Northampton School for Boys Review 2026: A Tradition of Excellence Since 1541

In 1541, when Thomas Chipsey founded this school as Northampton's free grammar school on Bridge Street, few could have imagined it would flourish for nearly five centuries. Today, Northampton School for Boys stands as one of state education's finest achievements. The school ranks 506th in England for GCSE results (FindMySchool ranking), placing it comfortably in the top 11%. In March 2025, Ofsted inspectors awarded the school Outstanding ratings across all inspection areas. With nearly 1,700 students, boys dominate Years 7 to 11, while the sixth form welcomes girls and operates as a fully co-educational space. The atmosphere is one of purpose and ambition. Boys here expect to work hard, and they do. A recent student summed up the ethos: "This school empowers you, not only to be yourself, but to be proud of what you can and will achieve."

Richard Bernard has led the school as its Executive Principal since 2014, and his impact is visible everywhere. The school occupies its current Billing Road campus since 1911, when it relocated from Abington Square. Walking the corridors, the sense of tradition meets contemporary opportunity. The 1911 Building anchors the campus with red-brick Victorian architecture, while modern extensions house teaching spaces designed for serious learning. The Cripps Hall complex, completed in 1999 and named after Sir Humphrey Cripps, a philanthropist and Cambridge-educated former pupil, contains a professional theatre used for school productions and public performances, alongside dedicated drama facilities.

Behaviour is exemplary. Students move purposefully between lessons; social spaces are calm and respectful. Pupils trust staff to know them well and to support them. The Ofsted report noted that pupils "follow routines without fuss, moving around the school in a calm and purposeful way." The school's ethos, "Respect the Past; Secure the Future," is genuinely embedded. Assembly themes and tutor discussions help students develop mature understanding of equality and British values, with a genuine emphasis on learning about different faiths and cultures. Attendance is excellent, and absences are rare.

The House system, named after the school's founders (Brightwell, Chipsey, Manley, and Washington), creates genuine community. Each house has distinct leadership opportunities and competes in academic, sporting, and creative pursuits. It sounds traditional, and it is, yet it works powerfully to build bonds across year groups and to give students real leadership experience. Young people benefit from structured opportunities to represent the school in local and national events.

GCSE Performance

The academic results are substantial. In 2024, the average Attainment 8 score stood at 61.6, significantly above the England average. The school ranks 506th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), positioning it 2nd in Northamptonshire and in the top 11% of schools. For every GCSE entry, boys achieve grades on average nearly a whole grade higher than their peers of similar ability across England. This reflects rigorous teaching, structured curriculum, and students' genuine commitment to learning.

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) remains strong, with 45% of pupils achieving grades 5 or above across the five core subjects. Progress 8 scores of +0.95 indicate that pupils make above-average progress from their key stage 2 starting points, a key indicator of effective teaching.

A-Level Performance

In the sixth form, results are equally impressive. The average grade across all A-level entries in 2024 was Grade B, with approximately 33% achieving grades A* or A. 65% of entries achieved A*-B grades, well above the England average of approximately 47%. The school ranks 530th in England for A-level performance (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the top 20% and 2nd in Northamptonshire.

Students progress to demanding destinations. In 2024, 67% of leavers progressed to university, while 19% moved directly into employment, 3% into apprenticeships. Small numbers entered further education, reflecting the school's strong emphasis on progression to degree-level study.

Teachers are subject experts. Ofsted noted that "teachers are experts in the subjects they teach" and that they "undertake rigorous checks on what pupils understand and immediately address misconceptions or gaps in pupils' knowledge." The curriculum is ambitious and carefully constructed. GCSE pupils typically study ten subjects alongside physical education and citizenship. Core subjects are mandatory (English, English Literature, Mathematics, dual or triple science, a modern language in French or Spanish, and a humanity in history or geography). Students then select from design technology, computer science, religious studies, drama, music, art, dance, and further mathematics.

