar starting points. Students who thrive on consistent routines and timely feedback may do best when families engage early with subject teachers and monitoring processes.

• SEND consistency: support is improving, but not yet fully consistent across the whole school. Families with a child who relies on reliable classroom adaptations should ask specific questions about identification, staff training, and how consistency is checked across subjects.

• Sixth form outcomes versus provision: the sixth form was judged very strong in quality, but outcomes data sits below the England benchmark. That combination can work well for students who value support and guidance, but families should still probe entry requirements and academic monitoring.

Southfield School for Girls offers a clear, structured secondary experience with a personal development model that stands out locally, plus a mixed sixth form that is treated as a genuine stage of education rather than an afterthought. It suits students who respond well to high expectations, benefit from planned enrichment, and want a school that balances academic priorities with character development.

The main challenge is securing a place in a consistently oversubscribed setting. For families who do gain entry, the best outcomes are likely for students who engage with enrichment and who benefit from steady, consistent classroom feedback.