Preston Hedges Primary School, Northampton
Preston Hedges Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Northampton, part of Preston Hedges Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 17th-highest of the 99 schools in Northampton with published results, and 2,457th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to West Northamptonshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Preston Hedges Primary School in detail
Preston Hedges Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "We believe we have a very special school where children are encouraged to thrive socially and academically. We have the very highest aims for all of our children, and have in place an ambitious school curriculum that challenges our pupils, encouraging them to make connections in learning and enabling them, as they grow, to be critical and evaluative thinkers."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at Preston Hedges Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 92% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in West Northamptonshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (83% in reading, 90% in maths).
Getting a place at Preston Hedges Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 66 families put Preston Hedges Primary School as their first choice and 147 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 10 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Preston Hedges Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Preston Hedges Primary School are Wootton Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 80% reading, 76% maths); Hardingstone Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 64% reading, 72% maths); Woodland View Primary School (1 mile, Outstanding, 87% reading, 83% maths); and Overstone Gate Primary School (1.1 miles).
Preston Hedges Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Wootton Primary SchoolHardingstone AcademyWoodland View Primary SchoolOverstone Gate Primary School
The trust
Preston Hedges Primary School is one of 6 schools run by Preston Hedges Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 84% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
104 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Preston Hedges Primary School (as of September 2025): 90% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 47% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (47%).
Who goes there
4.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 37 pupils (8.9%) received SEN support and 5 (1.2%) 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
The nearest railway station is Northampton Rail Station, about 2.6 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hocknell Close (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Preston Hedges Primary School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Preston Hedges Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Preston Hedges Primary School are Caroline Chisholm School (0.4 miles), Wootton Park School (1.1 miles) and Abbeyfield School (1.4 miles).
Caroline Chisholm SchoolWootton Park SchoolAbbeyfield School
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
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Preston Hedges Primary is an outstanding school that consistently helps pupils achieve very well through high-quality teaching and an ambitious curriculum. The school expertly supports all learners, including those with additional needs, and provides rich enrichment activities that develop children's talents and help them become confident, caring members of the community. Staff are nurturing and have consistently high expectations, creating a calm, orderly environment where pupils thrive.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious and meticulously designed curriculum that exceeds national expectations and builds knowledge progressively year on year
- Highly effective teaching that meets individual needs, including for pupils with SEND
- Sharp focus on reading with expertly trained staff and creative reading spaces, resulting in very high literacy success
- Excellent behaviour and positive attitudes to learning throughout the school
- Extensive enrichment activities including music, sports, school radio and newspaper, plus community involvement
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Music lessons, school radio station, school newspaper, choir, football, crochet, sporting activities and clubs, play leader roles, well-being ambassador roles, eco-ambassador roles
Preston Hedges Primary School is an outstanding school where pupils are happy, confident and achieve very well. The school provides high-quality teaching, an ambitious curriculum and excellent support for all learners.
At a Glance
4.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
104 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 remained stable at around 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 92% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 84% to 88% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.9
Avg class size
29.7
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Preston Hedges Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Preston Hedges Primary School.
- Kip McGrath Education Centre Northampton South200m away · Not yet graded
- Super Camps- Northampton890m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Preston Hedges Primary School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see West Northamptonshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Preston Hedges Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Preston Hedges Primary 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
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 3
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, 2 serious and 7 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
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
Your chances of a place at Preston Hedges Primary School
Will you get a place at Preston Hedges Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Preston Hedges Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Preston Hedges Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Preston Hedges Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from West Northamptonshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Preston Hedges Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in West 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
100%
Full
420 pupils
420 places
No spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Northampton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Northampton
Across West Northamptonshire council
Places available
5,708
Applications
4,335
Got 1st preference
94.6%
Got preferred school
99.5%
All primary applications across West Northamptonshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
37
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
10.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
418
Total Pupils
215
Boys
203
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
19.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,938
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£2225k
Total funding
£21k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.1%
Overall absence
6.3%
Persistent absence
366
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
Preston Hedges Primary School
Questions parents ask about Preston Hedges Primary School
What are SATs results like at Preston Hedges Primary School?
Of the pupils at Preston Hedges Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 92% did so in maths.
What is Preston Hedges Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Preston Hedges Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Preston Hedges Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Preston Hedges Primary School is oversubscribed, West Northamptonshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Preston Hedges Primary School?
Preston Hedges Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Preston Hedges Primary School?
Classes at Preston Hedges Primary School average 29.9 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Preston Hedges Primary School?
Preston Hedges Primary School has around 418 pupils on roll. 4% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Preston Hedges Primary School?
4.1% of sessions were missed at Preston Hedges Primary School in 2024/25. 6.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Preston Hedges Primary School?
Apply through West Northamptonshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Preston Hedges Primary 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 Preston Hedges Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Preston Hedges Primary School: Kip McGrath Education Centre Northampton South (200m away, registered, not yet graded) and Super Camps- Northampton (890m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Preston Hedges Primary School?
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, 2 serious and 7 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 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 Preston Hedges Primary School?
Preston Hedges Primary School is at Wootton Hope Drive, Wootton Fields, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN4 6BU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)