Reading and oracy receive deliberate focus. The school library is actively used, with reading clubs fostering genuine love of literature beyond the curriculum. For pupils needing extra support, staff provide personalised help to build fluency and confidence. Pupils with SEND are identified early and supported effectively, enabling them to work alongside peers without artificial separation.

The sixth form offers 23 A-level subjects, including Classical Greek, Russian, History of Art, Further Mathematics, Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, and Politics. This breadth allows genuine specialisation whilst maintaining academic challenge. The curriculum provides the knowledge, skills, and qualifications pupils need for their next stage, whether university or employment.

In 2024, university progression was 67% among Northampton School for Boys's sixth-form leavers. The school maintains strong links with leading institutions. Six students secured places at Oxford or Cambridge, while 15 students gained places on Medicine, Dentistry, or Veterinary Science courses. Over 30 students have progressed to elite music conservatoires and drama schools since 2022, reflecting the school's professional-level performing arts provision.

The school's career guidance programme is genuinely aspirational. All pupils receive personalised advice about future choices and undertake work experience. Sixth form students link academic studies to specialist societies, such as MedSoc, where they gain first-hand experience of what careers in that field entail. The personal development offer is exceptional, preparing pupils for independence and informed decision-making.

With 216 clubs running weekly, the breadth of opportunity is remarkable. The school's phrase, "where else are you given these great opportunities?" captures the philosophy. Clubs span music, drama, sport, art, debating, chess, knitting, set design, and beyond. Named ensembles include the Jazz Big Band (which won the 2009 National Festival of Music for Youth), the Jazz Vocal Group (which performed at the Royal Albert Hall in 2007), and the Neoteric Ensemble. Peripatetic music teaching reaches across the school, with group and individual tuition available in all major instruments.

Drama & Performance

Drama is genuinely professional. The school produces multiple full-scale productions annually. Recent productions include Aladdin Junior and Shrek the Musical Junior, completed in remarkably compressed timescales involving late-night and weekend rehearsals. The Cripps Hall Theatre, with dedicated drama workshop and lounge, enables high-quality productions accessed by both school audiences and external patrons. Sixth form students have recorded recent productions. Dance is particularly strong, with pupils selected for national championships and the exam board AQA using NSB as an exemplar resource for boys' dance.

Sport: Nationally Recognised Excellence

The school ranks among the highest-performing state schools in England for competitive sport. In the past three years alone, pupils have won national titles in rugby, basketball, football, and rowing. Twenty-three students have been selected for their county in sport in recent years. The facilities are leading: a magnificent sports hall, state-of-the-art swimming pool with a floor capable of raising and lowering to adjust depth, a traditional gymnasium, floodlit rubber crumb football pitch, floodlit 1st XV rugby pitch, and floodlit tennis courts. The Edward Cripps Human Performance Centre, opened in December 2014 by Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington, represents a £4.9 million investment in pupil wellbeing. Rugby is particularly prominent; fixtures against schools like Sedbergh are livestreamed and attract serious attention.

Music: A Defining Strength

Music is woven through school life. Six music groups achieved places in the 2009 National Festival of Music for Youth finals, with the Jazz Big Band winning outright and two groups finishing as runners-up. The school's jazz programme is recognised in England. A "prodigious level" of peripatetic music provision supports young musicians from beginner to advanced. Annual concerts, drama productions with orchestral accompaniment, and "artists-in-residence" events maintain momentum throughout the year. The refurbished music department provides modern facilities for serious musical study.

STEM and Academic Clubs

Sixth form societies include dedicated academic clubs (MedSoc, Debating, Race Ambassadors, Female Leadership, House Leadership). The school selects for programmes like the National Association for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY), whose gifted and talented programme Ofsted once hailed as a model system.

Admission at age 11 is oversubscribed significantly. Approximately 550 first-choice applications compete for roughly 220 places. The school uses three main criteria after statutory priority places (looked-after children, EHCP designation): sibling link, aptitude for music or technology, and fair allocation using independent banding to create an equal spread of abilities. The banding system is monitored independently to prevent selection bias and ensure genuine comprehensive intake. Last distance offered data has not been published in recent years; families should contact the school directly for current catchment information.

