Bishop Stopford School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,454 pupils
96% stayed in education · Attainment 8 58.7
Academy converter
The Ferrers School
- Pupils on roll
- 937of 1,100 places
- Free school meals
- 19.3%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 147
- Ofsted
- Report card, 3 March 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Needs attentionAchievement Needs attentionAttendance and behaviour Expected standardPersonal development and wellbeing Needs attentionInclusion Expected standardLeadership and governance Expected standardPost-16 provision Expected standardSafeguarding Met
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The Ferrers Specialist Arts College (URN 122090, until 1 August 2013).
What the data says
Of the 173 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Ferrers School in 2023, 39% stayed on in The Ferrers School’s own sixth form (North Northamptonshire average 40%), 43% went to a further education college and 3% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 53 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 55% went to university (North Northamptonshire 57%, England 37%), and 7% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Food Preparation and Nutrition is unusually popular at GCSE: 24% of the year group took it, against 8% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 38.9 against 46.1 across England and 42.9 in North Northamptonshire, with 27% 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 North Northamptonshire and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Ferrers School | North Northamptonshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 173 | 3,979 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 93% | 91% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 83% | 86% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 39% | 40% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 1% | — | 13% |
| — further education college | 43% | 44% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 7% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 1% | 3% | 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 | The Ferrers School | North Northamptonshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 53 | 1,635 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 92% | 90% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 55% | 57% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 7% | 21% | 19% |
| Further education | 6% | 1% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 9% | 5% | 7% |
| Employment | 23% | 26% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 4% | 8% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Ferrers School | North Northamptonshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 38.9 | 42.9 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 27% | 38% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 48% | 59% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 46% | 37% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.50 | 3.82 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 15% | 23% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 29.4 | 31.5 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 40.6 | 46.3 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 3% | 17% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 146 | 99% | 88% | 5% | 22% | 53% |
| English Language | 146 | 99% | 89% | 11% | 20% | 58% |
| English Literature | 144 | 98% | 86% | 11% | 21% | 61% |
| Combined Science | 119 | 81% | 65% | 0% | 9% | 40% |
| History | 79 | 54% | 41% | 19% | 26% | 43% |
| Geography | 79 | 54% | 41% | 10% | 25% | 53% |
| Spanish | 40 | 27% | 19% | 8% | 27% | 60% |
| Physical Education | 35 | 24% | 11% | 20% | 24% | 66% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 35 | 24% | 8% | 3% | 21% | 51% |
| Drama | 31 | 21% | 7% | 16% | 27% | 45% |
| French | 26 | 18% | 18% | 23% | 29% | 73% |
| Fine Art | 26 | 18% | 9% | 12% | 28% | 73% |
| Biology | 24 | 16% | 23% | 25% | 45% | 96% |
| Physics | 23 | 16% | 23% | 22% | 46% | 96% |
| Chemistry | 23 | 16% | 23% | 17% | 47% | 100% |
| Photography | 20 | 14% | 6% | 35% | 19% | 65% |
| Design and Technology | 17 | 12% | 11% | 6% | 23% | 41% |
| Dance | 12 | 8% | 1% | 0% | 27% | 25% |
| Polish | 4 | 3% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| German | 1 | 1% | 5% | — | 33% | — |
| Portuguese | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 50% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multimedia | 51 | 98% | — |
| Engineering Studies | 33 | 63% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 25 | 48% | — |
| Sports Studies | 19 | 37% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Ferrers School | North Northamptonshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 93 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 52 | 1,425 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 29.96 | 32.72 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C+ | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 17% | 14% | 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 | 33 | 63% | 23% |
| English Language and Literature | 17 | 33% | 2% |
| Media Studies | 11 | 21% | 4% |
| History | 10 | 19% | 13% |
| Mathematics | 10 | 19% | 31% |
| Biology | 8 | 15% | 20% |
| Chemistry | 7 | 13% | 17% |
| Physical Education | 7 | 13% | 3% |
| English Literature | 6 | 12% | 11% |
| Fine Art | 6 | 12% | 3% |
| Physics | 6 | 12% | 12% |
| Spanish | — | — | 2% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 25 | 48% | — |
| Finance / Accounting (General) | VRQ Level 3 | 18 | 35% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 12 | 23% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 9 | 17% | — |
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 12% | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in North Northamptonshire
Brooke Weston Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,154 pupils
92% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.5
Corby Business Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,188 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 39.0
Corby Technical School
Free schools · sixth form · 952 pupils
91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.8
Huxlow Academy
Academy converter · sixth form · 783 pupils
82% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.9
Kettering Buccleuch Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,808 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 48.3
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.