Kingsley Special Academy, Kettering
Kingsley Special Academy is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Kettering, part of Kingsley Learning Foundation. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2023.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
Kingsley Special Academy in detail
Kingsley Special Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "On behalf of our pupils, staff, governors, and the wider school community, I am delighted to welcome you to Kingsley Special Academy. Kingsley is a vibrant, inclusive, and nurturing learning community where every child is known, valued, and respected."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Kingsley Special Academy are Isebrook School (0.6 miles, Good); Wren Spinney School (2 miles, Outstanding); Creating Tomorrow College (2 miles, Outstanding); and Stone Lodge Therapeutic School (3.3 miles, Good).
Isebrook SchoolWren Spinney SchoolCreating Tomorrow CollegeStone Lodge Therapeutic School
The trust
Kingsley Special Academy is one of 2 schools run by Kingsley Learning Foundation, an academy trust.
Who goes there
31.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 19.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Kingsley Special Academy has an education, health and care plan (165 of 165 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Kingsley Special Academy provides for pupils with autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Kettering Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is French Drive (adjacent), 260 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Kingsley Special Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Kingsley Special Academy is a warm, welcoming and inclusive school. Staff care deeply for the pupils, all of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders' vision of 'helping people living in extraordinary circumstances to live ordinary lives' is truly at the heart of everything that staff do in this school.
Pupils are happy at Kingsley and feel safe. Pupils know that bullying is unkind. They say that it does not happen. Pupils say that they have adults whom they trust in school who would help them if they had a worry.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Pupils and children who attend the school face significant challenges with learning. They receive an outstanding quality of education. Leaders have planned, and teachers deliver, a sequenced and well-thought-through curriculum. This highly flexible and ambitious curriculum means that leaders provide for each child's needs as they change and evolve. This is not straightforward. Every pupil needs something unique. Staff strike a very delicate balance between teaching a range of topics while also addressing the specific needs of pupils, as outlined in their education, health and care (EHC) plans. This draws on checking on pupils' learning and identifying the next learning steps.
Leaders prioritise the development of pupils' communication skills. This focus on communication starts in early years. Staff help pupils to communicate using various communication aids. Developing pupils' communication skills is an important part of the school's curriculum. It is embedded in lessons across the school. Staff make effective use of objects, symbols and 'signalong' to enable all pupils to have a voice. Speech and language therapists work alongside teachers to ensure that pupils get the support they need. Staff help pupils with the most complex needs to appreciate the world around them.
From Ofsted's June 2023 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its June 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
31.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Autism, Physical, MLD +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Kingsley Special Academy
Before and after school care
Kingsley Special Academy 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 North Northamptonshire
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to Kingsley Special Academy, with their latest published grades:
- Rhymetime Kettering - Day nursery, under 0.1 milesOfsted, 2 November 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Abeona Warkton - Day nursery, 0.6 milesOfsted, 3 June 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Happy Hands Childcare - Day nursery, 1.0 milesOfsted, 16 November 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Kids Planet Kettering - Day nursery, 1.0 milesOfsted, 15 July 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Building Blocks Christian Day Nursery - Day nursery, 1.1 milesOfsted, 5 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Kingsley Special Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Kingsley Special Academy is in North Northamptonshire; for families living there:
- North Northamptonshire's school travel policy: Home to school transport policies and codes of conduct
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
5 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 North Northamptonshire is 9 (the median across 154 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
106%
Over capacity
165 pupils
156 places
9 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Across North Northamptonshire council
Places available
4,402
Applications
4,186
Got 1st preference
85.2%
Got preferred school
96.4%
All secondary applications across North Northamptonshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
165
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Kingsley Special Academy provides for pupils with autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
165
Total Pupils
116
Boys
49
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
29
Teachers
5.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,050
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.1%
Overall absence
32.7%
Persistent absence
147
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Kingsley Special Academy
What are SATs results like at Kingsley Special Academy?
Of the pupils at Kingsley Special Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Kingsley Special Academy's Ofsted rating?
Kingsley Special Academy was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023.
How many pupils go to Kingsley Special Academy?
Kingsley Special Academy has around 165 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Kingsley Special Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Kingsley Special Academy provides for pupils with autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Kingsley Special Academy?
10.1% of sessions were missed at Kingsley Special Academy in 2024/25. 32.7% of pupils were persistently absent.
Does Kingsley Special Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Kingsley Special Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026).
How many road collisions happen near Kingsley Special Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 5 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 North Northamptonshire is 9 (the median across 154 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Kingsley Special Academy?
Kingsley Special Academy is at Churchill Way, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN15 5DP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)