Year 12 external admissions are also competitive. The sixth form accepts up to 60 external students (plus internal progression). Places are allocated based on entrance test results. Approximately 300 applications compete annually for these 60 places, and the top 60 by test score are admitted. Entry requirements typically require GCSE grades 5 or above in subjects relevant to A-level choices. Girls comprise the majority of sixth form entrants from external schools.

Dedicated and caring staff make genuine effort to know pupils well. The Ofsted report highlighted that "pupils trust staff to keep them safe and provide support whenever they need it." Form tutors provide daily pastoral oversight. The school's commitment to staff wellbeing ensures teachers are not overworked, which in turn creates capacity for genuine pupil support. SEND pupils are identified early and provided targeted support that enables them to succeed alongside peers. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective and taken seriously.

The school's careers and guidance programme is comprehensive. A programme of assemblies and tutor time supports spiritual, moral, personal, and social development. Themes address equality, fundamental British values, and celebration of diverse cultures. Pupils participate in substantial charity work, learning citizenship through practical service. The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme operates through Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. In 2024, 23 Year 10 pupils completed their three-day assessed expedition in the Peak District, traversing 18 km daily over challenging terrain.

School hours are standard secondary: typically 8:50am to 3:20pm. The school is located on Billing Road, Northampton, NN1 5RT. The nearest railway station is Northampton. Parking and walking access depend on specific routes from residential areas; families should discuss travel directly with the school or visit for a tour to assess journeys.

The school offers substantial facilities for hire in the Cripps Hall Theatre and sports facilities, which indicates strong local engagement. Food is served through a cashless catering system; pupils' meals are paid using fingerprint scanning technology (parents can top up accounts remotely). Packed lunches are permitted but must be consumed in designated areas.

Uniform is required in Years 7-11. The sixth form operates a business dress code, with flexibility for students identifying as non-binary. The school takes behaviour seriously; expectations are high and enforced consistently.

Oversubscription at both entry points. Securing a place is highly competitive. With four applications per place at Year 7 and five applications per external sixth form place, geographical proximity and specific aptitude matter. Families should plan early and consider whether oversubscription risk justifies the wait.

Academic demands are genuine. This is not a school for pupils who prefer to coast. Expectations are explicit: "if your son chooses to come here we will expect him to behave well and to work hard." Pupils thrive in structured environments with clear expectations; those preferring flexibility or who struggle with traditional academic pressure may find the culture demanding.

Boys-only mainschool until sixth form. If co-education throughout matters to your family, Year 7-11 here will be single-sex. Girls join only from Year 12 onwards. Sixth form girls benefit enormously from the school's ethos, but if mixed-gender education throughout secondary is essential, look elsewhere.

House system creates genuine commitment. This is not merely administrative; inter-house competitions in academics, sport, creative arts, and general knowledge run throughout the year. For students who thrive on team spirit and friendly competition, this is wonderful. For those who dislike competitive pressures, it can feel relentless.

Northampton School for Boys is a state school firing on all cylinders. It combines a five-century heritage with genuine contemporary ambition. Results are well above England average, behaviour is exemplary, and the breadth of opportunity beyond the classroom is staggering. The recent Ofsted inspection confirmed what parents and students already know: this is a school where young people thrive because of visionary leadership and committed teaching. The March 2025 report awarded Outstanding across all areas; the school has achieved Outstanding status on four consecutive Ofsted inspections, which remains relatively rare in state education.

Best suited to academically able boys who thrive on challenge and clear expectations, and who will engage fully with the school's extensive clubs and societies. Families within the oversubscribed catchment willing to engage seriously with music or technology (the key admission pathways) should apply. The main barrier is securing a place; once in, the education offered is genuinely exceptional for a state school. Parents who have experienced selective entry processes elsewhere will find NSB to be unusually transparent about banding and fair allocation, making the process feel genuinely open despite fierce competition.