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Schools in Rushden

A town in North Northamptonshire

  • Town
  • 15 schools and nurseries
  • 3,066 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are below England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Rushden at a glance

Strong attendance, weaker results at 11

How Rushden's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries157 primary · 1 secondary · 7 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1159%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths32%Attainment 8 42.1, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary21%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school16%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Rushden

Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All Rushden primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Rushden

7 mainstream schools in Rushden, best first

Whitefriars Primary School

Rushden, NN10 9HX · Academy · Primary · Ages 5 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

44 first choices, 46 offers made

Met the standard at 1160%

England 62%

Days missed
4.0%
Pupils
397
Pupils per teacher
22.9
View school Whitefriars Primary School

South End Junior School

Rushden, NN10 9JU · State · Primary · Ages 7 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

Met the standard at 1170%

England 62%

Days missed
4.4%
Pupils
338
Pupils per teacher
21.8
View school South End Junior School

Rushden Primary Academy

Rushden, NN10 0YX · Academy · Primary · Ages 4 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

42 first choices, 45 offers made

Met the standard at 1163%

England 62%

Days missed
5.0%
Pupils
388
Pupils per teacher
22.0
View school Rushden Primary Academy

Top Secondary Schools in Rushden

1 mainstream schools in Rushden, best first

Rushden Academy

Rushden, NN10 6AG · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results below the England average.

173 first choices, 175 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1642.1

England 46.2

Days missed
9.3%
Pupils
961
Pupils per teacher
19.8
View school Rushden Academy

Nurseries in Rushden

7 in Rushden, highest Ofsted grade first

Happytots

Rushden, NN10 9PQ · Nursery

  • Ofsted:Good

Nurseries don't sit tests, so there are no results to compare.

View school Happytots

Sixth Forms in Rushden

1 in Rushden, by the school's Eduscope score

Rushden Academy

Rushden, NN10 6AG · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results below the England average.

173 first choices, 175 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1642.1

England 46.2

Days missed
9.3%
Pupils
961
Pupils per teacher
19.8
View school Rushden Academy
The map

Every school in Rushden, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Alfred Lord Tennyson School, Requires improvement in 1 areaSouth End Infant School, GoodSouth End Junior School, GoodDenfield Park Primary School, GoodRushden Primary Academy, GoodNewton Road School, Requires improvement in 5 areasRushden Academy, GoodWhitefriars Primary School, GoodBlossoms Day Nursery and The Hive, GoodRushden Day Nursery, GoodHappytots, GoodThe Jack And Jill Day Nursery Ltd, GoodTots and Juniors, GoodRhymetime Rushden, OutstandingKiddi Caru Day Nursery and Preschool, Good
  • Outstanding1
  • Good12
  • Not graded yet2
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

Postcodes

Browse Rushden by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Rushden vs England

How good are Rushden's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Rushden

RushdenEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 5 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    1 of the 1 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    59%

    England 62%

    Below England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    32%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    16%

    England 18%

    Better than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    21%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 6 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good6
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Rushden in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%60%70%20182019202320242025
59% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap10%25%40%201920222023202420252026
32% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
16% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Rushden has 15 schools and nurseries.

There are 5% more pupils than in 2018.

21% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Rushden's state schools each January.

Up 5% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.

Free school meals

Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.

Rushden21%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Rushden

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Questions

Questions parents ask about Rushden

How many schools are in Rushden?

Rushden has 15 schools, including 7 primary schools, 1 secondary school, 7 nurseries. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Rushden?

The highest-ranked schools in Rushden on Eduscope are Whitefriars Primary School, South End Junior School, Rushden Primary Academy. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.

What percentage of schools in Rushden are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Rushden hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 6 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Rushden perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Rushden, 59% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Rushden?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Rushden is 20.9:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in Rushden schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Rushden is 16.3%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.

How many pupils attend schools in Rushden?

There are 3,066 pupils enrolled across schools in Rushden, with 2,105 in primary and 961 in secondary. 21.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Rushden?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 15 schools in Rushden by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.

Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.

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