The Ferrers School, Rushden

Ofsted's report card from its 3 March 2026 inspection grades The Ferrers School on 7 areas: 4 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Attendance is a priority for the school."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "This is an inclusive school."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Despite only being in the school for a short time, senior leaders have a clear vision for the school."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "The sixth-form provision has changed significantly since the previous inspection."

Achievement - Needs attention. "In recent years, pupils have not achieved as well as they should."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Leaders know there are inconsistencies in teaching."

Personal development and wellbeing - Needs attention. "There is some variation in the impact of the curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE) on pupils."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders need to ensure that teachers routinely check pupils' understanding to accurately identify pupils' starting points and expose any gaps or misconceptions, so that teaching helps pupils to build knowledge securely"; "Leaders should make sure that pupils achieve well, produce work of high quality across the curriculum and gain qualifications that enable them to pursue their aspirations"; "Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum supports pupils to gain a detailed understanding of the fundamental British values and the protected characteristics, as well as knowledge of different faiths and cultures, so that they are well prepared for their lives in modern Britain"; "Leaders should embed and carefully check that their attendance strategy is having the intended impact to raise pupils' attendance rates".

From the headteacher's welcome: "The Ferrers is a school in which excellence and success are both desirable and achievable, and I am privileged to have been appointed as Principal in September 2025. I am committed to providing a high-quality educational experience in a school that places learning and individual achievement at the centre of everything we do."

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 12 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Ferrers School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.6 in North Northamptonshire and 47 across England.

25% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 41% in North Northamptonshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 38.9 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.28: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 32.5, against 41.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Physical Education.

For September 2026 entry, 143 families put The Ferrers School as their first choice and 338 named it as one of their preferences, for 149 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Ferrers School are Rushden Academy (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.1); Huxlow Academy (2.3 miles, Attainment 8 39.8); Manor School (3.6 miles, Inadequate, Attainment 8 38.2); and Wrenn School (4.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45).

The Ferrers School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

The Ferrers School is one of 36 schools run by Meridian Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.9 in 2024/25.

105 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Ferrers School (as of April 2026): 71% would recommend the school, 68% say their child is happy there and 55% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (71%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (52%).

Of the 147 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 52% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

Of the 36 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 44% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 44% into work. 13% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

5.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 33 pupils (3.5%) received SEN support and 36 (3.8%) 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.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of The Ferrers School.

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is 3 Manor Way (opposite), 260 metres away.

In 2024/25, The Ferrers School issued 312 suspensions, 33.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 6 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Ferrers School are Higham Ferrers Junior School (0.4 miles), Higham Ferrers Nursery and Infant School (0.4 miles), Denfield Park Primary School (0.7 miles) and Henry Chichele Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.