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Schools in Towcester

A town in West Northamptonshire

  • Town
  • 8 schools and nurseries
  • 2,351 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are above England, and results at 16 were above 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

Towcester at a glance

Ahead of England on results at 11

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

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries83 primary · 1 secondary · 4 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1175%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths55%Attainment 8 51.4, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary14%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school13%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Towcester

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 Towcester primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Towcester

3 mainstream schools in Towcester, best first

Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School

Towcester, NN12 6JA · Academy · Primary · Ages 4 to 11

  • Ofsted:Strong standard in every area

Results well above the England average.

54 first choices, 59 offers made

Met the standard at 1179%

England 62%

Days missed
3.6%
Pupils
429
Pupils per teacher
21.8
View school Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School

Top Secondary Schools in Towcester

1 mainstream schools in Towcester, best first

Sponne School

Towcester, NN12 6DJ · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good in every area

Results above the England average.

214 first choices, 220 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1651.4

England 46.2

Days missed
6.6%
Pupils
1,410
Pupils per teacher
16.9
View school Sponne School

Nurseries in Towcester

4 in Towcester, highest Ofsted grade first

KidsStop

Towcester, NN12 6AF · Nursery

  • Ofsted:Good

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

View school KidsStop

Sixth Forms in Towcester

1 in Towcester, by the school's Eduscope score

Sponne School

Towcester, NN12 6DJ · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good in every area

Results above the England average.

214 first choices, 220 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1651.4

England 46.2

Days missed
6.6%
Pupils
1,410
Pupils per teacher
16.9
View school Sponne School
The map

Every school in Towcester, 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
Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School, Strong standard in every areaSponne School, Good in every areaTowcester Church of England Primary School, GoodMarie Weller Primary School, GoodKidsStop, GoodTowcester Tots Day Nursery Ltd, GoodCrazy 4 Kids Nicholas Hawksmoor Out Of School Club & Pre-School, GoodButtons@Towcester Preschool
  • Good5
  • Not graded yet3
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.

By age

What's on offer for each age

Pick a stage to see every Towcester school for that age, with filters for type, faith and Ofsted grade.

More ways to narrow it down

Here's how Towcester's schools break down by type, faith and more.

Postcodes

Browse Towcester by postcode

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

Towcester vs England

How good are Towcester'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 Towcester

TowcesterEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 2 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    75%

    England 62%

    Above England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    55%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

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

    13%

    England 18%

    Better than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    14%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 2 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good2
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

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

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%70%90%20182019202320242025
75% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap40%60%80%2018201920222023202420252026
55% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
13% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Towcester has 8 schools and nurseries.

There are 7% more pupils than in 2018.

14% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Towcester's state schools each January.

Up 7% 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.

Towcester14%

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 Towcester

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 Towcester

How many schools are in Towcester?

Towcester has 8 schools, including 3 primary schools, 1 secondary school, 4 nurseries. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Towcester?

The highest-ranked schools in Towcester on Eduscope are Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School, Sponne School, Towcester Church of England Primary School. 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 Towcester are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Towcester hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 2 rated Good.

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

Across primary schools in Towcester, 75% 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 Towcester?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Towcester is 18.4:1. 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 Towcester schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Towcester is 13.2%. 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 Towcester?

There are 2,351 pupils enrolled across schools in Towcester, with 941 in primary and 1,410 in secondary. 12.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Towcester?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 8 schools in Towcester 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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