Newton Road School, Rushden
Newton Road School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Rushden, part of Nene Education Trust. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 6 schools in Rushden with published results, and 13,747th of 14,452 across England. It was 66% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to North Northamptonshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Newton Road School in detail
Results
In 2025, 43% of Year 6 pupils at Newton Road School reached the expected standard in reading and 63% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 73% in North Northamptonshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 49% in reading and 37% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Newton Road School
For September 2026 entry, 16 families put Newton Road School as their first choice and 37 named it as one of their preferences, for 17 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Newton Road School are Denfield Park Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 72% reading, 63% maths); Alfred Lord Tennyson School (0.4 miles, Requires improvement, 65% reading, 70% maths); South End Infant School (0.6 miles, Good); and Rushden Primary Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 75% reading, 81% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Newton Road School.
Denfield Park Primary SchoolAlfred Lord Tennyson SchoolSouth End Infant SchoolRushden Primary Academy
The trust
Newton Road School is one of 8 schools run by Nene Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 49% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
22 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Newton Road School (as of September 2025): 77% would recommend the school, 82% say their child is happy there and 70% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (91%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (68%).
Who goes there
40.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 46 pupils (23.5%) received SEN support and 15 (7.7%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Newton Road School.
35 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cromwell Road (before), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 249 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in North Northamptonshire (141), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Newton Road School issued 9 suspensions, 4.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Newton Road School are Rushden Academy (0.9 miles) and The Ferrers School (1 mile).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Newton Road School has made impressive changes to improve behaviour - serious incidents have fallen significantly and pupils now feel safe on the playground. The school has introduced well-thought-out new curriculums in all subjects and is developing a strong reading culture with pupils earning badges for their progress. Staff are positive and well-supported, and pupils with additional needs are fully included in all aspects of school life.
Key Strengths
- Behaviour is improving significantly with fewer serious incidents and suspensions
- Warm relationships between staff and pupils create a supportive learning environment
- New curriculum approaches in reading, writing and mathematics are starting to improve pupil learning
- Pupils with SEND are fully included and their needs are identified and met swiftly
- Safeguarding arrangements are effective and pupils feel safer at school
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching quality is inconsistent - some staff do not explain concepts clearly or check pupils understand
- Pupils do not engage well enough in lessons and lose focus easily
- Reading books given to early readers sometimes contain letter sounds they don't know yet
- Attendance remains above national average, though improving
- Pupils lack sufficient knowledge about differences in faith, culture and background
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Choir, theatre club, sporting opportunities
Newton Road School is undergoing transformation under new leadership, with curriculum changes and improved behaviour management beginning to raise standards. However, the quality of education requires improvement and recent changes are yet to have their full intended impact.
At a Glance
40.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
22 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)
Reading has declined from 49% to 43% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 37% to 63% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 51% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.6
Avg class size
26.7
Infant (KS1)
21.3
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Newton Road School
Before and after school care
Newton Road 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 North Northamptonshire
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Newton Road School.
- Pacesetter Sports & Wellbeing Ltd560m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Newton Road School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see North Northamptonshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Newton Road School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Newton Road School 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
- 22
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 18 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot.
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 North Northamptonshire is 9 (the median across 154 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
Your chances of a place at Newton Road School
Will you get a place at Newton Road School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Newton Road School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Newton Road School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Newton Road School.
- North Northamptonshire publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Newton Road School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Newton Road School for 2019 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in North Northamptonshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
66%
Available places
219 pupils
330 places
111 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Rushden
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rushden
Across North Northamptonshire council
Places available
4,565
Applications
3,751
Got 1st preference
93.9%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All primary applications across North Northamptonshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
46
SEN Support
15
EHC Plans
31.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
196
Total Pupils
96
Boys
100
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
16.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,252
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,775
Per pupil
£1493k
Total funding
£129k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.6%
Overall absence
17.3%
Persistent absence
208
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Newton Road School
Questions parents ask about Newton Road School
What are SATs results like at Newton Road School?
Of the pupils at Newton Road School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 43% reached the expected standard in reading and 63% did so in maths.
What is Newton Road School's Ofsted rating?
Newton Road School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Newton Road School?
No fixed boundary. When Newton Road School is oversubscribed, North Northamptonshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Newton Road School?
Newton Road School was not full in 2025: it ran at 66% of its 330 places.
How big are the classes at Newton Road School?
Classes at Newton Road School average 23.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Newton Road School?
Newton Road School has around 196 pupils on roll. 40% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Newton Road School?
6.6% of sessions were missed at Newton Road School in 2024/25. 17.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Newton Road School?
Apply through North Northamptonshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Newton Road School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Newton Road School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Newton Road 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. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Newton Road School: Pacesetter Sports & Wellbeing Ltd (560m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Newton Road School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 18 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot. 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 North Northamptonshire is 9 (the median across 154 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Newton Road School?
Newton Road School is at Newton Road, Rushden, Northamptonshire, NN10 0HH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)