Purple Oaks Academy, Northampton
Purple Oaks Academy is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 18 in Northampton, part of Greenwood Academies Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2022.
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Purple Oaks Academy in detail
Purple Oaks Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Purple Oaks Academy has capacity for 100 students with a diagnosis of Autism and or Severe Learning Difficulties with an Education Health and Care Plan naming Purple Oaks Academy. The expectations for all Greenwood Academies Trust Academies, including Purple Oaks Academy, are: To achieve this Purple Oaks Academy will uphold this ethos and embed these values:"
From the headteacher's welcome: "Our students are polite, charming, respectful, caring, playful, kind and perceptive. Most of them are also autistic and may have moderate to severe learning difficulties. The academy staff are a committed and dedicated team of experienced professionals who support and challenge our children and young people to achieve their personalised goals."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Purple Oaks Academy are Cambian Northampton School (0.7 miles, Good); Northgate School Academy Trust (0.8 miles, Outstanding); Fairfields School (0.9 miles, Outstanding); and Hampton Bridge School (1.3 miles).
Cambian Northampton SchoolNorthgate School Academy TrustFairfields SchoolHampton Bridge School
The trust
Purple Oaks Academy is one of 38 schools run by Greenwood Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 11 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 91% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 64% to a further education college.
Who goes there
32.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 23.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Purple Oaks Academy has an education, health and care plan (131 of 131 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Northampton Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Close (opposite), 200 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 280 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
In 2024/25, Purple Oaks Academy issued 6 suspensions, 5 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 5 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
32.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Purple Oaks Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Purple Oaks Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Purple Oaks Academy 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
- 24
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 21 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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 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
131%
Over capacity
131 pupils
100 places
31 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
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
131
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
131
Total Pupils
94
Boys
37
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
5.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,921
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.9%
Overall absence
22.9%
Persistent absence
109
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
Purple Oaks Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Purple Oaks Academy
What are GCSE results like at Purple Oaks Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Purple Oaks Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 5.3. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Purple Oaks Academy's Ofsted rating?
Purple Oaks Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2022.
What is the catchment area for Purple Oaks Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Purple Oaks Academy is oversubscribed, West Northamptonshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Purple Oaks Academy?
Purple Oaks Academy has around 131 pupils on roll. 33% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Purple Oaks Academy?
8.9% of sessions were missed at Purple Oaks Academy in 2024/25. 22.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Purple Oaks Academy?
Apply through West Northamptonshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Purple Oaks Academy 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.
How many road collisions happen near Purple Oaks Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 21 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 West Northamptonshire is 7 (the median across 208 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Purple Oaks Academy?
Purple Oaks Academy is at Whiston Road, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN2 7RR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)