The Ferrers School

Secondary
Academy converter
Ages 11 to 18

URN 139988 · North Northamptonshire · MERIDIAN TRUST

In North Northamptonshire

Inspection

Ofsted management information, as at 30 September 2026.

Latest report card inspection

3 March 2026

Inclusion: Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
Achievement: Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing: Needs attention
Leadership and governance: Expected standard
Post-16 provision: Expected standard
Safeguarding standards: Met

Full inspection (section 5)

Report cards, used from 10 November 2025, grade each area on a five-point scale and give no overall grade. Safeguarding is met or not met.

Earlier inspection, different framework

Earlier graded inspection

7 July 2021

Overall effectiveness
Good

Quality of education: Good
Behaviour and attitudes: Good
Personal development: Good
Leadership and management: Good
Sixth form provision: Good
Safeguarding is effective: Yes

Schools into Special Measures Visit 3

Under the earlier framework, inspections gave an overall effectiveness grade.

Read the reports on Ofsted’s website. Source: Ofsted, State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information.

Attendance

Against North Northamptonshire and England, secondary schools.

Overall absence

2024/25

10.2%

North Northamptonshire: 8.6%
England: 8.4%

1.8 percentage points higher than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data

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Overall absence
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2017/18	6.2%	Not published	5.5%
2018/19	5.2%	Not published	5.5%
2020/21	4.7%	Not published	5.5%
2021/22	10.1%	9.8%	9.0%
2022/23	9.3%	9.1%	9.0%
2023/24	11.1%	9.3%	8.9%
2024/25	10.2%	8.6%	8.4%

Sessions missed for any reason, as a share of all possible sessions in the school year. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Persistent absence

2024/25

26.1%

North Northamptonshire: 23.5%
England: 23.4%

2.7 percentage points higher than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data

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Persistent absence
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2017/18	15.9%	Not published	13.9%
2018/19	12.3%	Not published	13.7%
2020/21	11.2%	Not published	14.8%
2021/22	30.1%	31.1%	27.7%
2022/23	24.3%	26.3%	26.5%
2023/24	29.8%	26.4%	25.6%
2024/25	26.1%	23.5%	23.4%

Pupils who missed 10% or more of their possible sessions, as a share of pupils. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Severe absence

2024/25

5.6%

North Northamptonshire: 4.3%
England: 3.9%

1.7 percentage points higher than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data

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Severe absence
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2017/18	1.3%	Not published	1.2%
2018/19	1.0%	Not published	1.3%
2020/21	0.9%	Not published	1.5%
2021/22	3.7%	3.3%	2.7%
2022/23	3.6%	3.8%	3.4%
2023/24	5.5%	4.5%	3.8%
2024/25	5.6%	4.3%	3.9%

Pupils who missed 50% or more of their possible sessions, as a share of pupils. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Suspensions and permanent exclusions

Against North Northamptonshire and England, secondary schools.

Suspensions per 100 pupils

2024/25

33.19

North Northamptonshire: 30.07
England: 21.24

11.95 higher than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data

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Suspensions per 100 pupils
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2017/18	9.56	Not published	10.13
2018/19	10.31	Not published	10.75
2019/20	8.61	Not published	7.43
2020/21	11.73	Not published	8.48
2021/22	22.95	14.71	13.96
2022/23	24.73	24.35	18.90
2023/24	32.00	36.17	22.61
2024/25	33.19	30.07	21.24

Suspensions in the school year for every 100 pupils on roll. One pupil can be suspended more than once. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 2024/25.

Permanent exclusions per 100 pupils

2024/25

0.64

North Northamptonshire: 0.37
England: 0.23

0.41 higher than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data

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Permanent exclusions per 100 pupils
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2017/18	0.47	Not published	0.20
2018/19	0.19	Not published	0.20
2019/20	0.20	Not published	0.13
2020/21	0.00	Not published	0.10
2021/22	0.00	0.24	0.16
2022/23	0.33	0.36	0.22
2023/24	0.22	0.46	0.25
2024/25	0.64	0.37	0.23

Permanent exclusions in the school year for every 100 pupils on roll. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 2024/25.

Key stage 4 results

Against North Northamptonshire and England, secondary schools.

Attainment 8

2025/26 (provisional)

40.2

North Northamptonshire: 44.9
England: 47.4

7.2 lower than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEngland

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Attainment 8
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2021/22	Not published	47.3	49.8
2022/23	Not published	45.3	47.2
2023/24	39.4	44.6	46.9
2024/25	38.9	44.1	47.1
2025/26 (provisional)	40.2	44.9	47.4

The average of pupils' points across eight GCSE-level qualifications, with English and maths counted twice. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

English and maths: grade 4 or above

2025/26 (provisional)

57%

North Northamptonshire: 63%
England: 66%

9 percentage points lower than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEngland

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English and maths: grade 4 or above
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2021/22	Not published	66%	70%
2022/23	Not published	63%	67%
2023/24	50%	62%	67%
2024/25	48%	61%	66%
2025/26 (provisional)	57%	63%	66%

Pupils at the end of key stage 4 with grade 4 or above in both English and maths. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

English and maths: grade 5 or above

2025/26 (provisional)

25%

North Northamptonshire: 42%
England: 48%

23 percentage points lower than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEngland

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English and maths: grade 5 or above
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2021/22	Not published	44%	51%
2022/23	Not published	41%	46%
2023/24	33%	41%	47%
2024/25	27%	39%	47%
2025/26 (provisional)	25%	42%	48%

Pupils at the end of key stage 4 with grade 5 or above in both English and maths. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

Pupils

Against North Northamptonshire and England, secondary schools.

