Billing Brook Special School, Northampton
Billing Brook Special School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Northampton, part of Billing Brook School Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Billing Brook Special School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Billing Brook Special School are Edgewood School (0.5 miles, Good); Greenfields Specialist School for Communication (0.8 miles, Good); On Track Education Northampton (1.4 miles, Outstanding); and Kings Meadow School (1.5 miles).
Edgewood SchoolGreenfields Specialist School for CommunicationOn Track Education NorthamptonKings Meadow School
The trust
Billing Brook Special School is run by its own single-school academy trust.
What parents say
58 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Billing Brook Special School (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 78% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (78%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 29 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 97% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 17% to a further education college.
Who goes there
42% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 18.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Billing Brook Special School has an education, health and care plan (257 of 257 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Billing Brook Special School has a resourced provision for autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Northampton Rail Station, about 3.5 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Billing Brook School (outside), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Billing Brook Special School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 363 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Northamptonshire (90), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Billing Brook Special School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Billing Brook creates a truly inclusive culture where every pupil feels valued and secure. The school combines high academic expectations with excellent personal development, helping pupils understand why their learning matters for their future. Staff work incredibly hard to support pupil well-being and prepare young people thoroughly for life after school, with all pupils moving on to appropriate destinations.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and attitudes across the school, with strong focus on relationships and regulation
- Ambitious and carefully structured curriculum that helps all pupils achieve very well
- Excellent pastoral support and promotion of pupils' emotional well-being and personal development
- Strong preparation for adulthood with meaningful work experience and high-quality careers education
- High levels of staff support and professional development, with staff pride in working at the school
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
clubs, regulated play, trips and visits, outdoor education
Billing Brook Special School is a special place where pupils feel happy and secure, with staff helping them to behave exceptionally well and develop strong self-regulation skills. The school has maintained the outstanding standards identified at its previous inspection, with an ambitious curriculum and high expectations for all pupils.
At a Glance
42.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Autism, MLD, SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
58 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Billing Brook Special School
Before and after school care
Billing Brook Special School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in West Northamptonshire
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Billing Brook Special School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Billing Brook Special School is in West Northamptonshire; for families living there:
- West Northamptonshire's school travel policy: Free school travel assistance (4-to-16 year olds)
- How to apply: Apply for free school travel assistance (4-to-16 year olds)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 20
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 16 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in West Northamptonshire is 7 (the median across 208 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
117%
Over capacity
257 pupils
220 places
37 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Northampton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Northampton
Across West Northamptonshire council
Places available
5,019
Applications
4,602
Got 1st preference
75.8%
Got preferred school
95.7%
All secondary applications across West Northamptonshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
257
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Billing Brook Special School has a resourced provision for autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
257
Total Pupils
195
Boys
62
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
42
Teachers
6.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,455
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.4%
Overall absence
16.0%
Persistent absence
219
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Billing Brook Special School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Billing Brook Special School
What are SATs results like at Billing Brook Special School?
Of the pupils at Billing Brook Special School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Billing Brook Special School's Ofsted rating?
Billing Brook Special School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Billing Brook Special School?
No fixed boundary. When Billing Brook Special School is oversubscribed, West Northamptonshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Billing Brook Special School?
Billing Brook Special School has around 257 pupils on roll. 42% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Billing Brook Special School have specialist SEN provision?
Billing Brook Special School has a resourced provision for autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Billing Brook Special School?
6.4% of sessions were missed at Billing Brook Special School in 2024/25. 16% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Billing Brook Special School?
Apply through West Northamptonshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Billing Brook Special School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Billing Brook Special School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Billing Brook Special School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Billing Brook Special School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 16 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in West Northamptonshire is 7 (the median across 208 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Billing Brook Special School?
Billing Brook Special School is at Penistone Road, Lumbertubs, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN3 8EZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)