Best Schools in Rushden

How many schools are there in Rushden?

Rushden has 12 open schools: 10 state primary and 2 state secondary or all-through.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Are there any Outstanding schools in Rushden?

None of the 9 graded schools in Rushden currently holds an Outstanding rating. 7 are rated Good, so 78% are Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Rushden get the best GCSE results?

Of the 2 schools in Rushden with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at Rushden Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 42.1 and 32% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and The Ferrers School, with an Attainment 8 score of 40.2 and 25% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

Rushden AcademyThe Ferrers School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Rushden have the best SATs results?

Of the 6 primary schools in Rushden with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at South End Junior School (81% in reading, 91% in maths); St Lawrence Church of England Primary School (79% in reading, 89% in maths); and Rushden Primary Academy (75% in reading, 81% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

South End Junior SchoolSt Lawrence Church of England Primary SchoolRushden Primary Academy

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Rushden?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Rushden selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

How close do you need to live to get into schools in Rushden?

It depends on the school, and the cut-off moves every year with the number of applications. North Northamptonshire published how far the last place offered went at this school: Denfield Park Primary School, 0.436 miles for 2026 entry. These are the authority's own figures, not fixed boundaries.

Denfield Park Primary School

Source: North Northamptonshire admissions booklets

How do I apply for a school place in Rushden?

Apply to your council - North Northamptonshire or Bedford, depending on your address - through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.