Eligible for free school meals

2024/25

17.3%

North Northamptonshire: 21.3%
England: 25.8%

8.5 percentage points lower than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEngland

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Eligible for free school meals
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2021/22	14.3%	16.5%	20.9%
2022/23	16.2%	18.3%	22.7%
2023/24	17.2%	20.0%	24.1%
2024/25	17.3%	21.3%	25.8%

Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals on census day in January. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

SEN support

2024/25

3.0%

North Northamptonshire: 12.9%
England: 13.4%

10.4 percentage points lower than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEngland

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SEN support
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2021/22	2.7%	11.8%	11.9%
2022/23	2.3%	10.6%	12.4%
2023/24	9.2%	11.9%	12.9%
2024/25	3.0%	12.9%	13.4%

Pupils receiving special educational needs support without an education, health and care plan. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Education, health and care plan

2024/25

3.5%

North Northamptonshire: 2.9%
England: 3.1%

0.4 percentage points higher than England.

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Education, health and care plan
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2021/22	1.4%	1.4%	2.2%
2022/23	2.1%	1.8%	2.4%
2023/24	3.1%	2.2%	2.7%
2024/25	3.5%	2.9%	3.1%

Pupils with an education, health and care plan. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

First language other than English

2024/25

3.3%

North Northamptonshire: 16.7%
England: 19.2%

15.9 percentage points lower than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEngland

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First language other than English
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2021/22	2.7%	13.9%	17.5%
2022/23	3.6%	15.1%	18.1%
2023/24	3.3%	15.8%	18.6%
2024/25	3.3%	16.7%	19.2%

Pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Teachers

Against North Northamptonshire and England, secondary schools.

Pupils per qualified teacher

2025/26

18.5

North Northamptonshire: 18.4
England: 17.3

1.2 higher than England.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data

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Pupils per qualified teacher
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2017/18	17.8	Not published	16.5
2018/19	18.2	Not published	16.8
2019/20	17.5	Not published	17.2
2020/21	17.9	Not published	17.1
2021/22	17.9	18.0	17.1
2022/23	17.9	18.4	17.2
2023/24	18.7	19.0	17.4
2024/25	18.3	18.8	17.3
2025/26	18.5	18.4	17.3

Full-time equivalent pupils for each full-time equivalent qualified teacher. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, School workforce in England, 2025/26.

Teacher sickness absence

2024/25

7.0 days

North Northamptonshire: 5.0 days
England: 5.0 days

2.0 days higher than England.

Compared with all state-funded schools: DfE publishes this measure for all schools, not by phase.

This schoolNorth NorthamptonshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data

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Teacher sickness absence
Year	This school	North Northamptonshire	England
2017/18	7.3 days	Not published	4.0 days
2018/19	7.9 days	Not published	4.0 days
2019/20	Not published	Not published	Not published
2020/21	9.3 days	4.0 days	3.9 days
2021/22	9.0 days	7.2 days	6.3 days
2022/23	5.9 days	5.1 days	5.2 days
2023/24	7.1 days	5.2 days	5.3 days
2024/25	7.0 days	5.0 days	5.0 days

Days lost to sickness absence in the school year, averaged across all teachers. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, School workforce in England, 2024/25.

Finance

Academies report their accounts as part of their trust, so DfE publishes no school-level balance for this school. The trust’s figures are in DfE’s Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool.

See this school in the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool

About the school

Pupils on roll: 937
Capacity: 1,100
Type: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
Age range: 11 to 18
Sixth form: Has a sixth form
Admissions: Non-selective
Gender: Mixed
Trust: MERIDIAN TRUST
Opened: 1 August 2013
Setting: Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Constituency: Wellingborough and Rushden
Deprivation of the area (IDACI): Decile 4 of 10 (1 is the most deprived tenth of neighbourhoods)

Address: Queensway, Higham Ferrers, Rushden, Northamptonshire, NN10 8LF

Website: www.theferrers.org

Telephone: 01933313411

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Sources and corrections

Every figure on this page names its source and period. This release was built on 20 October 2026.

Department for Education: Get Information about Schools: establishment data (GIAS establishment extract 2026-10-20)
Ofsted: State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information (Latest inspections as at 2026-09-30; All inspections, 2018/19; All inspections, 2019/20; All inspections, 2020/21; All inspections, 2021/22; All inspections, 2022/23; All inspections, 2023/24; All inspections, 2024/25; All inspections, 2025/26)
Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: Pupil absence in schools in England (absence-3term-school, 2013/14 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id])
Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England (exc-school, 2006/07 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id]; exc-ap-school, 2013/14 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id]; exc-geography, 2006/07 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id]; exc-ap-geography, 2013/14 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id])
Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: Key stage 2 attainment (ks2-school, 2022/23 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id]; ks2-geography, 2015/16 to 2025/26 [pinned data set id])
Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: Key stage 4 performance (ks4-school, 2023/24 to 2025/26 [pinned data set id]; ks4-geography, 2018/19 to 2025/26 [pinned data set id])
Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: Schools, pupils and their characteristics (School census, January 2022 (performance tables, 2021 to 2022); School census, January 2023 (performance tables, 2022 to 2023); School census, January 2024 (performance tables, 2023 to 2024); School census, January 2025 (performance tables, 2024 to 2025))
Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: School workforce in England (ptr-school, 2010/11 to 2025/26 [pinned data set id]; ptr-geography, 2010/11 to 2025/26 [pinned data set id]; sickness-school, 2009/10 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id]; sickness-geography, 2009/10 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id])
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: English indices of deprivation 2025: Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (English indices of deprivation 2025, File 7 (2021 LSOAs))

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