Abbeyfield School
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,296 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.0
Academy converter
Sponne School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,410of 1,373 places
- Free school meals
- 13.4%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 232
- Ofsted
- Inspected, 21 January 2025Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Sponne School Technology College (URN 122051, until 1 March 2011).
What the data says
Of the 230 pupils who finished Year 11 at Sponne School in 2023, 60% stayed on in Sponne School’s own sixth form (West Northamptonshire average 42%), 28% went to a further education college and 3% started an apprenticeship.
German is unusually popular at GCSE: 31% of the year group took it, against 5% of pupils across England.
Among the 150 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 43% went to university (West Northamptonshire 37%, England 37%), and 23% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 52.0 against 46.1 across England and 44.7 in West Northamptonshire, with 55% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in West Northamptonshire and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Sponne School | West Northamptonshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 230 | 4,707 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 95% | 92% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 90% | 87% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 60% | 42% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 0% | — | 13% |
| — further education college | 28% | 42% | 37% |
| — other education | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 4% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 1% | 2% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Sponne School | West Northamptonshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 150 | 4,702 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 83% | 81% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 43% | 37% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 23% | 14% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 5% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 6% | 7% |
| Employment | 35% | 33% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 13% | 14% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Sponne School | West Northamptonshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 52.0 | 44.7 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 55% | 42% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 83% | 64% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 35% | 41% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.70 | 3.97 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 11% | 21% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 43.2 | 32.6 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 53.1 | 47.9 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 3% | 21% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Literature | 231 | 100% | 86% | 16% | 21% | 75% |
| English Language | 230 | 99% | 89% | 17% | 20% | 85% |
| Mathematics | 230 | 99% | 88% | 23% | 22% | 88% |
| Combined Science | 178 | 77% | 65% | 11% | 9% | 80% |
| History | 141 | 61% | 41% | 24% | 26% | 70% |
| Geography | 115 | 50% | 41% | 22% | 25% | 69% |
| Business Studies | 88 | 38% | 18% | 18% | 20% | 77% |
| Design and Technology | 75 | 32% | 11% | 24% | 23% | 80% |
| German | 73 | 31% | 5% | 16% | 33% | 75% |
| Physical Education | 72 | 31% | 11% | 18% | 24% | 57% |
| Physics | 52 | 22% | 23% | 62% | 46% | 100% |
| Chemistry | 52 | 22% | 23% | 85% | 47% | 100% |
| Biology | 52 | 22% | 23% | 65% | 45% | 100% |
| Fine Art | 45 | 19% | 9% | 16% | 28% | 78% |
| Drama | 44 | 19% | 7% | 25% | 27% | 80% |
| Psychology | 42 | 18% | 3% | 5% | 22% | 64% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 33 | 14% | 8% | 18% | 21% | 94% |
| Computer Science | 28 | 12% | 13% | 14% | 30% | 57% |
| French | 26 | 11% | 18% | 31% | 29% | 85% |
| Media Studies | 24 | 10% | 4% | 17% | 20% | 71% |
| Music | 16 | 7% | 5% | 56% | 33% | 94% |
| Religious Studies | 10 | 4% | 31% | 40% | 32% | 90% |
| Spanish | 2 | 1% | 19% | — | 27% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multimedia | 29 | 22% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 24 | 19% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 9 | 7% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 2 | 2% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 1 | 1% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 1 | 1% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Sponne School | West Northamptonshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 266 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 129 | 1,852 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 34.76 | 34.15 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 17% | 15% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 39 | 30% | 23% |
| History | 32 | 25% | 13% |
| Mathematics | 31 | 24% | 31% |
| Sociology | 27 | 21% | 13% |
| Business Studies | 26 | 20% | 13% |
| Chemistry | 24 | 19% | 17% |
| Biology | 23 | 18% | 20% |
| Physics | 21 | 16% | 12% |
| Geography | 20 | 16% | 10% |
| Media Studies | 13 | 10% | 4% |
| Physical Education | 13 | 10% | 3% |
| Photography | 9 | 7% | 3% |
| Product Design | 9 | 7% | 2% |
| English Language and Literature | 9 | 7% | 2% |
| Philosophy | 9 | 7% | 1% |
| Fine Art | 8 | 6% | 3% |
| Further Mathematics | 7 | 5% | 5% |
| Economics | 7 | 5% | 13% |
| Drama | 6 | 5% | 2% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| Computer Science | — | — | 5% |
| Music | — | — | 0% |
| German | — | — | 0% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance / Accounting (General) | VRQ Level 3 | 17 | 13% | — |
| Multimedia | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 15 | 12% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma at Level 3 | 13 | 10% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 9 | 7% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 8 | 6% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 8 | 6% | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Nutrition / Diet | VRQ Level 3 | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in West Northamptonshire
Campion School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,309 pupils
88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.2
Caroline Chisholm School
Academy converter · sixth form · 2,049 pupils
91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.4
Chenderit School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,104 pupils
89% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.0
DSLV E-ACT Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 997 pupils
79% stayed in education · Attainment 8 37.2
Elizabeth Woodville School
Academy converter · 1,124 pupils
82% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.9
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.